Optimizing your Managed Services Experience

In today’s highly competitive marketplace, setting your company apart by operating as efficiently and cost-effectively as possible is crucial. There are several factors to consider when managing a company of any size, especially when it comes to your organization’s strategic infrastructure and network services.

To help alleviate some of the workload — particularly in an area that requires specialized tech-based knowledge — many businesses look to hire a managed service provider (MSP). Still, even after taking this step, business owners often overlook just what services MSPs provide, and how the right one can make all the difference for their organization. 

What is an MSP? 

Originally, the term only encompassed infrastructure or device-centric services, but has evolved to include tech management and support. Today, a managed services provider delivers various IT services to a company and defines the strategic direction for its technology network, applications, infrastructure, and cybersecurity. A provider ensures ongoing and regular support and active administration on customers’ premises, in their MSP’s data center (hosting), or in a third-party data center. 

MSPs regularly deliver the following services:

• Adding cybersecurity hardening to IT systems
• Offering technical support to staff
• Managing user access accounts on clients’ systems
• Offering fully managed hardware outsourcing
• Managing IT infrastructure
• Providing detailed assessments to define technology strategy and roadmaps

Tech issues can arise at any given time, and having only one IT technician can be a disadvantage for your organization. Working with an MSP can give you peace of mind, as you will always have technicians on hand with extensive specialized knowledge. The layering of skills an MSP provides — from support specialists all the way up to the CIO — ensures greater productivity, reliability, and efficiency for your business. 

How does an MSP work?

The global managed services market is projected to grow from $243.33 billion in 2021 to $557.10 billion in 2028. Having the latest tech tools and solutions within your business can help you stay ahead of your competition. 

Once you have selected an MSP and contracts are in place, a service provider would begin by fully analyzing your current outsourced processes. This procedure enables a provider to identify how to maximize resource utilization and reduce costs while improving process efficiencies. An MSP can also identify challenges within your system — which you otherwise may have missed. Based on a comprehensive assessment and risk analysis, a service provider would build a thoroughly customized solution to provide ongoing maintenance and support.

Benefits of using an MSP

Since the current business landscape is highly competitive, it makes sense for businesses to focus on their core competencies. That’s why having strategic and specialized IT and network support that aligns with your company’s goals is so beneficial.

Although managed services have been around for quite some time, only recently have they come to a place — in terms of cost and availability — where organizations are able to take full advantage of the perks they have to offer.

Key benefits of hiring an MSP include:

• Specialized and experienced desktop support
• Highly specialized virtual chief information officer (vCIO)
• Cost savings when it comes to hiring and managing in-house experts to run the same processes
• Access to the latest technologies and applications
• The ability to scale services up or down according to changing business needs quickly

Another important advantage of hiring an MSP is building a reliable and consistent relationship. Managed services providers act as a partner for your in-house team and bridge the gap between you and technology vendors. They serve as a single point of contact for your business and become familiar with your company over time.

A Refreshing Managed Services Solution

Choosing the right managed service provider can feel daunting, but it doesn’t have to be a hard decision. The first step in choosing a provider is to understand what your goals are and align them with a provider who can help you reach them.

Here at Riverstrong, we provide personalized IT solutions that your organization can trust. We use our expertise and passion for people to simplify our customers’ lives and deliver tangible results — so you can focus on what matters most. This will give your business more time to focus on growth and stability while receiving the best advice from a highly resilient team. 

To learn more about how we can amplify your organization’s potential and provide personalized care, reach out to us today!