Managed IT Services Defined
Wikipedia defines managed services as “the practice of outsourcing day-to-day management responsibilities and functions as a strategic method for improving operations and cutting expenses. This can include outsourcing HR-activities, production support and lifecycle build/maintenance activities. “
Over at the MSP Alliance, they describe managed services as “the proactive management of an IT (Information Technology) asset or object, by a third party typically known as a MSP, on behalf of a customer. The operative distinction that sets apart a MSP is the proactive delivery of their service, as compared to reactive IT services, which have been around for decades.”
And finally, Gartner defines a managed services provider as a company that “delivers network, application, system and e-management services across a network to multiple enterprises, using a “pay as you go” pricing model. A “pure play” MSP focuses on management services as its core offering. In addition, the MSP market includes offerings from other providers — including application service providers (ASPs), Web hosting companies and network service providers (NSPs) — that supplement their traditional offerings with management services.”
The Managed Services Theory and Purpose
The basic theory behind the value of managed IT services is that as a company grows and relies more on their technology, calling an IT support company to resolve problems becomes cumbersome and costly. Some companies begin looking to have some proactive IT management mixed into their current strategy. There are many levels of monitoring and review in a proactive strategy. The overall goal should be to utilize the proactive activity to reduce the amount of reactive issues and business risks. More can be found on our page, The Managed Services Philosophy.
The Snap Forward Definition of Managed IT Service
The Snap Forward approach to managed IT services places all of the responsibility for the client’s technology results in our hands. We can utilize our tools, technology, best practices and well-developed process to:
- Drive down reactive issues
- Increase client productivity
- Consult on technology decisions
- Provide a multi-year budget
- Reduce the client’s overall business risk of data loss and downtime.
When we engage a client using this approach, we are committing to provide a positive result for a set monthly fee. Our managed services strategy can change the way you approach IT and your business.
IT can be simple and an asset to your company, but making the right decision between MSP’s can seem overwhelming. When evaluating a managed service provider to maintain your company’s technology, focus on the results that the MSP promises. It is our belief that the best approach is for the MSP to be involved in all aspects of a client’s technology.
By getting to know our client’s business and technology, we are more effective in providing the very best IT support and management. Managed service providers offering to partially manage your network are usually hoping for the big payday that comes when something equally big goes wrong.