It was the time when companies were only required to concentrate on the core services they offer such as baking cakes, selling furniture, making automobiles, offering care, etc. However, over the last three decades, each professional business has needed to evolve into an IT-driven business to allow the growth of their company by empowering employees and handling data. From mainframes and desktop computing and the Cloud, from LANs to WANs to MANs, and from switchboards to IP telephones to contact centres The speed of technological development is never-ending and so has an increasing need to remain up. For all the benefits and efficiencies brought by technology, digital advancement has also created its own problems.
For a long time, organizations were faced with a choice when it came down to the deployment maintenance, deploying, and most important of all optimizing your IT systems: do it yourself by investing in both the technology and expertise to manage it; or outsource a part or all of it to a specialist IT contractor. The last 20 years has seen a third way emerge that is the professional IT services provider that is managed.
What are managed IT services?
Managed IT services are often referred to as outsourced infrastructure, applications, and security services through the management by a managed services provider. Since these services are provided as well as monitored and maintained by third-party organizations, they typically will see a decrease in “lights on” day to day running for IT departments within the company, allowing them to focus on more profitable, business-focused tasks and filling any gaps that their internal team might have to fill.
The advantages of using managed IT services
The global market for managed service was worth USD 161.37 billion at the end of 2021, and it is projected to reach USD 311.32 billion in 2027. This is a market on fire due to the increasing acknowledged benefits that managed services offering can bring.
Take a look at two of the headline figures of the Global Managed Services Market report that you have read about: it is estimated that successful deployment of managed services could help decrease IT costs by 25-45 percent and improve operational efficiency by 45-65 percent. They are sufficient to be taken seriously, but there are additional advantages to be gained and some of them will be more pronounced than others based on the organisation’s make-up the growth strategy, business kind, etc.
We’ve compiled a short Top 10 benefits of using managed IT services ‘Top Ten” for you.
1. Future-proof services that utilize the most advanced technology
Leading managed IT service providers should utilize the top technology and equipment available on market in order to provide their services. IT services are always improved at no extra costs or risks to yourself. You don’t have to be concerned about whether the managed IT services will go out of date.
2. Cost of capital is low and predictable monthly expenses
The expenditure on the most advanced hardware and software is expected to be significant. Managed IT services provide the highest quality solutions for both carriers and enterprise to its customers. A fixed monthly payment schedule means you know what you’re going to receive and how much it’s going to cost over the contract. Absolutely no surprise charges for upgrade or charges that change, guaranteed.
3. Flexible, responsive service
IT managed services London can be extremely flexible. Pay-as you-go payments allow the rapid expansion of your business when it is needed or savings in the event that you’re looking to consolidate. it is a plan that is always in line with the needs, minimises waste and maximises readiness. Also, it can be implemented quickly as well. If you’re required to move at pace, then a good MSP will have the infrastructure, resources and market connections that can ensure that things are done swiftly, while smoothing out some of the usual bumps in the road.
4. Converged services
Multiple managed IT services can be offered over one ‘converged’ connection that results in cost savings on infrastructure. Additional efficiency and productivity gains in the fact that remote workers working from home can access all of the voice and data applications that the staff in your headquarters use.
5. Highly reliable, secure infrastructure
A managed service’s data centres and managed network infrastructure is far more robust than a standard Enterprise IT service. Infrastructure is under 24 hours x 365 management, with security protocols approved by the government. In addition, levels of 99.99 percent uptime could help protect you from the costs caused by downtime. Since every business is different studies suggest that downtime can cost British businesses, on average, PS3.6 million per year, with 545 hours of lost productivity.
6. Expertise
If you choose managed IT services you gain access to specialists with capabilities. Sometimes , you’ll only require this ability once, so do not spend money on training your staff for techniques they’ll never use. Additionally, in the post-Covid environment, it’s an even tighter labour market, and highly skilled workers can be difficult and costly to retain and find when you do have permanent positions in your company that you want to fill. In a managed service world, that team becomes your own team, without the need of the overhead.
7. Centralisation
A managed network will be able to centralise your entire applications and servers inside managed data centers. This results in improved performance for staff regardless of location. Access to centralised data centres inside the network will also give the ability to access virtual service, including backup and storage infrastructure.
8. Increased service levels
MSPs allow greater control over the performance of services and levels. With service level agreements in place, you can ensure continuous service. A managed service provider can also provide 24/7and 365-hour support. In addition to the regular day-to-day support, a proactive MSP also works effectively with customers, reviewing strategies and offering recommendations on the latest technologies or tweaks to systems, all to drive better efficiency and enhance the value.
9. Business continuity and disaster recovery
The delivery of services is the vital ingredient of a Managed Service Provider. They have created networks and data centers that will be available as well as resilient and redundant to ensure business continuity. Take advantage of this significant technological investment. Your data is secure and service for voice will be available even if your main office disappears.
10. Lean and green
By putting your most important business applications in highly efficient data centres and running your software via a virtual platform your company can set itself to be positioned for a much more sustainable future by reducing your carbon footprint and decreasing costs. This also puts you in the position to benefit from the latest technology before it is too late, which could provide opportunities to improve your eco credentials and trim expenses.
Managed IT services in a post-Covid age
The transformation of our working environment caused by Covid really brought many of these benefits into sharp relief. The technological know-how, the capacity to scale, the agility and the human resources available meant that the majority of MSPs were able of steering their clients with confidence through uncharted and turbulent waters. The post-pandemic steady condition we’re currently in, with an increased emphasis on hybrid working, has MSPs expanding their role of being an enabler – not just helping to keep the lights on, but also creating new ways of working that are beneficial to various companies. Companies now have the capacity and confidence to run more remote operations, because they have managed service providers who deliver what’s required, all day long.
The IT leadership view
Many IT executives around the world were extremely grateful for the assistance of the support of their MSP throughout Covid. But managed IT service providers didn’t need a pandemic to prove its worth as it’s been obvious for a long time that there’s an overwhelming desire among CIOs to utilize the current managed service providers and looking at a cooperative, mutual approach to tasks and roles. This is why we have a natural flow from provider to partner.
Here are a number of interesting facts from a study of 300 IT decision makers that were posted on TechTarget.
86% of respondents said that an MSP partnership would aid IT departments secure the entire enterprise
86% said that an MSP collaboration would allow IT to concentrate on important corporate initiatives
84% of respondents said that an MSP partnership would aid in the successful migration to the cloud
83% said an MSP partnership would increase the morale of teams and increase retention.
There are many IT service providers managed by IT service companies are equal
Handing over responsibility to an MSP could appear to be an appealing option. From a cost, performance as well as a security, strategic, and environmental point of view it is a big win right across the entire spectrum. However, at the same time the focus is on service provision that is, in reality, is a crucial service to provide and the quality of service will only ever correlate to the level of service provided by the company. When managed service is in your plans It is essential to conduct thorough due diligence regarding the people you want to go on that journey with is an absolute essential. Talk to IT services providers and visit their data centers speak to their customers, trial their services; simply because you’re outsourcing your technology does not mean that you’re outsourcing the responsibility of its success.
To find out how your company could gain from the benefits of managed IT services, please contact our experts now.
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