As a small business owner or decision-maker, you can surely agree that so many of your business efforts heavily rely on your office technology. If you have hardware or software problems with your computers, internet connections, communication compatibility, or virtual collaboration platforms, everything grinds to a halt.
If you’ve considered outsourcing some or all of your IT problems by partnering with a managed IT services team, now is a great time to look into this idea a little further. If you have technology issues, it's easy to fix them with managed IT services—and we’re here to tell you how.
We’ve got a few key points you’d benefit from knowing when it comes to your IT support services, especially if you or some of your employees are now working remotely.
Managed IT services is a comprehensive way to outsource your organization’s information technology needs daily. These services not only free up your schedule so you can focus your time on essential business tasks—but they also support business growth and development.
Like AIS, a managed service provider (MSP) can supplement your in-house IT department or even become your IT department. All of it depends on your specific business goals, challenges, and technology focus points.
So, if your business needs a little TLC when it comes to IT, follow along to learn how these technology services can cure your tech problems.
Technology Issues? Fix Them With Managed IT Services
Let’s start with the basics in case this is a little unfamiliar to you.
An internal IT department often includes internal staff members who know network administration, technical troubleshooting, and hardware/software installation. In some small businesses, the IT support team could mean you, the business owner.
On the other hand, managed IT services can offer your business all of your current IT support—and more. A managed service provider (MSP) or team comprises many IT professionals, much larger than a typical small business IT department.
A managed IT team typically has a wide range of knowledge and expertise. But instead of working on-site at your business, they work remotely. This type of expertise means that your MSP is just a phone call, text, or email away.
A few months ago you may have cringed at the thought of outsourcing your IT support to a remote team, and today with our recent workforce changes, this could be a bit more palatable.
To sum it up, partnering with a managed IT services team is a way of outsourcing your IT needs to a third party.
Also, take note that we said, “partnering.” It’s important to know that you and your managed IT team are partners, not just the typical customer-vendor relationship. It’s way more than that.
Learn more about this partnership by reading our article, How Can IT Outsourcing Services Help My Business?
Curing Tech Problems With A Managed IT Services Team
How can you be sure that a managed IT team can actually help you with your tech problems and who completely supports your business’s growth? Here are a few ways!
Range of Knowledge
One of the most significant benefits of hiring an MSP to provide managed IT services for your small business is their knowledge range. Hiring an internal IT department means you have a handful of professionals at your disposal. However, your in-house support may only specialize in a few areas.
On the other hand, a dedicated and knowledgeable MSP is an in-depth resource of professionals who have decades of experience combined. A great managed IT provider has a team of experts with various backgrounds and specializations. This range in knowledge means your IT problems are solved precisely and quickly.
Variety Of Service
Most MSPs also offer various service tiers, which is especially notable if your business is growing or planning on growing. As a small business, you may only need the essential services, but it's good to know that you can expand with your MSP.
Related: Top 5 Benefits of Managed IT Services
It's much harder to scale an IT team because you have to go through vetting candidates, making sure to hire the right one. Utilizing managed IT services means you always have the best of the best at your fingertips when you need it the most.
Proactive Maintenance and Network Monitoring
An MSP can help prevent problems before they happen… how nice is that? When you have a proactive services team at your disposal, they can help ensure all your hardware and software are up to date and can notice security issues before they become a problem.
Proactive maintenance, monitoring, and management are especially essential when protecting your small business from cyber attacks and online hackers. Better yet, a managed IT team can also assist you with backup and disaster recovery plans.
Related: Security Compliance: How A Managed IT Services Provider Keeps Your Business Safe.
With an internal IT team, you may have trouble keeping them busy some weeks, and other weeks, they may be overworked. Your IT demands are challenging to gage most times—and managed IT services are cost-effective because you don't have to pay full-time IT employees.
How To Find The Right Managed IT Services Provider
After giving you a brief overview of managed IT services and the benefits, it’s also a good idea to learn about finding a provider for your business needs.
When looking for a managed IT services provider, there are a few things you should keep an eye out for.
- Experience: Be sure to look for a managed services provider with a lot of experience under their belt. This way, you know you're getting a team of experts knowledgeable in the ins and outs of SMB IT.
It’s especially helpful if your IT partner has specific knowledge of your industry because they will have a solid background in the services you need. Not to mention, a well-qualified MSP even recommends ways to make your technology more efficient. - Budget-Friendly: It's also essential to work with a company that fits into your budget and can potentially scale up with you as you grow. Keep in mind; you want a partner who grows with you through every step of your journey.
Find out what service tiers they offer and how much they cost per month. - Reliable and Trustworthy: Working with an MSP is (and should be) an ongoing and long-term relationship. So, you should seek a transparent and trustworthy company that can become a valued companion to your small business. It’s kind of like dating!
- Responsive: It’s also critical to find a managed IT services team that is responsive whenever you need them and can quickly and effectively resolve your problems. The industry standard response time for IT support is between 4-6 hours.
However, keep a lookout for providers like AIS, who can resolve the IT issue in two hours or less, whether that be on-site or remotely.
An MSP who doesn't answer your calls or emails, or needs to be consulted multiple times about an ongoing issue can end up causing more problems (or downtime) in the long run. And let’s be honest, you don’t have time for downtime. If they are going to work remotely and provide managed IT services, they need to do everything as good or better than your inside team.
The Final Say: Fix Your Technology Issues With Managed IT Services
We just scratched the surface when it comes to the benefits of outsourcing your IT needs. Managed IT services can help your business out in more ways than one.
These services can also alleviate your stress when it comes to ensuring your business is growing and advancing in the best ways possible. A managed IT services team is not just a provider—they are your business partner.
AIS is proud to offer a wide variety of managed IT services to help your organization achieve its goals. We understand the needs of SMBs and aim to provide services that go above and beyond the typical industry standard. Make sure to contact us today to learn what sets us apart from other managed IT service providers and how we can help take your organization to the next level. We’re here to give you peace of mind to help you win more business.
