Managed IT services is the process of outsourcing the task of maintaining, anticipating demand for, and implementing various functions and processes in order to maximize organizational productivity and cut costs in a business. Such services are usually outsourced to provide solutions to a business that does not require customizing and/or modifying the existing business logic and application platform. This eliminates the need to develop and implement such solutions internally. However, it also entails additional cost as an IT service provider normally provides training, tools, and guidance on how the technology can be implemented in a business. These services have become highly popular, as they are able to deliver reliable, scalable, and cost-effectiveeffective solutions to organizations that cannot themselves invest in the technology or resources needed for its development.
Disaster recovery is another benefit provided by these managed services.
Organizations rely on their IT systems to function normally and data loss can render them helpless. Many providers offer disaster recovery solutions based on different approaches including IT infrastructure, application solutions, desktop, and server virtualization and security. Some providers also offer maintenance services for managing the recovery of data from a disaster such as system recovery, software recovery and configuration management. The services typically depend on the nature and size of the problem and may require testing and integration of different components such as email servers, databases, networks, workstations, and applications.
A proactive managed service provider offers proactive services such as identification and analysis of risks, implementation of solutions, training of employees and conducting security audits. It also helps to provide guidance and conduct security assessments on the basis of IT security policies. These providers offer proactive solutions to avoid problems that can create delays and costs. On the other hand, a reactive managed service provider reacts immediately to problems such as security vulnerabilities, glitches, and failures. They conduct detailed security assessments of the entire network and software architecture. When problems arise, they take corrective measures to address the issues as soon as they arise.
The total cost of managed services varies based on a number of factors. The most significant factor is whether you have chosen a managed service provider that offers both proactive and reactive solutions. In this scenario, the two are mutually dependent on each other. This will result in a reduction in the cost of deploying and maintaining these services. The total cost of managed services will be less if your solutions are implemented as part of a comprehensive web presence solution.
One other major factor contributing to the total cost of managed services is whether you use managed services as a stand-alone service or as a part of an integrated service offering. Stand-alone managed services offer limited functionality and are not customized to suit specific requirements. Integrated services however provide a comprehensive range of functionality and are tailored to meet specific business needs. For instance, all database servers and software are integrated so that the operations staff does not need to understand any technical aspects of the system. The administrative and support staff can concentrate on other aspects of the business like training and customer service.
Many service providers are charging for managed service offerings.
If you choose to acquire managed services from an external provider, it is best to compare the costs of each provider to assess their true competitive parameters. The managed services portal provided by the third party will likely charge significantly higher than a managed service provider offering hosted on-premise software. Hosted software is usually offered at a lower monthly fee than that offered by managed service vendors. For this reason, many managed service vendors charge more for hosted applications than those offered by third-party vendors.
- It is advisable to get quotes from several managed service providers.
- The cost of managed services may seem minimal when compared with on-premises software,
- When the costs are added up over time it can become very costly.
It is also advisable to look at the reputation of the managed service providers you are considering. Many of the best service providers have satisfied customers who have posted reviews on the web. To get a better understanding of what your managed vendor can offer, it is wise to contact them and discuss your needs. Most of these companies have 24 hour customer support where they will be happy to discuss your options with you.
It is important to use a proactive managed services strategy. A proactive approach means using proactive measures even before problems arise. These measures may include scheduling a free webinar for your staff, setting up a blog on their website so that your staff can provide detailed information on a specific problem, or creating a FAQ on the website to answer any other questions that your customer may have. Another proactive measure is to regularly monitor your website to see if new content has been published. If there is new content published, make sure to place a link to the new content on your blog. If your provider has not been using these proactive measures, you should consider changing to a managed services provider.
