Today’s businesses run on technology. As more companies adopt hybrid work, the need for robust devices and applications has become essential to business productivity and collaboration, which improves the bottom line.
How can you ensure your business has the right technology?
IT managed services provide 24×7 proactive monitoring and maintenance of your company’s IT infrastructure and systems. The goal is to prevent potential problems and maintain system performance and reliability. Essentially, they enable you to focus on your business rather than worry about your technology.
1. Predictable IT costs
There has been a shift in businesses moving away from having an in-house IT manager or team to outsourcing these functions to third-party service providers. This change comes from firms’ need to respond more quickly to changing business requirements, new opportunities and disruptive technologies while maintaining effective IT support to enable business.
While this can benefit both the business and the service provider, it presents risks that you cannot ignore. A pertinent risk to note is outsourcing different IT services to various providers. This approach increases your chances of duplicative IT costs. We encountered one retail organisation using multiple outsourced IT services that had more than 70% of its information technology budget consumed by overlapping costs.
Because of this, it is essential to properly define and manage the IT outsourcing contract to allow one nominated supplier to keep a handle on IT spending and deliver predictability to the business. I recommend involving your IT managed services partner in software and hardware procurement, support and service provision. Your managed services provider can monitor and measure spending and help you manage unpredictable costs.
2. Hardware procurement
Your business needs the right laptops, computers, phones and video conferencing hardware to support collaboration in the hybrid workplace. However, with technology shortages making it difficult to secure new devices, you need help from experts.
Managed IT service providers have partnerships with hardware distributors and can secure the tech you need, often at a reduced price. They also provide installation, configuration and maintenance, which they can often achieve remotely.
When procuring hardware yourself, you might be unsure what it should deliver. You do not want to spend more money on overpowered laptops if it is unnecessary for your team. On the other hand, cheaper solutions may not meet your business needs. Your managed IT services Australia provider will not just deliver the latest products on offer; they will find the solution best suited to your business.
3. Cyber security
Today’s cyber threats are more sophisticated than those of only a few years ago. It is essential to have comprehensive cyber security to protect your business’ data and systems from threats.
An IT managed services provider can support your cyber security initiatives by providing you with the expertise to defend against cyber threats. They should have a team of cyber security experts who can assess your current security setup and work on optimising it.
Cyber security solutions include:
- User behaviour and awareness training to ensure your team are the front line of defense for your business as more than 52% of all breaches are due to human error.
- Endpoint protection for monitoring each device that accesses your corporate resources and ensuring they comply with the business’ security policies.
- Governance, risk and compliance is about following the latest cyber security regulations and taking all reasonable steps to protect your data.
- An incident response plan focuses on your actions should a cyber attack occur. It will decide the people who will respond to an attack and your next steps to recover.
I recommend looking for a managed IT services provider that can deliver cyber security training to your team. Training should do more than lecture your team on recognising phishing attacks; it must work on transforming your company culture to be security conscious.
4. Round-the-clock support
A common problem that I have spoken with many business leaders about is the lack of support delivered by managed service providers. The truth is that not all providers guarantee the same level of support. For this reason, it is of utmost importance that you find a managed services provider that promises and delivers excellent support.
Business no longer takes place in a strict nine to five schedule. Hybrid work and flexible hours mean that some of your staff might need after-hours IT support. As a result, your managed services provider should deliver 24×7 support as a rule.
In addition to round-the-clock availability, your service provider should deliver knowledgeable support. When a team member needs help with an issue, they should speak with someone who knows the technology and applications inside-out.
The run-on benefits of robust IT support include:
- Minimal downtime as IT support can ensure that your staff get back online fast.
- Employee satisfaction as they no longer need to deal with the frustrating task of resolving issues alone.
Your IT managed services provider can prevent any system issues from disrupting business operations. In addition, they can also resolve any system issues as quickly as possible.
5. Access to IT talent
The IT talent shortage is one issue that has hindered the ability of companies to hire in-house IT talent. A managed IT services provider can resolve this issue by providing you with access to IT expertise.
Technology is evolving at an incredible rate, and it has become easy for your business to fall behind. You can receive the latest expertise from industry experts when you have an IT managed service provider on hand. They will ensure your technology and platforms remain up-to-date. Of course, this does not mean your provider will make you adopt the latest technology. Their focus should be on what is best for your company.
Staying ahead of the curve with technology can give your business a competitive edge. A managed IT services provider can advise you on which technologies to adopt and when, based on your specific business needs.
Why choose Wyntec as your managed services provider
Modern work runs on a firm technology foundation that requires your people, processes and technology to remain aligned. When your technology works, you can focus on delivering outstanding results for your clients.
At Wyntec, we analyse your systems, provide the hardware and applications needed and remain available to you 24×7 for support. Visit our IT Operations page for more on how we deliver stress-free IT.
