You have likely heard IT Services mentioned from time to time, but may not understand exactly what this entails. You may recognize it as a term relating to technology, but your grasp on it may not be up to par. To start, “IT” stands for information technology, and in turn, the term refers to the management of a company’s computing technology. As a business owner, you either have to hire internal IT staff and keep up with their ongoing training—which is not ideal—or outsource the maintenance of your IT infrastructure to a Managed IT Services company with the staff, expertise, and resources available on-hand. This article reviews the basic features of IT Services, their benefits, and what to look for in an IT Services vendor.
What are IT Services?
IT Services covers a number of different areas to ensure uptime, maintain security, and promote scalability of a company’s IT infrastructure. Typical IT Services companies include the following in their service portfolio:
- Network and workgroup design and setup
- Network, server, and printing support
- E-mail & desktop support
- Data backup and recovery
- Monitoring, managing, and securing the company’s network
- Authentication services
- Systems operation and support services
- Storing and managing your data
- Software updates and installation of patches
These services cover a multitude of areas, both online and offline, including software and hardware solutions. Thus, IT Services refers to outsourcing the management of your IT infrastructure to ensure seamless workflows, top-notch data security, and enhanced productivity. Having access to specialists that are well-versed in all areas of IT is of the utmost importance for most modern companies, as businesses are becoming increasingly reliant on computing technology. However, the biggest hurdle that an owner may face is that most are not equipped to determine their needs and hire their own team in-house. It is not simply a matter of finding the right employees to staff these positions. The fees associated with employee salaries, ongoing education, overtime when issues arise, and more is cost-prohibitive for SMBs. Instead, business owners can greatly benefit from outsourcing the management of their IT infrastructure to a third-party.
What Benefits Come with Managed IT Services?
The benefits of outsourcing the management of your IT network to a third-party vendor are substantial. IT Services help businesses realize several vital improvements that companies in all industries seek, including:
- Cost Savings: As mentioned above, hiring and maintaining an IT team in-house is expensive. By working with an IT Services partner, you are spreading the cost to have access to top-trained experts among all of your vendor’s clients. This cost split is also realized in hardware, storage, and software fees. Moreover, the cost of a data breach is astronomical. At the minimum, time is money, and your bottom line can take a serious hit when faced with downtime. In a worst-case scenario, a lack of proper security measures can mean the end of your business. IT Services ensures the security of your IT infrastructure, providing peace of mind and saving you money.
- Robust Data Security: In addition to the cost savings that a secure network provides, IT Services ensures all required updates are made, patches are in place, and systems are secure. Your business data, including internal Accounts Payable and HR information as well as confidential client information, is protected from cyber-attacks.
- Increased Compliance: For many industries, governmental compliance regulations are set that companies must adhere to. Often, these compliance regulations circle back to confidentiality and data protection. With IT Services, your vendor will safeguard your data and maintain the compliance standards that you are required to meet.
- Enhanced Productivity: Keeping workflows moving forward is a primary goal of any growing business. When your IT tools are managed by a third-party, downtime is minimized, ensuring your team can continually focus on the job at hand. Team morale is boosted when they can access the resources needed to complete daily tasks, furthering productivity and efficiency.
- Internal Concentration on Value-Added Work: With your IT security and management handled by a third-party, your employees are free to focus on the tasks at hand that will grow your business.
What Should You Look for When Selecting an IT Services Provider?
Several factors impact the decision you make when seeking an IT Services provider. The first step is to seek a provider that offers local, on-site service with quick response time as well as local servers to host your data. Despite the fact that most IT management is Cloud-based and can be achieved virtually, these aspects ensure the quality of service and maximum uptime.
Industry experience is another thing to vet when selecting your IT Services provider. For those markets that require extreme regulatory compliance, such as the financial and healthcare sectors, make sure your vendor has experience working in your industry and understands and can implement the security guidelines set for your vertical market.
Determining what is and what isn’t included in your IT Services contract is another important factor to consider when selecting a partner. Your vendor should perform an IT assessment to discover your unique needs and build a tailored plan for your business, ensuring all aspects of your IT infrastructure are covered. If you require niche IT help that may be outside of the scope of your vendor’s abilities, a good provider will be upfront with this and work with you to provide comprehensive services.
Securing, maintaining, and growing your IT infrastructure may seem complicated or daunting, but it doesn’t have to be! Working with a trusted IT Services vendor can provide you peace of mind and allow you to focus on your core business offerings at a significantly lower cost than having an IT staff in-house. If you are a San Francisco business looking to get started with IT Services, contact Golden Gate Office Solutions today.
