What are Managed IT Services and Why do you Need Them?

Information technology (IT) is the lifeblood of almost every business today. Much like the steam engine powered the industrial revolution, IT is the driving force behind its digital equivalent – with a little help from the internet, of course. Our reliance on such innovations is not a fool proof enabler of success, however. Remember, along with modernisation, new challenges are bound to present themselves. Businesses can sometimes fall into the trap of assuming innovation is strategy, but confusing these two elements can be detrimental; after all, without a clear strategy in place to implement and manage innovation effectively, organisations are unlikely to reap its benefits to the fullest extent.

To ensure existing technology remains fit for purpose and that new technology is not deployed simply for the sake of it, organisations can turn to managed IT support, e.g., IT asset management or IT consultancy.

Managed IT services allow businesses to delegate all or part of their IT function to an expert third-party freeing up critical business resources.

Doing so is a trend that continues to escalate exponentially, with revenue in the UK IT services market forecast to increase by over 24% in the next four years alone. Perhaps this statistic comes as no surprise, though. Turning to managed IT providers – with experts in specialised IT fields on hand and access to advanced technology – can help give organisations the edge they need to remain competitive.

Managed IT Services

Managed IT Services allow businesses to delegate all or part of their IT function to an expert third-party – known as a Managed Service Provider (MSP). IT MSPs specialise in handling the day-to-day operation of IT systems and infrastructure, as well as executing digital transformation projects (and sometimes offering cyber security services and other IT provisions such as service desk). It’s the job of the MSP to take time to understand their client’s goals before working proactively to improve their IT environment. By relieving organisations of the burden of managing daily IT operations, an MSP can also work in partnership with the client to leverage new technology that facilitates growth.

MSPs may either provide a full IT department service for SMEs that have little or no internal technical capabilities (known as IT outsourcing) or else support the existing, experienced, IT team in larger organisations (known as IT co-sourcing).  The extent of the MSP’s responsibilities is agreed upon beforehand with key stakeholders and defined inside a service level agreement (SLA) and possibly also an experience level agreement (XLA).

Types of Managed IT Support Services

MSPs provide a wide range of managed IT services which can be tailored to your business’s unique requirements, these include:

• 24/7 service desk: you realise how much your users rely on IT when it fails or becomes less efficient. MSPs provide round the clock access to IT specialists who can troubleshoot these issues remotely or on-site.
• Modern workplace (AKA: end user compute): your businesses must support its IT users and ensure they have access to relevant applications, services, and data from any device, from anywhere, around the clock. An MSP can help you to implement an end-user strategy that liberates, empowers, secures, and leverages your people.
• Infrastructure management: infrastructure outages can be damaging to your business, both from a productivity perspective and a functional one. Whether hosted on-site or cloud-based, an MSP can manage your IT systems and applications availability, performance, and health to ensure there are no outages.
• IT asset management (ITAM): MSPs can help organisations ensure their IT assets (hardware and software) are safely accounted-for, deployed, maintained, and upgraded throughout their entire lifecycle, as well as safely disposed of or recycled when the time comes.
• Service integration and management: MSPs can implement and oversee a strategic process that efficiently manages multiple IT vendors to achieve business goals. This single contact accountability frees you of responsibility for the management of third parties, allowing you to focus on business projects leading to improved efficiency.
• Cyber security: some IT MSPs will also offer cyber security services to help protect your business and its assets and to combat the ever-evolving cyber threats organisations face.

Top 10 benefits of using a MSP

The benefits of using Managed IT Services are compelling and include the following:

• Enhanced user experience
• Enriched workforce productivity
• Cost-efficiency gains
• Predictable monthly costs
• Engenders employee health and well-being
• Enables agility and innovation
• Maximisation of uptime driving business continuity
• Access to newer technologies
• Highly resilient, secure infrastructure
• Increased service levels

How to choose the right Managed Service Provider

Deciding to seek the services of an MSP to manage some of or all your business’s IT processes and systems is the easy part of your IT strategy; choosing one that aligns with your ambitions and helps you achieve future success is trickier. Pick a partner rather than a supplier and you will be on the path to success. So, where do you start?

• Evaluate cultural compatibility: both parties need to be on the same wavelength culturally. You must possess shared values and beliefs, as this will influence behaviour, expectations, and attitudes
• Review their ability to integrate with your business: try and answer the following questions during the tendering process: Who will be your main point of contact? Are they the right size to meet your requirements? Do they fit your culture? How available are they? Will they invest time and resources to understand your business and its goals? How easy are they to reach when a problem arises?
• Review their credentials and track record: once the contract is signed, and a salesperson is no longer involved, you need to know that the service you have committed to will be delivered. So, ask for references and do research beforehand
• Review their ability to innovate: select an MSP that can help you leverage IT innovation and deliver positive change for your business. This includes their ability to deliver effective technology consulting and challenge your current business practices
• Review their ability to scale: as your business grows, you may need to expand your level of service, which will require additional IT resources. It is therefore vital to partner with an MSP that possesses the agility to scale with your business and service your dynamic needs.

Remember, there’s no one-size-fits-all when it comes to planning, implementing and managing IT, with each business possessing unique requirements and resources. The key is to devise and execute an IT strategy that’s completely tailored to your business. Whether you need a fully outsourced IT service, or a more à la carte offering that integrates seamlessly with your IT department, a carefully selected MSP can ensure that your IT infrastructure aligns with your goals and development.

 

Get in touch today to find out more about our tailored IT services and how we can help support your business goals.