What Is A Managed Service Provider?
A managed service provider (MSP) is a third-party company that provides IT management and security services to businesses ranging from small start-ups to large enterprises. Quality managed service providers, such as Tech Cover, offer different levels of service depending on the IT needs of your business to ensure that you are only paying for the services that you need.
Services provided by a managed service provider may include the monitoring and management of your IT infrastructure, network security, help desk and troubleshooting services, cloud management, data back up and disaster recovery services.
Some managed service providers may specialise in providing certain services from data storage to cyber security, while others offer a more comprehensive range of services, allowing business owners to hand over all IT-related problems to their trusted MSP, allowing them to focus on the daily operation and growth of their business.
What Are MSPs Used For And Why Does Your Business Need One?
Many small and medium-sized businesses make the choice to outsource some or all of their IT management to a managed service provider, as it is a cost-effective way to gain access to IT expertise and industry knowledge that would otherwise be unavailable to them. Larger organisations often also choose to partner with a reliable MSP in order to supplement their in-house team while reducing costs.
Managed service providers can be used to handle all aspects of your business’s IT needs, from the monitoring and management of your IT infrastructure to improving network security and providing around the clock troubleshooting and IT support.
Other services that may be provided by a managed service provider include user access and accounts management, cloud computing services, proactive IT security, and data backup and recovery.
What Are The Benefits of Managed Service Providers?
There are many benefits to hiring a managed service provider to take care of your IT systems, including reduced IT costs, improved IT security, access to expertise and industry knowledge, and reduced impact of a data breach.
Reduced IT Costs
One of the key benefits of partnering with a managed service provider is the reduced cost of IT services. With a managed service provider taking care of your IT systems, you will have an entire team of IT specialists working to ensure that your IT systems remain optimised and running smoothly at a fraction of the cost of hiring an in-house IT manager. Additionally, having your IT infrastructure regularly monitored and maintained will reduce the risk of unexpected and emergency costs such as equipment failures and even data breaches that will cost a lot more, not only in the inflated cost of emergency repairs but also in lost productivity and revenue.
The beauty of outsourcing IT management to a managed service provider is that you will have the ability to easily scale your IT services as your business grows and evolves, ensuring that you are only paying for what you need and eliminating the hassle of having to grow and manage an in-house IT team as your business ebbs and flows.
Improved IT Security
With a managed service provider, such as Tech Cover, managing your IT security, you will benefit from a proactive approach to data and network security. Your MSP will conduct regular analyses of your network to identify and fix any vulnerabilities before they can be exploited in a cyberattack.
This means that your IT systems will be fortified against potential cyber threats before they occur, reducing the risk of a data breach or unexpected downtime.
Access Expertise & Industry Knowledge
You will also gain access to the expertise and industry knowledge of a team of experienced and highly specialised IT experts. This is particularly beneficial to smaller businesses with limited resources to dedicate to IT services.
As IT is such a fast-paced and evolving industry, staying up-to-date with the latest trends and cyber threats can be its own full-time job. Fortunately, with a managed service provider, you will have access to a team of IT specialists dedicated to keeping up with the IT industry, providing access to the latest technologies and innovations that would otherwise be out of reach of smaller organisations.
Minimise The Impact Of A Data Breach
Another benefit of working with a managed service provider is that they will be able to minimise the impact of a potential data breach by putting into place data backup systems and disaster recovery protocols.
This will ensure that when the worst happens, your MSP will be able to recover your data and get your business back up and running as quickly as possible to reduce downtime as well as productivity and revenue loss, minimising the impact on your business and protecting the reputation of your organisation.
What Are Cloud Managed Services?
Cloud computing is a cost-effective and reliable option for secure data storage, particularly useful for small and medium-sized businesses that may not want to invest in the setup and maintenance of an on-site IT environment. Cloud computing allows for secure data storage that is easily scaled to meet the growing needs of a business, as well as seamless collaboration throughout a business in real time with access to up-to-date information.
Most managed service providers offer managed cloud services to ensure that you are getting the best use out of your cloud services. This includes identifying exactly what is needed for your business data storage to ensure that you will only pay for what you need, as well as scaling up and down as necessary. Your cloud managed service provider will also identify and implement available management tools through cloud computing that will benefit your business, such as team and video chat, shared calendars, email hosting, and more.
What Are Managed Services For Office 365?
Microsoft Office 365 is a pay-as-you-go subscription service that provides access to commonly used office applications such as Microsoft Word, Excel, Powerpoint, etc., as well as a range of tools that can be used to improve and streamline collaboration within an organisation.
An Office 365 subscription can be easily scaled up and down as the number of users may change to ensure that you only ever have to pay for what you need. Effective use of Office 365 in a business can significantly improve organisation, communication, and collaboration between individuals and teams.
Managed services for Office 365 can include migrating your business to Microsoft Office 365 and identifying and implementing tools and applications that are best suited to your business’s operations. With an experienced managed service provider coordinating the switch to Office 365, there will be minimal disruption to your business with a thorough migration plan in place to ensure that there are no compatibility issues. Your MSP will then continue to monitor and manage Office 365 usage to ensure that you are getting the best return on investment.
What Is Managed IT Infrastructure?
IT infrastructure refers to all of the hardware, software, and network resources that are needed to operate and manage business systems and IT-enabled processes. An MSP providing comprehensive IT management service will take care of the monitoring and management of your IT hardware, software, network security, and data backup processes.
