Whether they’re a small company that’s just starting out in the world or a large enterprise, successful businesses place a priority on operational efficiency. But some business may not have the time or resources to manage certain services themselves, which is why managed services are on the rise and are expected to continue to grow well into the future.

One area that many businesses choose to have managed for them is their IT services, so let’s take a closer look at what managed IT services are and how they could benefit your business. 

What are managed IT services

Every business, regardless of their size, relies on technology to be able to compete in their market. Using a managed IT service essentially involves outsourcing IT tasks to a third party who are then responsible for around the clock care and maintenance of your IT services. 

What kinds of things to IT service providers do?

Managed IT services come in many different shapes and sizes and the package you may need will differ depending on your business needs and how much you want to pay. Here are a few things that IT service providers tend to offer:

24/7 network monitoring
Network issues can happen at any hour and 24/7 monitoring of your network will ensure that your company can catch any issues early to avoid a potentially disastrous impact on your business.

Network patching and maintenance
If a problem were to arise in your network then your IT service provider will be able to patch it and provide any ongoing maintenance.

Cloud management and data backup
The cloud is becoming an increasingly more important part of a business but managing your cloud can take up a lot of business time and resources which is why it can be beneficial to outsource it to an IT service provider. Additionally, your provider will ensure all of your data is backed up, so should the worst happen your data remains safe.

Virus and malware protection

Cybercrime is on the rise and cybercriminals are getting smarter every day, so it’s vital to try and stay ahead of the game by keeping on top of the virus and malware protection in your business.

24/7 response services
Should a problem arise with your network or you require any IT support, then most IT service providers also offer 24/7 response services to ensure that you get answers to your questions quickly, enabling you to get back to business.

How can using an IT management service help your business?

Using a managed IT service provider can deliver a whole host of benefits to your business by finding addressing technical issues before they have a chance to become a problem.

By providing a proactive approach IT service providers allow you to sit back and relax knowing that your IT services are in good hands.

But other than finding and preventing IT problems there are other benefits that a managed service can have on your business such as: 

Removing the need for an IT department
It’s simply not possible for some smaller businesses to have an IT department and so hiring an IT management service enables them to have access to the benefits of an internal IT department without having to keep one in house.

Ensuring continuous upgrades
An IT management service helps to ensure that you are always operating with the latest technology at no extra cost to your business, helping you to stay ahead of the competition.

Minimises downtime
An IT system failure can result in dreaded downtime for your business and when your IT is down you aren’t able to function. By taking a proactive response to technical issues and network problems your IT service provider can help minimise the risk of downtime to keep your business online.

Increase productivity
Tech issues can eat up valuable time and so by reducing technology frustrations you empower your team to produce their best work. 

1. Better peace of mind
   Data security and system issues can be a headache but you can give yourself additional peace of mind by knowing that yours is being handled by professionals. 
2. Save money
   At the end of the day using a managed IT service provider will not only benefit business operations but your bottom line, enabling you to manage your IT budget more effectively by paying a monthly rate rather than having service and maintenance fees rack up. 

So if managing your IT systems and technology is giving you a headache and you want to ensure that your business is consistently ahead of the game then you know what to do. 

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