In recent years, companies requiring specialized IT services have increasingly hired Managed IT Service providers. With advances in virtualization and automation, IT support companies are typically less expensive than hiring in-house IT departments. Futhermore, it's more reliable than hiring a temporary IT support engineer.
However, Managed IT Services are not a one-size-fits all solution. You need IT support as your business grows.
Staying with a Managed Service Provider that no longer meets your needs can easily lead to a drop in your bottom line. Here, we'll examine what a good IT provider should be doing for you - and what your options are if they're not.
It ain't broke, so don't fix it
Break / fix services with quick response times may seem impressive on the surface, but in reality, responding to a failure after the event has already wasted your valuable time. In that sense, ad hoc fixes can make it easy to lose sight of the big picture. Instead of helping you control your operational costs, they increase them.
In order to be cost-effective, IT support should take the form of a partnership that improves your day-to-day operations. By offering solutions that help you achieve your goals, a managed IT services provider demonstrates its commitment to your growth. As an example, it might recommend:
Pro-active maintenance, monitoring the early warning signs of a potential failure and fixing them before it is too late.
Using your existing tools, services, and capabilities more effectively
Installing the latest cyber security tools to improve your security.
Preventative measures are clearly preferable to cures when it comes to IT and business continuity. If a managed IT provider does not take a proactive approach to technology, or only fixes broken things, he or she is not acting in your best interests. It makes complete sense to use the technology to minimise downtime and interruptions.
Stay up-to-date
It is not acceptable to fall behind on software updates. Attacks are becoming more frequent, more devastating, and more persistent. Even a slight delay in patching a vulnerability can allow attackers to gain access to your network. In addition to new features, updated versions of your software often make your apps easier to use, more productive, and more reliable. Just look at how far Microsoft has come with Office 365 to see how much things can improve!
Hardware updates may also be necessary to keep up with the most demanding software. Monitoring your machines' performance remotely allows your provider to identify under-performing systems, roll out cost-effective fixes, and ensure that no one is watching progress bars all day.
Reduce employee frustration
It can be frustrating to deal with slow, eccentric, or overly fussy systems. It is estimated that businesses waste 156 hours a year due to slow technology. According to estimates, the average worker loses 22 minutes a day due to slow IT systems. This would cost a company with 100 employees £121,458 per year in wasted wages. In addition, those 9,500 hours could have been used to accomplish additional work.
Employees shouldn't be frustrated by a report that's difficult to print, a document that won't open, or a general loss of processing speed. Your employees will be more productive if you keep your hardware and software up-to-date.
By providing your staff with the technology and systems they need to succeed, your IT provider can help your business be more productive, more efficient, and more responsive to your customers. Better yet, all of this happens automatically without you needing to pay attention. Managed IT Service providers handle all the complicated stuff for you, so you don't have to.
Get to know your IT service provider
Having a friendly relationship with your IT provider is a sign of great service. Having a familiar IT team ensures that your staff aren't afraid to ask 'silly' questions or mention the bad link they clicked because they don't want to be punished. In addition, if the same team responds time after time, it will get to know your network, know your needs, and can craft a solution that works for you.
Comparatively, when different engineers visit, they all have to learn the same things. Every time they visit, they have to learn your network, learn your software, and waste time on the finer details of your system. A more proactive IT company might have been able to prevent that problem altogether, resulting in longer response times, delayed fixes, and greater downtime losses.
AsiaCloud – Your Trusted IT Provider
Using technology lets you focus on what you do best while getting more done. Many large "IT partners" make big promises and charge big fees for delivering them, but the actual service falls far short.
It is likely that you are paying too much for your technology, especially if it is old and costly. You deserve white glove service for what you are paying, and you may even be paying too much. We'll handle everything - warranties, renewals, unresponsive vendors - and keep your data protected from ransomware and hacking. Then we'll make sure your phone system works as you need it to. It will not only improve your work, but also your mood. Get in contact to find out more.
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