Business environments change rapidly, and recent events have caused most companies to think fast on their feet. As many organizations consider new ways to do business, the managed services model may be a viable option. For those wondering if their business model would benefit from outsourced IT capabilities, we’ve put together a managed services Q & A to address possible questions. If you have considered these services in the past but decided against them, now might be a great time to reconsider.
Q. If I already have an IT guy I call when I have a problem, how can managed services help?
A, There are actually three possible scenarios here. If you call in an IT service only when there is an issue, known as a “break/fix” methodology, you are likely wasting money. Paying someone an hourly professional rate only if needed seems like a good idea, but studies have shown that overall you will actually save money annually by paying a monthly retainer fee. If you have someone on staff who “understands computers” but IT is not their primary job, chances are they are overworked and frustrated at their job being interrupted every time a user has a question. While these people are typically loyal employees with good hearts, their expertise is minimal and they can’t keep up with the rapidly changing IT environment, especially as it pertains to security. If you do have a full time IT specialist, you are in good shape, but he or she is still only one person. For the same cost or less, you can have access to a deep bench of IT expertise.
Q. Can I really save money with managed services?
A. If you are lucky enough to never have any IT issues that are beyond your control, managed services may not be for you. But aside from having an entire IT department at your disposal with overhead – a big savings opportunity – you need to consider downtime. Managed services provides the full time monitoring, latest threat protection, and redundancy that will ensure you do not suffer downtime, which can be catastrophic for your business. Downtime not only causes you to lose immediate business, but can hurt your reputation long term.
Q. Don’t I lose complete control of my business by handing it to a managed services company?
A. One of the best parts about working with a local Sarasota managed service provider is that you can visit, interact and strategize with the team, and reach real people on the phone. Managed services experts are trained to manage your operations proficiently so you don’t have concerns, but consider themselves a part of your team – not apart from your team! We fill in the skills gap for your organization, helping your employees to focus on what they do best. You will also find that you will get more done. Your internal staff can work on their everyday duties and rely on the managed services team to handle IT projects, upgrades and conversions – activities which are often put on the backburner for months or years.
Q. Is managed services appropriate for my type of business?
A, True, every business has unique needs, but they also share common elements. The short answer is, if you have a computer network, even just a few desktops and a server, you need qualified IT professionals. They can help you to streamline operations, manage your growth, share expenses with other companies, and most importantly, keep you ahead of the cyber criminals. If you have an organization that needs computers and data protected, you are a great candidate to learn about managed services can help you .
This managed services Q & A only scratched the surface of questions you may have. But a single call to Alliance IT will help to educate you further on the economic, business and securty benefits of working with our expert team. Call today to learn more.
