The only reason to change services is if it benefits you. In IT support, managed services deliver greater value than the familiar break/fix method. In this series, we’ll explore what managed services contribute to a business, starting with proactive maintenance.
How Do Managed Services Work, Compared to Traditional Support?
Let’s consider these contrasting scenarios:Jack and Jill both use computers at work all day. If Jack has computer issues, he relies on a break/fix IT arrangement; while Jill uses managed services.
Comparing the Experience of Break/Fix Against Managed Services
Jack’s computer encounters an issue in the middle of the workday. He calls his computer tech and explains the situation. Since his computer guy has a few clients with appointments ahead of Jack’s, Jack will have to wait a few hours. Eventually, he arrives and this time it’s a simple fix. The company gets a bill.
Jill’s workstation also encounters an issue. She immediately reaches out to her company’s managed service provider. The managed service provider then remotely logs in and takes control of the workstation. A tech troubleshoots the problem, allowing Jill to get back to work. The fix was covered under the company’s monthly subscription agreement with the managed service provider.
Proactivity is Central to Managed Services
As Jack and Jill work at heir separate companies, Jack is much more likely to encounter issues than Jill. This is because Jill’s workstation is remotely monitored by the managed service provider, who proactively prevents glitches, malfunctions, and incompatibilities. Jill remains blissfully unaware of all this and rarely needs an onsite visit.
Jack’s computer guy gets paid every time that Jack or his coworkers have an issue. He really has no motivation to be proactive. So Jack frequently has his day interrupted and needs to call the tech for another visit.
Thanks to their respective service agreements, Jill is able to accomplish more than Jack because she has an expert team looking after her IT remotely.
Applying and Installing Patches and Updates
Jack relies on the company’s internal IT resource, if there is one, to keep track of any patches or pending updates. If they are too busy, these updates could slip through the cracks. If the in-house team does get around to Jack, he will be unable to work while the solutions install.
Jill’s managed service provider keeps track of the solutions that Jill and the rest of her company use, maintaining them on schedule. This includes keeping on top of patches and updates. And since the managed service provider remote accesses and installs updates and patches after hours, Jill’s workday is never interrupted.
Stay Tuned for More Information About the Value of Managed Services!
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