What is a Managed IT Services company?
A Managed IT Services company, also known as an IT provider, is focused on providing businesses of all kinds the technical resources they require daily to perform business operations. This includes products and services related to Information Technology (IT), such as computers, printers, networks, servers, email, and other software. The combination of these products and services is called IT infrastructure.
What does a Managed IT Services company do?
In addition to providing products (hardware) or licensing software to businesses, Managed IT Service companies, or IT providers, work with the business to solve day-to-day problems by utilizing technology solutions. This may include software setup that streamlines business operations, or establishing a network strategy to ensure a company's data remains safe and secure. The management of the strategy, software, and hardware is an ongoing relationship between the IT provider and the business to ensure that all of the technology remains up-to-date and the strategy adjusts when the business' needs alter.
How accessible should your IT provider be?
Typically, IT providers, or managed service providers, are available 24/7, 365 days a year due to the sensitive and dependent nature of IT infrastructure. If a piece of the infrastructure fails, it is important that an IT provider can fix the issue as soon as possible to lessen any impacts on the business operations.
What types of businesses need to outsource IT?
Small, medium and large companies may outsource IT needs to a managed services group in order to control costs internally. Maintaining your own IT infrastructure is costly and with the needs of IT constantly changing, typically businesses feel more comfortable outsourcing their IT to experts that have a robust team and resources to address IT needs.
How does an IT provider fix my problems?
Do they have to come to the office?
In most scenarios, an IT provider has the ability to remote login to your computer to solve issues. This means that they do not have to visit the office and they have the ability to resolve the issue from outside the office. However, in some cases an issue may require a physical visit to the office, especially with hardware or network related issues. The ability to remote login to a computer drastically increases the response time for IT providers, allowing businesses to experience smaller amounts of downtime with their technology.
Your Guide to Finding The Right IT Company
Whether you are a growing company that is interested in finding a local IT company for the first time, or a business that has worked with IT providers in the past, finding the right local IT company to partner with is incredibly important for your business.