Tag Archives: managed service provider

Maximize Business Efficiency with Managed IT Services

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business efficiency

The success of any business relies heavily on efficiency. Early on, it’s easy to keep operations efficient, especially when the organization is small. However, as your business expands, there will be more IT infrastructure and processes to handle, and it will simply be impossible to take care of it all on your own. It will also not be cost-efficient to hire an in-house IT team to do the job. So how do you maximize efficiency in a continuously growing business? Simple—you partner with a reliable managed network services provider.

What Are Managed Network Services?

Managed network services are technology services that a third party offers to businesses. These include a wide range of services that fall under network management, monitoring, and maintenance. Technically, companies can take care of all these procedures themselves, using an in-house IT guy or hiring outside services as needed. However, many business owners hire managed network service providers because of the business cost savings and efficiency.

Benefits of Managed Network Services for Businesses

Business Efficiency Cost Savings

The average salary of an IT professional in the US today is almost $100,000 annually. If you want to build a competent in-house tech team, you will need to have more than one of these experts in your payroll to cover the different fields of expertise. Just imagine the impact that would have on your company’s expenses. With managed network services, you pay less and improve business efficiency.

Improved Security

Cybersecurity threats that target businesses are becoming more aggressive over the years. Thus, it is more crucial than ever to have a robust security system in place. Managed network services employ the best security experts, so you will never have to worry about data breaches, system failures, or other online threats.

Enhanced Performance

Partnering with a reliable provider means you will have access to all the latest tools and features that will ensure the optimum performance of your network. Vigilant monitoring and regular maintenance will make downtime a thing of the past. Highly trained experts will identify network issues and address them with proactive solutions. All of this contributes to the overall performance of your business.

Streamlined Operations

Resolving IT issues can take up a lot of time, money, and other resources. By delegating your company’s technology matters to a managed network services provider, your staff can focus on doing the jobs that you hired them to do.

Scalability for Business Efficiency

Network requirements change frequently as a business evolves. Opening a new branch, for instance, would require massive network expansion and greater bandwidth. Handling these requirements can be demanding on your own but very easy with the help of a service provider.

Excessive Spending Calculator for Business Efficiency

The first benefit of managed network services is business cost savings. If you want a concrete idea of how much you can save with a good IT provider, our Excessive Spending Calculator can help. You can download this helpful application for free by clicking right here.

It’s so easy to use and can reveal plenty of valuable information regarding your company’s spending. This handy app can point out areas of inefficiency, uncover hidden costs, and help you identify potential business cost savings. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to optimize your network infrastructure and stay ahead of the competition.

If you want to learn more about managed network services and how they can help maximize your company’s efficiency, call us. We’ll be happy to answer your questions in a free consultation!

Business Success: Embracing Managed Service Providers

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business success

Cutting-edge IT solutions are a top priority among businesses in today’s digital world, and it’s no big surprise. Technology continuously evolves, sometimes at a frighteningly rapid pace. You must be equipped with the latest software and hardware to achieve that business success.

Business Success: Impact of Technology Changes

There used to be a time when it was the norm for businesses to take a reactive approach to changes in technology. Businesses created and implemented IT solutions as a response to problems after these problems had already caused damage.

In recent years, the trend has shifted toward proactive solutions. Experts anticipate potential problems and implement solutions that will keep them from escalating. The more technology advances, the more potential problems might come up. Hence, to maintain high business success, it is more important than ever to engage in proactive tech solutions for businesses.

Benefits of Proactive Business Tech Solutions

Implementing proactive business tech solutions can do a lot of good for business success. Here are just some of the top benefits:

Improves Efficiency for Business Success

Business operations can run a lot more smoothly with a proactive IT solution. Business can go on as usual if downtimes decrease. These will not only improve efficiency but can also ultimately increase revenue and boost your reputation among your clients.

Reduces Costs

There will be some initial spending involved, but in the long run, the cost savings will be immeasurable. You can use our Business Excessive Spending Calculator to compare how much you would be spending before and after. With a dependable solution in place, you can avoid many expensive IT issues in the future, like system failures, extensive downtimes, or data breaches.

Boosts Work Performance

Part of proactive IT is the integration of all IT processes in your business, creating a seamless operation that will ultimately boost performance. This will speed up your systems and minimize delays, allowing your employees to maximize their productivity.

