Many companies are now outsourcing their IT services to third-party providers. Managed IT Services is one of the most popular options for businesses that want to focus on day-to-day operations and not IT maintenance or repair. Here are six things you need to know about managed IT, service providers, before you make a decision.
1. Understanding How Managed IT Services Work
The first thing you need to do is learn about what the managed IT services provider will be providing. There are a few different types of companies that offer this service, and all of them have a slightly different focus. For example, if you’re looking for a company that can fix any issues on site, then look for one that has service technicians standing by to help immediately – this would be called “break/fix” support. You can also contact the team at prototypeit.net to get an even better understanding of how it works and what you might need. In contrast, one that simply provides monitoring and alert services doesn’t need as many on-site employees as they can handle an issue remotely or from their own office.
2. The Different Ways Managed IT Services Work
In addition to understanding what managed IT service is, you should consider the different ways in which it would work for your business. Customers can contract with a company that provides a certain number of hours per month for managed services, or they could partner with a company that manages their equipment for a flat fee. Some customers choose to work with both options and have the most important devices covered by flat fees while outsourcing routine tasks to a managed services provider who is paid per hour or project.
3. The Three Types Of Providers And Their Focus
It’s important to know what type of provider you’re dealing with. The first type of company is an MSP, or managed service provider, who provides remote monitoring and management services for all hardware and software issues on site. This is the simplest type of support relationship as the customer only has one avenue to explore when looking for technical assistance. The second group that companies can choose from is CSPs (Cloud Service Providers) who provide several different cloud-based products. These providers offer a completely outsourced, managed environment where your business can house all of its hardware in the cloud.
The last group is made up of traditional service bureau providers who offer several different managed services in one package. For example, this type of provider might look at all hardware and software issues, along with imaging or even help desk services.
4. The Different Service Levels And What They Offer
When you’re signing on with any provider you should expect to see some different service levels. Typically, these are broken up into three or four main categories based on the amount of time, resources, and attention that the company should invest in your account. The first tier is typically labeled as an “Ad-Hoc” level where customers can get support through phone calls or email during business hours (usually 8 am – 5 pm). This is usually free for all MSPs and the only way to increase it would be to pay for monthly monitoring services.
A second-tier offers round-the-clock coverage by online chat or phone call; sometimes this might even include after-hours telephone support if there’s a need. These are more expensive services, but the customer might be able to negotiate a lower rate if they’re willing to sign on for one or two years.
5. The Different Payment Options And How They Work
Typically, customers have three different options for paying for these types of services: flat fee, hourly rates, and project-based pricing. Customers who opt for flat-fee programs pay a monthly fee no matter how many hours their provider takes to complete jobs – this model requires the most trust between the customer and provider because there’s no real accountability outside of what is outlined in the contract. Hourly rates are the most common approach since it offers more transparency between both parties, plus it can save money.
6. Outsourcing Is The Way To Go
The last thing to consider is the fact that most MSPs are more affordable than hiring an internal team of technical support staff. Since they’re already experts at what they do, you don’t have to spend time and resources training them or on overhead costs like benefits packages. The only downside is that you might need some help learning how to work with your provider since you won’t be working face-to-face. However, this isn’t a problem either as most providers offer professional services where they can work directly with your company’s IT department at no extra cost!
Implementing and maintaining a good monitoring and management solution is crucial to your business’s ongoing success. The right provider can help you make sure that all of your hardware and software issues are resolved quickly, but finding the right one takes some time.
