There was a time that businesses were able to focus on their core offer including baking cakes or selling furniture, creating cars, offering assistance etc. However, in the last three decades, every professional business has needed to evolve into an IT-based business in order to allow their business to grow in the workplace, improve employee productivity and manage information. From mainframes and desktop computing through to Cloud to LANs, WANs and LANs to MANs, from switchboards to IP telephony to contact centres The pace of technological innovation has been unstoppable and so has increasing pressure for businesses to stay pace. For all the benefits and efficiencies brought by the digital revolution, it has also created its own problems.
For a long time, organizations were faced with a choice when it came to installing, maintaining and, above all making the most of their IT systems: do it yourself by investing in both technology and capabilities to run it or entrust some or all of it to an expert IT contractor. The last 20 years has seen an alternative emerge called the established managed IT provider.
What are managed IT services?
Managed IT services are typically described as outsourced infrastructure, application, network and security services through the supervision by a managed services provider. Because these services are offered as well as monitored and maintained by a third party, they generally will see a decrease in “lights on” working day-to-day for internal IT teams which allows them to concentrate on value, business focused activities and filling any skill gap that their own team may face.
The benefits of the use of managed IT services
The market for managed services worldwide was worth USD 161.37 billion by 2021 and is projected to reach USD 311.32 billion by 2027. In short, this is an explosive market that is driven by the ever well-documented advantages that managed service delivery can provide.
Look at two statistics of the Global Managed Services Market report which you’ve read above: it’s said that the deployment of managed services could help decrease IT costs by 25-45% and increase operational efficiency by 45 to 65 percent. The two statistics alone consider, however there are more benefits to be realized as well. Some of these benefits resonate more in comparison to others, based on the organization’s makeup, growth strategy, business nature, etc.
We’ve created a brief top 10 benefits of managing IT services managed ‘Top Ten for You.
1. Future proof services, using top-of-the-line technology
The best managed IT service providers must utilize the latest technology and equipment available on market to offer services. IT services are constantly improved at no extra cost or financial risk to your business. You never have to worry about whether your IT managed services London will be outdated.
2. Cost of capital is low and monthly predictable costs
The expense for the most advanced hardware and software will be high. Managed IT offers the highest quality enterprise and carrier grade solutions to its customers. A fixed monthly payment schedule means you know what you’re going to pay and how much it’s likely to cost over the term of your contract. Absolutely no surprise charges for upgrade or changes to charges, guaranteed.
3. Flexible, prompt service
Managed IT Service Providers can be extremely flexible. Pay-as-you go payment plans allow for quick growth when necessary and cost savings when you need to consolidate; this is a provision that is always in line with the needs which reduces waste, and enhances readiness. And it can also be implemented quickly as well. If you’re required to move quickly, an efficient MSP will have the resources, infrastructure and market connections that can make things happen promptly and smooth out some of the usual bumps in the road.
4. Converged services
Multiple managed IT solutions can be provided through one ‘converged’ connection, resulting in cost-savings on infrastructure. There are also efficiency and productivity advantages because remote staff working from home have access to all the voice and data applications that your HQ staff make use of.
5. Secure, resilient and highly resilient infrastructure
The managed service provider’s data centers and network infrastructure are more secure than a standard Enterprise IT service. Infrastructure is run under 24/7 7 days a week management, and has security protocols approved by the government. Achieving 99.99 percent uptime could help safeguard you from the financial losses due to downtime. Since every business is different research suggests that downtime costs British companies, on average, PS3.6 million per year which equates to 545 hours of lost productivity.
6. Expertise
By selecting managed IT services, you get access to staff with specialist capabilities. Sometimes , you’ll only require this capability once, which is why you should do not spend money on training your staff for techniques they’ll never use. In this post-Covid world, it’s an even more competitive labour market and skilled staff can be difficult and costly – to find and retain in the event that you have permanent in-house posts you’d like to fill. In a managed service world this team will become your team without any cost or overhead.
7. Centralisation
If you have a managed network, you can benefit from the ability to centralise all your applications and servers within managed data centers. This results in improved performance for personnel, regardless of where they are. Centralised data centres inside the network may also allow access to virtual services, along with backup and storage infrastructure.
8. Service levels are increased
MSPs allow greater control over service levels and efficiency. With service level agreements in place you can rest assured of the continuity of service. Managed service providers offers 24/724 hours a day, 365 days a year support. While beyond the day-to-day proactive MSP, an active MSP also works effectively with clients, considering strategy and making recommendations on the latest technologies or tweaks to systems for better efficiency and enhance the value.
9. Disaster recovery and business continuity
Services are the life blood of the Managed Service Provider. They have developed networks and data centers which are accessible, resilient and redundant for ensuring business continuity. It is possible to benefit from this significant technological investment. Your data will be secure and your calls will still be offered regardless of whether your primary office is lost.
10. Lean and green
By centralising your critical business infrastructure in high-performance data centres and running your software via a virtual platform your business will be set up for a more sustainable future – lowering the carbon footprint while decreasing costs. It also places you in the driver’s seat for capitalising on emerging technology before it is too late, which could give you opportunities to boost your eco credentials and trim overheads.
Services for managed IT within a post-Covid era
The total transformation of the working world due to Covid really threw some of the advantages mentioned in the light. The technological know-how, the scalability, the agility and the human resources available meant that several MSPs could steer their clients through uncharted or turbulent seas. Post-pandemic, this steady condition we’re currently in, with a heavy focus on hybrid working has MSPs intensifying their role of ‘enabler’ – not just helping to keep the lights on, but also enabling innovative ways of working for numerous companies. Organizations are now able to and confidence in more distributed operations due to managed service providers who can provide the services needed day in, day out.
The IT Leadership view
Many IT leaders around the world are extremely grateful for the support provided by your MSP throughout Covid. However, managed IT services did not require a global pandemic to prove its worth and it’s been apparent for a while that there’s an overwhelming desire from CIOs for tapping into the latest managed service provider and pursuing a more co-operative approach to the roles and responsibilities. This is why we are seeing a natural progression from provider to partner.
Here are some interesting statistics from a poll of 300 IT decision makers who were surveyed on TechTarget.
86% said an MSP collaboration could help IT departments better secure the entire enterprise
86% said an MSP collaboration would allow IT to focus on critical corporate initiatives
84% said that an MSP partnership would aid in the successful migration to the cloud
83% said an MSP partnership could boost the morale of teams and increase retention.
It is not the case that all managed IT service providers in the same way
Handing over responsibility to an MSP could appear as an appealing proposition. From a cost, performance, strategic, security and environmental standpoint it is a big win right across the entire spectrum. However, at the same time it’s about service delivery, in fact, it is crucial to deliver services; and the quality of service will always be correlated with the quality of the provider. If you have managed-services on your roadmap It is essential to conduct thorough due diligence about the company you’d like to take that journey with is a necessity. Get in touch with service suppliers Visit their data centres and talk to their clients try their services, even though you’re outsourcing your technology doesn’t mean you are outsourcing your responsibility for its success.
To find out how your company can gain from the benefits of managed IT solutions, speak to our experts today.