Mitigates Risks for Business Success

Proactive solutions play a role in mitigating risks and improving the overall security of your business. With non-stop monitoring, breaches or system errors will be detected and addressed quickly without disrupting operations. The system will also afford greater protection over your database and networks, keeping them safe during a cyberattack.

Allows for Scalability

Traditional business solutions can be limiting in terms of business growth. With a proactive solution, you can adapt to changing market demands. Even if you don’t have a concrete plan where you want your business to be a few years down the line, the scalability and versatility of a proactive system can easily allow growth and expansion to happen.

Business Success: Top Ways to Implement Proactive Tech Solutions

Predictive Analytics

One of the most popular proactive solutions used by businesses today is predictive analytics. In this process, experts locate patterns to predict future business trends through machine learning, AI, data analysis, and statistical models. This practice is useful in several business applications, like forecasting cash flow, sales trends, even product malfunctions, and so on.

AI-Driven Automation

Using large databases, AI-driven automation can make highly informed business decisions to address problems long before they even become an actual issue. The applications of these AI-powered solutions are endless—from identifying when a piece of hardware needs to be replaced to executing algorithms that can nullify potential cyber threats.

Cloud Computing for Business Success

Taking your business to the cloud is a proactive decision, as it eliminates multiple problems in terms of accessibility, storage, scalability, security, and even cost. Cloud computing can also be tailored to meet the specific needs of your business, which is why it is important to work closely with your IT provider, who can provide the most suitable solutions for you.

Find the Right Proactive Solutions with the Help of a Managed Service Provider

Navigating the world of IT business solutions on your own can be intimidating, which is why it is highly advisable to partner with a managed services provider that can help you. They can help achieve your goal of business success in this market.

Did you know that by keeping on using your old equipment, you might be spending more than you should? Try using our Business Excessive Spending Calculator and you’ll be surprised at how much money is unnecessarily going out of your business. You can download the calculator right here.

To learn the benefits of the Spending Calculator, be sure to watch our Webinar on demand, and find out the answer to this question: “Are you aware of what you’re paying for your IT Services?” Watch the Webinar HERE!

If you need help or have questions about managed services, call us anytime!

IT Support Decision: In-House IT vs MSP

In-House IT
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In the digital era that we are in now, there is no question why reliable IT support is a must for all businesses. Recently, if you want to stay productive, competitive, secure, or relevant in your industry, you need to have the proper technology in place. Ultimately, you also need capable In-House IT professionals to handle all these tech needs.

The big question for many business owners is whether to hire an in-house team or to partner with a managed services provider. Both options have pros and cons. To make the right choice, you need to analyze the many differences carefully. To make a thorough In-House IT Guy vs Managed Service Provider comparison, let’s answer some of the most crucial questions.

What Can They Do?

Your In-House IT Guy

An in-house employee tasked with handling the company’s IT concerns is capable of regular IT infrastructure maintenance, general software, and hardware troubleshooting, and dealing with regular technology concerns.

Managed Services Provider

A managed services provider can do everything that the IT guy can do, plus a much wider scope of services and solutions. An MSP employs several highly trained experts in various IT fields, so no matter what the issue, there’s bound to be at least one individual specially trained to address your problems.

How Much Do They Cost?

Your In-House IT Guy

The cost of hiring an IT guy is equivalent to having an additional employee on the company’s payroll. It appears to be the more cost-effective option until you encounter a problem that is beyond your IT guy’s expertise, and that requires you to hire a third party. Furthermore, you would also have to spend on training, benefits, and even equipment for every IT professional you have on your staff.

Managed Services Provider

MSP services usually come at a fixed monthly fee, the size of which would depend on the services that you need. It might be a higher cost than a single monthly salary, but it is inclusive of everything you would need. There will be no surprise expenses, which is much better in terms of budget management.

What Level of Expertise and Support Do They Offer?

Your In-House IT Guy

An In-House IT guy knows your systems like the back of his hand. This familiarity plus a strong understanding of your business, enables him to make sound decisions that will benefit your organization. On the other hand, their skills are limited compared to the combined skill set of an entire MSP team.

Managed Services Provider

MSPs employ many IT professionals trained in diverse fields, from network management and cybersecurity to disaster recovery and cloud services. They will deploy their appropriate specialist to your company depending on your specific needs, so you will always get the best service.

