Many growing businesses may face a significant challenge when it comes to IT. They may not have the expertise in-house to enable them to manage every eventuality and will often turn to experts in the field to help with everyday and unusual issues. Yet while outsourcing IT can save money and resources versus an in-house solution, it’s often difficult to know what type of service to procure. So, in this case, it comes down to managed services versus professional services, but what’s the difference?
What Are Managed Services?
Managed services are available when a business needs an expert organization to help organize its everyday business processes and operations. These experts can be available should a server go down or if a software operation is causing a conflict. They’ll schedule and perform any needed maintenance and be there when you need them.
These are some of the tasks a managed service can perform:
Taking Care of Issues
The team will be on standby when you need help with troubleshooting. You can get in touch with them through a chat mechanism, a phone call, and in some situations, an in-person visit. So if you are unable to log in or find that you cannot boot up some hardware, they are there.
Everyday Maintenance
To try and avoid issues, it’s essential to keep up with needed maintenance. This team will perform routine tasks like tune-ups or updates, which can be especially helpful when your day-to-day staff is overworked. Crucially, they’ll help you maintain productivity by updating software programs so they do not become outdated and by closing any other loopholes.
Security
Unfortunately, hackers are targeting small to medium firms these days, and it may only be a matter of time before you suffer an attack. This is why you may need a managed service provider to bolster your defences. They can set up a strong security system across your network and can help you recover if you become an unfortunate victim.
Safety Backups
If your system crashes and you are unprepared, it could set you back a long way. Managed service providers would help recoup that lost information and ensure that you have a regular backup process in place.
Ongoing Monitoring
Managed service providers will monitor your system around the clock to look for problems. If necessary, they will alert you to a potential issue so you can take action to keep your business online.