A managed IT what?

Vincent Lewis

A shift is underway in how the IT industry delivers its services to the end consumer. I'm sure many owners and managers out there have heard of managed IT services, but don't understand what it is or what benefits it provides. I am going to take a few minutes here to explain the basic principle of managed IT services and how it will benefit your company as an owner or manager.

A definition of managed IT services

A managed IT service, in its most basic form, is a proactive approach to managing your IT infrastructure. Models of old wait until something quits working and then require you to call your IT provider to report the problem. They in turn dispatch a technician to work on your problem when one becomes available. If you want expedited service, you pay a premium to the provider to be put on the top of the list. In short, a problem for you, especially if it causes you great pain, is actually good for your service provider.

The managed IT service model is exactly the opposite. Providers are paid a flat monthly fee regardless of the amount of time they spend working on your IT issues each month. Providers put tools in place to actively monitor systems and alert them of issues, sometimes even before you can detect them. Since the provider is paid a flat fee, it is in their best interest to do everything possible to keep your infrastructure from having issues that require a dispatched technician. In short, when your system is up and running it is good for you and also good for the provider.

So, other than creating a "good for you, good for me" relationship, what other benefits come along with managed IT services?

What you get

You can budget for fixed costs. From an owner/manager standpoint, budgeting IT expenses is near the top of the list. Your costs will be fixed each month and will only vary to accommodate planned expansion or equipment replacement. Yes, sometimes equipment will just fail without any notice and you may incur unexpected expenses to replace it. You might still have to budget a small emergency fund, but that should be the exception, not the rule.

You can increase productivity. A second benefit of managed IT services is increased production, a by-product of the "good for you, good for me" relationship. Lost production due to system failure is often much more expensive than the fix for the problem itself. Therefore, the increased efficiency due to less downtime often more than pays for the monthly cost of the managed IT services and results in increased revenues.

You stay informed so you can plan better. Finally, a good managed IT service includes regular "C" level IT consultations to not only keep you informed of your current situation, but to also help you with strategic planning of your business. Taking advantage of this expertise during the business planning stage each year can be one of the most beneficial assets at your disposal.

This is the future of IT

Managed IT services have grown exponentially in the last couple of years and will continue to do so. It is truly a better way of managing your IT within your business.

CNS's managed IT service is SmartCare Pro.