Better Understanding What Managed Services Are

Managed IT services have risen in popularity, largely based on the merit that they can bring to a business. However, those new to the concept may have a tough time grasping how it works and how that adds to its benefits. Today, we’ll try to resolve that.

How Clean Do You Keep Your Car?

Let’s talk about car maintenance for a moment - specifically, keeping your car clean. While the sight of a freshly-washed car is certainly pretty nice, it can be a pain to wash the car. While you could presumably do it yourself, there are some considerable costs to that approach.

First of all, you have to buy the cleaning supplies needed to properly wash the car, make sure you know what you’re doing, and then there’s the time you spend actually completing the task. While the end result could perfectly well be a good one, you can’t help but wonder: what else could you have accomplished in the time you just spent washing your car?

Of course, that isn’t the only option you have… you could just enlist the services of a few neighborhood kids looking to make a few bucks. However, they could easily do a slipshod job, and potentially cause more harm than good to your vehicle. You could bring it to an automated car wash chain… but the “efficient” and “one-size-fits-all” approach these places take don’t really get the car as clean as you want it to be, either. Finally, you could just allow your car to grow dirty, but this kind of neglect isn’t the best for it.

However, what if there was another option?

Let’s say there was a service that would install a system at your house that would allow that service’s employees to keep your car clean, checking up on it and tidying it up as needed. If they could, these employees would remotely control the system to clean the car. If that wasn’t enough, this service would send a certified professional to come and give your car a good scrubbing in person--and while this service sounds like it would cost an arm and a leg, it actually came out to a very reasonable, monthly subscription cost.

This is Essentially the Managed Service Model for IT

Let’s go back through our example and translate it from your car to your business’ IT solutions.

While functioning IT solutions are certainly pretty nice, it can be a pain to maintain your technology. While you could presumably take it upon yourself to hire all the internal staff necessary to service your infrastructure, there are some considerable costs to that approach.

First of all, you’re going to need to hire the staff needed to provide the necessary support, ensure that they have the proper certifications to manage your solutions, and then there’s the time they’ll spend completing these responsibilities. While they may be effective employees, you can’t help but wonder: what else could they have accomplished during the time they spent performing maintenance and repairs?

Of course, that isn’t the only option you have… you could just enlist the services of your area’s local break/fix IT repair person. However, they could easily apply a bandage instead of fixing the real issues, and potentially cause more harm than good to your technology. You could bring it to a big-box technology store… but the “efficient” and “one-size-fits-all” approach these places take don’t really take your needs for your technology into consideration, either. Finally, you could just allow your technology to accumulate issues, but this kind of neglect isn’t the best for it.

However, what if there was another option?

A managed services provider will implement the solutions necessary that would allow their employees to manage your IT solutions, checking up on them and updating them as needed. Since they can, these employees will remotely see to all of the maintenance needs your systems have. If that isn’t enough, the MSP would send a certified professional to your office to resolve your issue in person--and yeah, all that stuff about it being a reasonable, monthly subscription cost, too.

Here at Datalyst, we’re proud to provide these kinds of IT services to our clients, and we’d be happy to work with you as well. Check out our video to learn more about the benefits of managed services or reach out to us at (774) 213-9701.