Can They Provide Scalability and Flexibility?

Your In-House IT Guy

Since they are just one individual, it would be difficult for them to adapt to sudden changes in the system, or to handle highly specialized projects. This can cause delays and a lack of efficiency in operations.

Managed Services Provider

Scalability is one of the biggest advantages of working with an MSP. The services they offer are always flexible and can be adjusted based on the changing IT needs of your business.

Final Thoughts

Based on the In-House IT Guy vs Managed Service Provider comparison above, for most businesses, working with an MSP presents significant advantages. However, keep in mind that not all MSPs are equally reliable. Before signing up with any provider, make sure they pass all the criteria listed in our 7 Components to Auditing an IT Provider. You can download the list here for your reference.

We can help you eliminate all this unnecessary spending. Call us today!

Managed Service Provider Trends in 2017

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Opportunities are just within reach

Making the most of your Managed Service Provider (MSP) is important, but with everything going on in your normal business day, it’s not surprising if you find it difficult to get past the “Yeah, we should do that” phase. Well, here we are heading into the second half of 2017. If you haven’t already started to make good on your goal, you will find the following paragraphs interesting as they describe trends in managed IT services in 2017. You are sure to find something that will help you accomplish your goals in concert with your Managed Services Provider (MSP).

Disaster Recovery. MSPs are turning to Recovery-as-a-Service from the cloud to provide their customers with the data and application protection they expect and need from their MSP. MSPs will provide recovery services through partnerships with other companies in the IT channel that provide such recovery services. Recovery-as-a-Service is sure to take another headache off your plate.

Cloud Opportunities. Harvard Business Review Analytic Services predicts that by 2020, 80% of businesses will operate in the cloud to some extent. Some businesses will move incrementally to the cloud, choosing to move one aspect of the business at a time. About half of businesses have begun the move or are developing a strategy to take advantage of the cloud disruption in their industry in the next three years. Management Services Providers (MSPs), too, will move forward to embrace cloud opportunities or pay the price later.

Cyber Security Network Safety. Cyber threats get more sophisticated every day. Businesses need help from their MSPs in threat detection and protection from malware of all types, including ransomware and phishing scams. Businesses cannot do it alone. MSPs have the IT know-how, the expertise, and the experience that comes from working with businesses in various fields and the exposure to cyber crime in various formats. Working in the cloud, MSPs can deliver the level of security services that their clients crave.

Internet of Things. The Internet of Things (IOT) is not just the appealing voice of Alexa helping Jr. find information from the web or learning how Mom like things done around the house. Everyone in the neighborhood may not have Alexa yet but those who step back a minute and look around will see that IOT has started in a broader sense.

There are already many IOT facets to daily life. Thermostats connect us to our homes and our utility companies. We have smart homes that can control the lights and our furnaces for better electricity usage. Automatic cars travel beside us on our roads. Refrigerators connect to our smart phones so we can order the groceries we need. Connectivity is the new norm for businesses and machines.

MSPs will help customers in this brave new world by integrating their old and new systems and by helping MSP customers deploy technology that provides the analysis of big data coming from all that IOT. Businesses will need MSP expertise to use the insights gained from the new technology to make better business and plan for the future.

RMM 24/7 Monitoring.  RMM, remote monitoring and management, is also known as network managing. We can also think of it as software that enables remote managing. RMM is the software magic that allows IT MSPs to remotely monitor their client’s networks and computers.

This is how RMM works. The MSP installs a small software connection on the client’s network/computers. The software sends messages back to the MSP on the status of the IT network. RMM allows the MSP to maintain and update the network, monitor the network for potential threats, and resolve issues proactively without ever setting a foot in the business’s office. If an IT issue arises, the system creates a trouble ticket which it then sends to the MSP. The tickets often classify the activity by severity and type of problem. The MSP can then determine critical from non-critical activity and resolve issues accordingly. Some RMM platforms add machine learning to make predict more accurately.

These platforms will continue to develop to provide MSPs choices for the best tools to help customers.

MSP as Channel Partners. Channel partners will evolve to incorporate MSPs as value-added sellers; that is, the MSP will provide services to its clients in concert with another company that is in the IT channel to sell that company’s products or technologies. These highly profitable partnerships will evolve to deliver top service through SaaS cloud services.

If you want to talk about this or anything else, please contact us. We look forward to helping you grow your business.