As we begin a new year, it is difficult to so without reflecting on the year just gone. 2020 was, unpredictable, unsettling and until it occurred, unimaginable. The coronavirus pandemic descended upon the world and impacted business in ways not seen since the great depression.
Schools shut down, leaving parents and caregivers to undertake a new role as supervisors for home schooling students.
Businesses closed because of lock downs forcing non-essential workers to stay home and patronage disappearing overnight.
Businesses which were able to continue felt the sting of reduced custom and therefore felt the pain of having to let loyal, hardworking employees go, leaving them at the mercy of a welfare system many had never been part of.
In uniquely Australian style, businesses hit back. A wide variety of ‘COVID-19 Safe’ practices were adopted to flatten the curve and cut short the financially devastating effects of a virus which seemed to permeate every aspect of life as we know it.
For many businesses in Australia, particularly in Queensland, the future is beginning to brighten again. The focus is coming back to recovery and growth. And with this optimism, comes the question:
How can a Managed IT Service give you company the edge in 2021?
Understanding Managed IT Services
To understand how a Managed IT Service can assist your business during these changing times, first we need to understand what Managed IT Services are.
A Managed IT service – often referred to as MSP or Managed Service Provider – is an IT service that is outsourced to an external provider rather than having an in-house IT department. Consider it your own team of professionals who are there to do what needs to be done and help when required, but who take up no physical space in your office.
The MSP will provide the wealth of services and experience you have come to expect from IT professionals. These services can include updating software, monitoring for viruses and data security threats, troubleshooting user and system issues, and offering data recovery. All terms of what an MSP provides should be clearly covered in their service level agreement (or SLA).
A Managed Service Provider can supply expert advice at a fraction of the cost of hiring a whole department of people with the specialised skills required.
Managed IT Services can allow for business growth, even during a pandemic, in the following ways:
- More Time for Business and Focusing on What Matters
- Data Recovery and Disaster Management
- Future-Proof Your IT Infrastructure for 2021 and Beyond
- Remote access assistance and IT department structure
- Fast Turn Around times
In the same way that outsourcing your grocery shopping, take away food delivery or online shopping can save you time, it can also keep you safe during times of health crisis like the covid-19 pandemic. Additionally, it can save money. When you shop for your groceries instore, you often impulse buy, paying for what you think you want at the time, but don’t really need. Likewise, a Managed IT Service can provide your business with what you need, when you need it with a price structure that is known and can be budgeted for.
If, like many businesses, you have had to downsize, you can’t have your valuable resources doing work that perhaps they aren’t trained for. It creates a need for additional training (and therefore cost) to have an itinerate staff member upskilled to do what an MSP can do quickly, easily and most cases, remotely.
This allows your business the freedom to concentrate of the growth plan for the coming year.
This doesn’t mean you take a completely hands-off approach, of course. You’ll still get updates on your infrastructure, but a provider like Productiv can over see the IT infrastructure through cloud computing which allows the monitoring anytime, 24/7
Data Recovery and Disaster Management
Your company cannot afford to go without a data recovery and disaster management plan. With so many staff likely working remotely as the pandemic continues, the potential for accidentally deleted or lost files goes up.
Through managed IT services and cloud computing, your MSPs can maintain your infrastructure so it’s more damage-proof. Remember, one service MSPs traditionally offer is around-the-clock monitoring. The sooner your Managed Service Provider realizes data loss might have occurred or could occur, the faster they can rectify the situation.
In times where recovery is required, the time taken by your staff to do so would take them away from their daily business, effectively bringing certain areas of your business to a halt. Having an MSP on your side keeps business going when disaster striked
Future Proof IT Infrastructure for 2021 and Beyond
Your computer networks may be up to date now, but this can change in the blink of an eye
From operating system updates to yearly subscription renewals and everything in between, there’s a lot to keep track of.
MSPs can really step in and bridge that gap. They’ll update software and recommend upgraded hardware when. Whether that means you slowly unveil new hardware changes or just jump right into the deep end, you’ll have guidance through managed services so you make the right decision for your company.
Quick Turnaround Times
Even situations that aren’t deemed disasters can still productivity and take away your business’ focus on growth.
Managed Service Providers often & are more accessible then IT technicians in house, because they are already checking your infrastructure all the time through cloud monitoring. are often the first ones to detect a problem
Not Sure where to start? Begin Small and go from there
Starting with a Managed Service Provider; in the beginning, if you’re not quite sure how the relationship with the MSP will progress, there’s nothing wrong with requesting a shorter-term contract. If things work out, then you can renew your contract or sign another.
Contact Us at Productiv and learn more about how and full range of Managed IT Services that can position your business for growth in 2021.
