In many ways technology has made business processes easier, but the more technology is integrated into every aspect of an organization, the more maintenance, monitoring and repair is needed. Executives have found this evolving need particularly challenging, with technology innovations that are required to remain competitive often seemingly out of financial or practical reach – that is, without managed IT services.
Until a few decades ago, the break-fix model was the standard answer for maintenance assistance. In essence, the model was reactive versus proactive – when a machine broke, the IT team repaired or replaced it. But as technology changes became too rapid to keep up with – and a greater number of devices required servicing and repair – the model began to crack. The new iterations of technology required more resources to maintain, and the break-fix model became inefficient for most companies.
Vendors who offered break/fix services first introduced flat rate fees with SLAs (service-level agreements), delivering guaranteed uptime without an unattainable price tag. The industry as a whole switched from reactive to proactive models, which was a positive development for everyone involved. Organizations across the board saw increased efficiency and productivity, while emerging MSPs offered quality service that focused on each customer. Since that time, the technology sector has radically grown and innovated, but the primary concept of MSPs remain. More companies are partnering with managed services partners every day for their IT service capabilities, understanding that it is more profitable to focus on the overreaching market strategy than on micromanaging an IT department.
MSPs can bridge skills gaps, manage projects, and guarantee uptime. There are many benefits to these agreements, including providing the client company with the ability to:
- Distribute resources to more strategic tasks.
- Improve user experiences and customer service.
- Maximize agility and encourage innovation/automation.
- Reduce corporate risk.
Which services do managed services companies actually provide? Here are some examples of the services offered within this space.
Establish, enhance and deliver cloud services:
- Accelerate the cloud adoption process
- Streamline and simplify multicloud environments
- Optimize cloud performance and usage
- Manage cloud expenses
- Provide financial predictability and agility
Bolster network and security operations:
- Delegate operational challenges
- Reduce the threat of cyber and ransomware attacks
- Respond and recover more quickly in the event of an attack
- Maximize visibility and optimize scalability
- Create operational plans for business continuity / disaster recovery
Aggressively safeguard infrastructure throughout the process:
- Enhance data protection and strengthen backup procedures
- Maximize network performance
- Cultivate an environment conducive to strategic virtualization
- Experience secure data storage capabilities
- Reallocate resources to focus on long-term strategy tasks
Improve team morale with solutions that encourage collaboration and communication:
- Boost return on technology investment (ROI)
- Develop and refine remote and hybrid work models
- Maximize the lifecycle of all devices in the organization
- Provide excellent, qualified technical support in all departments
Managed services in today’s competitive marketpace is an extension of your own internal IT team. A managed services company fills in any skills gap, and gives businesses the ability to quickly and intelligently respond to any scenario that may arise – even if the expertise does not reside in-house.
Managed IT services offer the best of all worlds for Sarasota area businesses. They guarantee access to professional knowledge and experience in all emerging technology areas, safeguard and protect network integrity, assist in planning strategically for future needs, and offer access to technologies and software that SMBs may not otherwise have the resources to bring in-house.
Start 2024 with the technology, expertise and infrastructure you need – without the cost of procuring it all for yourself. If you are a Sarasota SMB looking for assistance in growing your IT department, we invite you to call Alliance IT to learn about the significant benefits of the managed services solution.
