Sometimes, the terms that get thrown around in IT circles aren’t easy to understand. According to a recent survey of SMB leaders by Techaisle, the term “remote managed services” is one of the least understood in all of IT. Managed services are not that difficult to understand, however – and their benefit to any business is easy to appreciate, as well.
To be plain: Remote managed services are computer-related services provided by an off-site vendor. Hosting centers that power remote managed services are typically located out of state, so as to protect the business against local disasters. For instance, although downtown Portland is home to some major hosting facilities, businesses located in the Rose City would do better to store their networked data at an out-of-town hosting center. The provider of IT managed services may offer everything from simple data hosting to network management to IT security.
To back up a step, cloud-based technology has made remote delivery of services possible. With online storage, software, networking and coordination, it becomes possible – advantageous, even – to leave your company’s networking in the hands of an off-site professional.
Here are a few advantages of contracting for remote managed services for small and mid-size businesses:
Access to expertise. Specialization breeds mastery. You can depend on knowledgeable expertise from your IT management provider. Plus, you won’t have to pay an in-house salary.
Lower cost. It is quickly becoming cost-prohibitive for companies to employ in-house IT workers – or at least, the number that is recommended for networking. Because IT managed services reduce or completely eliminate the need to pay for employee benefits, companies often pay less by outsourcing. The in-house workers you do employ can be dedicated to strategic initiatives. In this way, remote managed services can hone your company’s competitive edge.
Even if you don’t reduce the number of IT employees on staff, you’d still see a savings in reduced COO (Cost of Ownership) by switching to remote managed services. Like most physical assets, servers lose their value over time. By renting space on your IT vendor’s networks, rather than constructing your own in-house network, you’ll be avoiding the incremental loss of value hardware suffers.
Improved operational performance. Transferring to IT managed services often streamlines operations. Companies that provide remote managed services stay in business according to how well they can improve their clients’ networking experience. There is a natural motivation to improve operations – something in-house employees often don’t have time to address.
Lead IT provides remote managed services to SMBs in the Portland, Ore., area and beyond. It is our passion to create lightening-smooth, secure, easy-to-manage IT systems our clients can depend on. If you’re looking for a Portland provider of IT managed services, you’re in the right place!
[ Photo by: Delmonti, on Flickr, via CC License ]