What Can You Expect From Your Managed IT Services?
An effective IT infrastructure is paramount for modern businesses, but managing yours independently can become increasingly difficult as technology advances.
You may struggle to drive your team to greater and greater success when you’re frequently distracted by complex IT issues. And running a company can be stressful enough, especially in the age of COVID-19: more than 40% of business owners surveyed have cited “overwhelming stress” as the most worrying aspect of the pandemic.
Fortunately, you can keep your IT infrastructure at its best and ensure issues are resolved effectively without getting involved directly.
How?
With managed IT services.
But what can you expect from this? Here are a few of the most important solutions.
IT Security to Protect Your Business from Cybercriminals
Thirty percent of Canadian businesses experience as many as 20 cyberattacks within a single year.
That can lead to serious ramifications for companies of all sizes, but particularly smaller businesses with fewer resources. Customers may lose trust, and reputations can be damaged so badly that it becomes difficult to win new business for some time. Sadly, 60% of small businesses close in just six months or less of suffering a cyberattack or data breach.
That’s why it’s so important to invest in high-quality information security. But researching the latest options, exploring different packages, implementing them, and monitoring their performance involves work. And if you’re stretched thinly already, you and your team may lack the time for maintaining effective security.
However, a seasoned managed service provider (MSP) will work with you closely to understand your:
- Security vulnerabilities
- Current IT infrastructure
- Budget
- History of data breaches/cybersecurity issues
Based on their research into your operations and security weaknesses, an MSP will provide you with tailored security to minimize your danger of an attack. They will:
- Monitor your network for signs of unusual activity.
- Install a firewall with a customized configuration.
- Set up intrusion prevention to keep unwelcome visitors out of your systems.
- Implement website tracking and filtering for your peace of mind.
- Install anti-virus software to target potential threats before they infect your network.
This is just a small taste of what a good MSP will include in your information security package.
Installation of Hardware and Software Based on Your Business Operations
You and your employees may use the same computers you did five years ago (or longer). They might appear to run smoothly enough to handle most tasks, but outdated technology could cause more problems than it solves.
Such as?
Frequent crashes can be unbearably frustrating and cause tasks to take longer than they should. That will decrease productivity, waste time, cause delays, and cost you precious income when angry clients take their business elsewhere.
And outdated tech could have security gaps that make a hacker’s work easier than the newest systems do.
The same applies to software: a failure to update to the latest version of a platform, tool, or OS could leave you vulnerable to cyberattacks. Not to mention the impact on productivity and performance.
You and your team may lack the technical knowledge to recognize when you need to update or upgrade your systems. It’s easy to put it off when you’re concerned about the upheaval this would cause, particularly if you’re going through a period of growth.
However, an MSP will handle it for you instead. You’ll have the time and space to focus on running your business while a team of specialists do the heavy lifting (quite literally when installing new hardware).
A trustworthy team will update aging hardware in your IT back office, set up equipment in a new office to help you get up and running sooner, and enhance your current infrastructure. Experts will also ensure you comply with the latest standards to avoid legal issues.
And they’ll undertake extensive research into your business processes, so they recommend only the most practical and valuable solutions. They won’t suggest the same old setup for all their clients regardless of their size, sector, and operations.
Cloud Computing for Maximum Convenience and Flexibility
Cloud services are essential, and the forced switch to remote working in 2020 proved that for countless companies worldwide. As of May 2021, more than 5 million Canadian employees worked remotely, due to the sheer variety of reliable cloud-based solutions.
Teams took advantage of everything from online word processing tools to videoconferencing platforms to maintain productivity while social distancing regulations kept offices closed.
And while many businesses had already embraced cloud computing prior to the pandemic, some only truly discovered its power when they had no other choice. That’s why cloud services will continue to be a crucial resource for companies in years to come.
The best MSPs offer cloud computing solutions for you. This includes:
- Cloud storage for online data backup, mitigating the risk of data loss in the event of a disaster (e.g. a flood) in your office, hardware theft, or any other crisis.
- Cloud-based platforms and tools for remote working, allowing your employees to collaborate and connect all over the world without needing to be in the same room.
Working with an MSP providing cloud computing services will allow your employees to work remotely on a full- or part-time basis. Most workers will welcome this opportunity: a survey by the Business Development Bank of Canada found that more than half of employees want to keep working from home. That means you can save space in your office and cut your overheads.
How to Get Started with Managed IT Services for Your Business
We’ve explored what you can expect when you choose managed services. Now, let’s look at how you can take the next step and find a quality MSP in your area.
GenX has helped small- and medium-sized businesses in the Greater Toronto Area for almost 40 years. Our team of IT experts will create a bespoke package for you encompassing all the right services for your company.