The face of IT is changing, and for many businesses, it’s an opportunity to evaluate current operations to find more efficient and cost-effective measures. Advances in technology, including cloud-hosted programs and platforms, are pivoting workers from wired-in offices to remote and hybrid work capabilities. As businesses continue to shift how and where they use digital tools, IT requirements also change.
Managed IT support is becoming an increasingly attractive solution for organizations as they adapt to new work environments. Unlike traditional IT support, which is typically managed in-house, managed IT support outsources labor to a third-party contractor to lighten the load of existing IT departments or replace them entirely.
Adapting IT practices can also support larger business objectives. Whether it’s cutting costs, increasing productivity, or reinforcing security processes, the implications of managed IT support offer a compelling argument for businesses looking to adapt their IT infrastructure.
This article will discuss 12 ways managed IT aligns with financial, security, and strategic business objectives.
Managed IT support can help slash IT infrastructure costs. As more businesses migrate their data to cloud-hosting services, companies require less physical space to store and manage data servers. As a result, cloud migration helps businesses reduce dependency on commercial real estate, significantly reducing costs. In addition, remote IT support can help avoid sunk and operational costs, including managing and training teams, license renewal, consulting fees, and more.
Compared to traditional IT, managed IT support requires a small initial investment. Businesses can reduce capital expenditures on hardware and software by investing in month-to-month services. Additionally, managed IT support also enables organizations to free up resources usually used to manage IT infrastructure.
It’s easy for IT budgets to balloon in reaction to licensing, security breaches, or investment in new hardware. However, managed IT support services have a predictable monthly operating cost that helps take the guesswork out of IT budgeting.
As businesses grow and expand, IT can be slow to catch up. By its nature, managed IT support offers scalable solutions that can expand or contract with your organization. Managed IT support is an excellent option for businesses in their early years when significant growth requires fast, adaptable IT solutions.
Unfortunately, it’s not always a reality that businesses have IT members intimately familiar with every single application and technology. Managed IT services can help enterprises gain immediate access to experts to troubleshoot issues or resolve problems 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Often, IT staff support several different roles, which means that issues may not be discovered until they become a major problem. With Managed IT services, proactive monitoring and maintenance come standard. Because of this, managed services can pre-emptively address problems, which helps reduce server downtime and exposure to malevolent players.
Data is one of the most valuable business assets, but maintaining compliance can be a significant hurdle for organizations with small IT staff. Outsourcing IT support services can help organizations better manage their data to ensure strict standards and requirements to support IT integration initiatives.
Cybersecurity is a hot-button issue that can have devastating consequences for businesses. By choosing a managed IT services provider with familiarity with payment card industry (PCI) compliance, companies can help protect themselves against security breaches that could jeopardize employees’ and customers’ personal information.
Instead of relying on a limited number of IT support staff, managed IT services can benefit your business by improving productivity. Employees benefit from less downtime from network outages, while in-house IT staff can prioritize initiatives within their expertise that support business objectives.
Your product development strategies can benefit from reduced inefficiencies by employing IT management services specializing in cloud computing. As a result, your enterprise could enjoy improved productivity and faster time to market.
When new technologies become available, many organizations are slow to adopt due to legacy IT infrastructures. With managed services, however, you should be able to quickly update or change your IT solutions, which can help you gain a competitive edge.
Ultimately, outsourcing IT management can help you focus on what matters most. In addition, reduced or more efficient IT budgets can help management assign resources to areas requiring additional development or investment.
The face of IT is changing, but that doesn’t mean it’s any less critical. By eliminating or reducing slow-moving IT infrastructures, businesses can be more efficient with their strategy and objectives. Managed IT support is a worthy solution in the multi-faceted approach necessary to maximize and grow your business.