Every business needs IT services, but what does that mean? To sum it up, IT services apply business and technical expertise to business processes to streamline operations. There are various segments within the general IT sphere, and businesses don’t always need every type of service. However, it’s really up to each business to determine what’s necessary. —In IT services, businesses streamline operations by choosing a specialized **server management service provider** to optimize their infrastructure based on specific needs.
IT services can be provided in three ways: in-house, outsourced and managed. While the services provided are generally the same (with some exceptions), they are delivered differently. This article will learn the differences, and why managed IT services are ideal.
Why in-house IT teams aren’t enough
When you have endless capital to keep an entire IT team in-house, you probably don’t need to worry about outsourced or managed services. However, if you’re like most business owners, you’re on a budget, and you can’t afford to waste your payroll dollars.
Having an entire IT team in-house means paying them even when there’s no need for their expertise. You can find other things to fill their time, but it will cost you more since IT techs are paid a premium for their expertise.
Managed IT services make it possible for you to keep a small in-house IT team on staff without compromising your needs. Your managed IT team will fill in the gaps and even work with your in-house team when needed.
What have outsourced IT services?
Outsourced IT services are services that handle the tasks you can’t be bothered to perform. Generally speaking, outsourced IT services cover specific task-oriented jobs like managing your helpdesk, performing data entry, data conversion, and scanning/PDFing documents.
Many business owners outsource various tedious IT tasks that take up too much time. It makes sense, but it’s not the same as managed IT services.
What are managed IT services?
At first glance, you might think “managed IT services” is just a clever phrase for outsourced IT. If this makes you think of entry-level employees overseas who can barely solve your problems, don’t worry because it’s not the same at all.
Like outsourced IT, taking on managed IT services means working with an external company, but the work performed is different.
Managed IT services work on multiple levels to build a strong foundation and enhance your business processes from the ground up. You can find remote or local services, but local is ideal because you may need some house calls.
For instance, Converged Tech Group offers managed IT services in New York for local businesses that want to support and streamline their operations. Much of their work is performed remotely, but they can also visit a business in person when required.
A typical managed IT service provider will offer various services across multiple tech domains. Often, these organizations have an extensive team of skilled experts to ensure a well-rounded approach to your business needs.
Managed IT services are critical
There are several reasons managed IT services should be a staple for every business, especially when the goal is to grow your business.
Most cyberattacks target small businesses. It means you are a cybercriminal’s target. Managed IT can help you transform and strengthen your entire cybersecurity game.
About 6.9% of small business revenue is put into IT. It is a large portion of your budget, and for a good reason. You can’t afford to hire anyone who isn’t an expert.
Business professionals lack the knowledge that IT experts bring. You can’t rely on one or two IT techs in your office to have all the answers. A managed IT service provider will have a team that embodies knowledge and expertise based on experience. It’s what they specialize in, so they’ll naturally bring some well-rounded experience to the table.
What do managed services look like?
Here’s an example of what managed services look like in the real world. Say you just switched your company over to a new Customer Relationship Management (CRM) tool that manages your email list, lead segmentation, customer notes, shopping cart, and the sales process. This new CRM is designed to replace your a-la-cart software and systems and increase efficiency by placing everything under one roof.
If your new CRM has gaps that don’t fill your every need, you’ll have employees who still insist on using the tools they’re familiar with to do their job. This scenario will make moving entirely to your CRM complex, and if you don’t have anyone to implement the features you’re missing, you’ll be stuck.
The biggest issue is you may not even know what you need. You might know what isn’t working, and that’s where a managed IT specialist can help.
A managed IT provider will look at your current system and pinpoint why your employees resist using your new CRM. They’ll point out the disconnects with their expert vision and offer solutions to improve adoption rates for your new tech. They’ll also work to tailor your CRM and related processes to work in harmony with how you run your business.
You might also need a custom CRM because the one you chose is too limited. If so, your managed IT provider will explain why you need a custom solution and make suggestions for features that will meet your needs.
Managed services focus on long-term results
The main difference between outsourced and managed IT lies in how they think about the future. Outsourced IT focuses on a list of tasks in the here, and now, while managed IT focuses on a business’s long-term success.
For instance, you could outsource tasks to a company that completes everything on time and perfection. Still, they’ll never suggest how you can improve your business processes or create more efficient strategies. You’re paying for completed, mechanical tasks to be checked off from a list, and that’s precisely what you’ll get.
Outsourcing has an important place in your business; it’s not bad. Many businesses have grown exponentially thanks to their willingness to outsource a chunk of their workload. It’s just not the same as managed services.
A managed IT service provider wants you to be successful, and that is where they look from. Your success is their goal. They will intentionally look for ways you can improve your business processes and systems to create long-term results.
If your business needs an overhaul, your managed IT team will tell you what they see and how it will improve things for you. For instance, you might need some custom programs, or you may need to adopt AI into your supply chain management system.
You might even need to integrate high-level cybersecurity into your business on a wholly unfamiliar level to you and your staff. In that case, your managed IT team will set it up for you and make sure you’re all trained in how to use it and what policies you need in place to maintain your new security measures.
Final Thoughts:
Are you focused on growth? It’s time to try managed IT services. If you’re ready to grow your business, you’ll need a strong technical foundation that can only be crafted by a team effort between you and a team of IT experts. If you haven’t yet explored managed IT, now is the perfect time to explore your options.
No matter where you are with your business, there’s a plan to fit your needs and budget.
