Businesses have been relying on managed IT services for decades. However, demand increased substantially in the past 18 months as more and more companies discover the benefits that come with using a managed services provider (MSP).
While remote work was growing in popularity even before the coronavirus pandemic, it accelerated in 2020. Today, 54 percent of workers want to continue work from home even after the outbreak ends, according to the Pew Research Center. That means your business will need to provide connectivity to employees that is efficient, secure, and cost effective.
We’re here to help.
Here are five ways our team of creative problem solvers use managed IT services to help organizations maximize technology and streamline procedures so they can shift their focus from daily functionality to long-term business goals.
1. Avoid the Time and Expense of Hiring an In-House IT Team
It’s hard for small businesses to hire qualified, experienced IT professionals. Rather than invest your time and resources in hiring, managed IT lets you focus on your business’ other priorities. Managed services can reduce the need for an in-house IT department, cutting costs associated with full-time employees, while still providing deep levels of experience and a large team that can address maintenance and repairs as they arise.
Depending on the service level agreement (SLA) you sign, outsourcing your managed IT services may help you save by bundling fees normally associated with consulting, licensing, training, and more. You also should have access to a help desk that can provide remote support and additional technology services that you may not be able to use with an in-house IT team.
2. Give Yourself Additional Protection From Cybersecurity Attacks
The number of companies being compromised by cyberattacks and data breaches continues to rise. A data breach or hack can damage both your brand and bottom line, so don’t assume you have the right firewalls and procedures in place to protect your business. A managed IT services company can provide you with a multilayered approach to security that is flexible and strategic.
Rather than doing the bare minimum to manage risk, and MSP can help you improve security measures with multifactor authentication, whitelisting, secure VPNs, and more. Then, they can address any other gaps in your security, further decreasing the possibility of a hack or breach. If you have already been the victim of a cyberattack, an MSP can help put procedures and tools in place to prevent it from happening again.
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3. Reduce Downtime’s Negative Effects
Whether a server crashed or you’re the victim of ransomware, the cost of downtime can add up in a hurry. According to a 2020 survey performed by ITIC, a single minute of downtime can cost a business more than $1,600 in lost revenue, productivity, or maintenance. In an hour, you can lose $100,000.
A managed IT services provider can make your network more resilient by building in redundancies and implementing business continuity and disaster recovery plans that quickly get your business back up and running at full speed. Additionally, an MSP will proactively monitor your systems to head off and eliminate issues as they are detected.
4. Unlock Newfound Efficiency and Productivity
Small businesses typically can’t afford the same level of in-house IT support that large companies enjoy. However, your information technology needs might be as complex as a larger firm’s– especially if you deal with sensitive information or work in a regulated industry. With a managed IT services provider, you’ll have broad access to a team that is trained, certified, and qualified to handle all your business’ IT needs.
Managed IT services also can reduce the stress associated with handling complex and time-consuming issues, while helping you capitalize on the full potential of popular business tools, like ERPs, CRMs, Google Workspace, Microsoft Office 365, SharePoint, and more. We can also help you establish “bring your own device” solutions that enable the safe and secure use of mobile devices. By implementing new integrations and applications, you will be able to focus fully on key strategic initiatives rather than day-to-day IT operations.
5. Make the Transition to New Technology Smooth and Fast
Advances in technology should move your business forward, not bog it down with delays. A managed IT services provider can significantly shorten your upgrade cycle by implementing IT infrastructure and application upgrades in real time. That way, you won’t have to wait long to take advantage of the benefits and features available with the new technology.
Cloud computing solutions like Microsoft Azure and Amazon Web Services (AWS) can make this even more effective. For example, rather than sitting back and waiting until your on-site server needs to be patched or replaced, you can leverage the capabilities offered by cloud services to continually modernize equipment and implement advances in automation and integration in a scalable and flexible way.
Verdant TCS Can Help Strengthen Your IT Systems
Working with an experienced company like Verdant TCS can help you enjoy the advantages that come with managed IT services. Rather than a reactive break/fix model that many IT service providers like to utilize, Verdant TCS is a proactive partner that will work with you to create a strategic roadmap that allows you to use technology to its full capacity without needing to increase IT staff or capital expenditures.
We founded Verdant TCS to help you plan, implement, monitor, and support the right proactive IT strategies for your business. Our experienced team of IT professionals would be more than happy to work with you to find an efficient and intelligent IT solution that will reduce your costs and help your business plan for the future.
For learn how Verdant TCS can help your business enjoy the benefits of managed IT services, please call 616-210-1760 or fill out this short form.
References
- Parker K., Menasce Horowitz J., and Minkin, R. (2020, December 9). How the Coronavirus Has – and Hasn’t – Changed the Way Americans Work. Retrieved from: https://www.pewresearch.org/social-trends/2020/12/09/how-the-coronavirus-outbreak-has-and-hasnt-changed-the-way-americans-work/
- Information Technology Intelligence Consulting. (2020, June 19). Forty Percent of Enterprises Say Hourly Downtime Costs Top $1 Million. Retrieved from: https://itic-corp.com/blog/2020/06/forty-percent-of-enterprises-say-hourly-downtime-costs-top-1million/