IT support has changed a lot in the last few years. The wide-spread adoption of cloud technology has created more opportunities for IT professionals to be a partner in complete business optimization. Now updated for COVID-19 response!
The IT industry has shifted from a sideline support model to a more partnership-driven managed services model. This shift has many benefits for every size business.
A managed service provider can work alongside business executives to leverage technology that will drive new revenue streams. And help your business through challenging times like the global spread of the Novel Coronavirus.
We hope you feel well-supported during this time. If you or your IT department requires any additional assistance--please do not hesitate to 👉 contact us. 👈
Here is what a modern IT company should provide all the time:
A managed service provider monitors a company's network infrastructure. This access allows a good MSP to provide the C-suite with quarterly benchmarks. At minimum, this quarterly scorecard should provide system security and threat mitigation, but it can also identify opportunities that increase the productivity of the workforce and maximize the company's technology investment.
Cybersecurity is one of the biggest concerns a company has. Today's MSPs go beyond the old "set it and forget it" attitude towards security and antivirus protection. Providing security in today's high risk environment involves constant monitoring, warranties against ransomware, and the combination of several different threat protection tools rolled into a robust security suite.
Good MSP's also provide resources to educate an organization's workers. Security education and testing helps to mitigate a company's biggest security threat (human error). Your organization should know which workers are the most likely to fall for a phishing attack, so that the right education can be provided to them. You're only as secure as your weakest link.
A valuable partner is one who can grow with you. A company should share their KPI's with their managed service provider to see how technology can be leveraged to help the business achieve their short and long-term goals.
Usually, bottlenecks in either the internal infrastructure or customer-facing processes can be identified. Once these bottlenecks are removed, the business can scale with less resistance.
Asking your IT provider to give you a 12-month roadmap (including an emergency action plan) for technology success is a great starting point.
If there's one thing COVID-19 is teaching us, it's that every business that has the ability to work remotely--should make sure they have the option to do so when needed.
The old factory-style business model has been disrupted. Soon, 50% of the American workforce will be remote, and by 2027, freelancers are expected to become the workforce majority.
There are simple IT solutions now that allow workers to be able to work from anywhere on any device.
With the advantages of worker flexibility (reduced office costs, higher worker retention and productivity) comes enhanced security risks. Companies must also have the right communication infrastructure in place to make workers feel connected to the team wherever they are.
Digital transformation is happening fast and that will continue to affect the way business is performed all over the globe.
Microsoft, in a newly-released e-book called, Designed to Disrupt Reimagine Your Apps and Transform Your Industry, has identified these prevalent themes:
The technology and data needed for these advancements are already here, but businesses need an experienced partner who is able to strategize the best ways to access, combine, and utilize these new opportunities in order to stay relevant and profitable.
Is your business ready to make the move from a traditional IT structure to a proven managed service provider? Find out what you're missing, contact us today.