Today’s organizations – whether based in pharmaceuticals, education, government, healthcare or other sector – are united by their common need for Managed IT Support Services. The ongoing global disruption and increasing pace of change has created a pressing need for oversight and organizational IT management and support.
However, the recent emergence of countless user-friendly applications (which at first glance don’t require heavy IT support) has some business leaders thinking. Do we still need to invest in Managed IT Support Services?
The answer is an undeniable YES.
The plethora of new ways to increasingly interconnect our hybrid workforces in the name of Modern Workplace Transformation may create the perception of independence and self-sufficiency. However, maintaining a robust enterprise IT Managed Services program to support all of the new players on the IT field is more important than ever. Here’s why.
How Have Managed IT Support Services Evolved?
Before the rise of the internet, organizations with little or no in-house IT staff suffered from a lack of expertise to manage any technical issues that arose. As the internet’s role in day-to-day operations grew, these organizations turned to outsourcing their IT needs. The opportunity to remotely deliver IT Services and Support emerged in parallel with organizations’ reliance on online capabilities and presence.
Remote Managed IT Support Services evolved in phases. Rather than outsourcing the entire responsibility for network oversight or IT management, many organizations initially preferred to outsource select tasks. Value-Added-Resellers (VARs) emerged to meet this need. VARs’ original business driver was hardware sales, but over time, providing consulting expertise to customers became an equally in demand element.
The arrival of technology that would enable truly remote managed support (as in no physical contact with hardware), backed by sufficient security, was an industry turning point, providing the perfect opportunity for Managed IT Support Services to enter the scene.
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What are Managed IT Support Services Today?
Originally called “Providers of Managed IT Support Services,” Managed Service Providers (MSPs) provide a wide range of solutions and services, usually in a set of tiered packages that can be adjusted to meet different customers’ levels of need. Gartner provides a great synopsis of who Managed Service Providers are and what they offer:
A managed service provider (MSP) delivers services, such as network, application, infrastructure and security, via ongoing and regular support and active administration on customers’ premises, in their MSP’s data center (hosting), or in a third-party data center. The term MSP traditionally was applied to infrastructure or device-centric types of services but has expanded to include any continuous, regular management, maintenance and support.
Many MSPs work on a “pay for what you use” basis for their support services. For instance, if a customer wants to outsource only network monitoring or to outsource monitoring only a portion of their network, the MSP would be responsible for only that element.
These tiered offering structures allow MSPs to provide much-needed support and services regardless of the size of an organization. From small to medium-sized and enterprise organizations – all can benefit from the oversight and expertise today’s MSPs offer.
How Does Self-Service Impact Managed IT Support Services?
Many of today’s Modern Workforce Transformation tools are designed to maximize end-user productivity and control – which are particularly important considering the endless types of work environments that support today’s workforce. Many of these applications relate to digital transformation and the types of productivity applications that are available today. Microsoft, Google, and a variety of other vendors offer applications that empower end-users with enhanced collaboration capabilities, secure email and calendaring, meeting room booking, secure file storage, file sharing, and more – all accessed through the cloud.
It’s true that many of these user-friendly applications require little training and could be run in a “self-serve” style environment, but it’s important to differentiate “could” from “should.” All of these applications run on a network, and that network needs to be managed by an IT department, along with the numerous devices such as personal computers, laptops, and smart phones that are used to access the network. Multiply these endpoints by number of employees and customers, and the potential need for endpoint management support increases exponentially.
In addition to endpoint management, security is a top driver for Managed IT Support Services. Increased collaboration means increased sharing of sensitive employee information, corporate intellectual property, financial data, competitive strategies, and more. Even conducting virtual meetings can present a security threat. The data stored in these applications needs to be protected, and this is another critical service Managed IT Support Providers give.
You may think you are secure from cyber-attacks if you use applications from major providers. However, many of these applications are sold under a “shared responsibility” model. In simple terms, that license dictates that provider is responsible for keeping its infrastructure running and avoiding a loss of service to its customers, and the customer is responsible for:
- Their information and data
- Their devices, both PCs and mobile devices
- Their accounts and identities
Utilizing an MSP’s service means that customer borne responsibilities will be met, without additional in-house resources being needed.
Yorktel’s Portfolio of Managed IT Services
Yorktel offers a wide range of Managed IT Support Services to accommodate our diverse customer needs. Here is a high-level overview of these offerings and their benefits.
- Continuity Monitoring. Real-time monitoring solutions monitor all the activity with all endpoints to identify issues, and the system will automatically prioritize what it finds. That makes it easy for IT staff to respond to the most critical issues quickly.
- Continuity Support and Conference Services. Once issues have been identified and prioritized, Yorktel’s expert Global Helpdesk team address any issues with speed and efficiency, minimizing any possible impact to end-users.
- Continuity Workplace Intelligence. There are many users, devices, and rooms in your collaboration portfolio; it’s nearly impossible to determine what’s working and what isn’t by manually checking. Gathering workplace intelligence takes the guesswork out of reporting and analytics, allowing us to provide customized recommendations to enhance capabilities and drive digital transformation.
- Continuity Management. Leveraging the real-time data gathered through our extensive Workplace Intelligence capabilities, Continuity Management Service applies sophisticated automation and assessment functionality to prioritize alerts and act accordingly.
- Staffing Augmentation Services. On-site staff augmentation gives the operational support needed to achieve maximum efficiency.
With the evolution of the hybrid workforce continuing, today’s organizations are wise to seek out a Managed IT Support Service provider with forward-thinking expertise and a portfolio to match. Self-serve applications have their appeal, but Managed IT Support Services can provide you with peace of mind so you can focus on your business objectives.
Learn how Yorktel’s Managed IT Support Services can help improve productivity, increase security, provide reporting and analytics services, and more.