Management of IT hardware includes the ongoing maintenance and assessment of all hardware, tracking equipment age, condition, and warranty status to reduce the risk of unexpected costs as a result of equipment failure. IT software management services include automatic patching and updates to ensure that your IT systems run smoothly and remain optimised to maximise productivity and reduce the risk of unexpected downtime.
Network security services provided by your managed security service provider will also help to prevent potential cyber attacks from gaining unauthorised access to your business data and customer information.
Tech Cover offers comprehensive IT management, including the management of your IT hardware, software, and environment, as well as managed security services Brisbane and Australia wide. We know that no two businesses are the same, which is why we offer tailored IT management services based on the needs of your business to minimise your IT costs. For more information, talk to one of our IT specialists today on 1300 832 326.
In-House IT vs. Managed IT Service Providers
With so many aspects of businesses, small and large, relying on IT systems, from in-house collaboration to data storage and websites, the question isn’t whether or not you will need reliable IT management, but rather which option to choose from, whether you want to manage your IT systems in-house or through a managed service provider.
Cost
One of the key factors when considering whether your business is best suited to in-house or outsourced IT management is cost. Bringing on an internal IT team to manage your IT systems can be costly as you will need a team large enough to manage your IT needs during peak periods, yet you will still be paying the salaries of your team during quieter periods where there is less work to be done. Additionally, as your business IT needs grow, you will need to hire and train additional members of staff to manage the increased workload.
With a managed service provider, you will have none of the overhead costs of keeping an in-house IT team but rather will only have to pay a fixed monthly fee based on your IT needs. With access to a large team of IT specialists when you need it, scaling your IT management services up and down with the changing demands of your business becomes as simple as talking to your managed service provider. This ensures that you will only ever be paying for the services that you need, with the ability to quickly scale up and down as required.
Expertise
Another factor to consider when choosing between in-house and outsourced IT management is what level of expertise you will have access to. Particularly for smaller businesses without the resources to bring on a large skilled IT team in-house, your IT management will be limited to the knowledge and experience of your small team. This means that when more complex IT issues arise, you may still need to outsource to a managed service provider to gain access to the information needed.
With a quality managed service provider, you can be confident that your IT systems will be in good hands, managed by a team of highly experienced and skilled IT experts. With up-to-date industry knowledge and access to the latest technologies, you can count on your managed service provider to keep your IT systems optimised and your data and network protected against cyber threats.
Using Managed IT Service Providers To Assist Your Inhouse Team
While many businesses opt to outsource all IT management services to an external managed service provider, businesses with their own in-house IT team can still benefit from partnering with a managed service provider such as Tech Cover.
Professional IT management services can be used to support and supplement the work of your in-house team when your IT needs increase, ensuring that your IT systems remain optimised and operational regardless of your business growth. Partnering with a managed service provider is also a great way to gain access to specialised industry knowledge and expertise that your team may not have when complex IT issues arise, keeping your business one step ahead of potential cyber threats and more complicated IT problems.
Managed IT Services For Remote Workers
With more and more businesses offering remote work opportunities since the recent pandemic, it has never been more important to ensure that your business data remains secure while providing the necessary IT support for your remote workers to ensure maximum productivity when working from home.
While having remote workers can be very beneficial to a business in terms of increased productivity and reduced costs, allowing employees to work from home also comes with its own set of risks.
IT Security For Remote Workers
Ensuring the security of your business data and customer information is essential when you have remote workers. In fact, it is a requirement in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988. Reducing the security risk of having remote workers by providing company devices is a simple way to control what cybersecurity is in place in order to protect your business data, rather than relying on the personal devices of your employees.
Your managed service provider will be able to provide such data protection and security software to protect your business and may even offer staff training on IT security best practices when working remotely to reduce the risk of data breaches as a result of human error.
IT Support For Remote Workers
Another consideration when employing remote workers is that their productivity may be disrupted by IT issues that cannot be resolved without help, impacting productivity. Even if you have an in-house IT team, the added task of providing IT support for remote workers can put a strain on the team and significantly increase wait times for other IT issues.
Fortunately, with a quality managed service provider, your remote workers will have access to expert advice, real-time troubleshooting, and ongoing IT support to maximise productivity.
Managed Print Services
Managed print services are another service that your MSP can provide in order to manage your organisation’s print infrastructure and document output. This includes the management and maintenance of your printing hardware, as well as tracking usage and problems as they arise to keep your systems optimised and operational at all times.
Professional managed print services can help to reduce costs by streamlining document output and reducing unnecessary delays as a result of ineffective equipment.
24/7 IT Support
Many managed service providers, such as Tech Cover, offer 24/7 IT support to keep your IT systems optimised and running smoothly around the clock. Cyber threats and other IT issues have no regard for business hours and can occur at any time. For example, a cyber attack may shut down your business website overnight, costing you valuable leads, customers, and sales every hour.
With a reliable managed service provider available for 24/7 IT support, you can minimise the impact of data breaches and IT security issues by identifying and addressing the problem as quickly as possible.
Reliable Managed Service Provider Brisbane & Australia
Making the choice to outsource the management and security of your IT systems to a reliable managed service provider, such as Tech Cover, is a great way to ensure that your IT systems are run as efficiently as possible while reducing your IT costs.
Based in Brisbane, Tech Cover Provides comprehensive IT management services Brisbane and Australia wide across a range of different industries and businesses ranging from small start-ups to steadily growing established organisations. Whether you’re looking for an experienced team of IT specialists to take care of all IT management and security services or you need a specialised IT team to support your in-house team, Tech Cover has the solution. Call us today on 1300 832 326 to find out how Tech Cover can help your business grow.