How to Get the Most out of your Managed IT Services Provider

What are Managed IT Services?

A Managed Service Provider (MSP) takes care of the daily management of your IT, giving you more time to focus on the core capabilities of your business. Give your IT staff more opportunities for strategic IT direction and innovation, without the burdens of these mundane tasks.

An MSP manages, monitors and maintains your hardware, software, networks, phone systems, printers and other vital technologies. With an MSP, your business is safe from data breaches, business data is automatically backed up to the cloud and you get a watertight security plan.

What are the benefits of Managed IT Services?

• Leverages technology for maximum return on investment.
• Improves productivity and operational efficiencies.
• Agile and scalable solutions are tailored to meet your business needs.
• Rock-solid security measures safeguard your devices, networks and IT systems. Enjoy peace of mind knowing that your IT is monitored 24/7 with cutting-edge technologies.
• Failsafe systems for data backups, including your emails and critical business data.
• Fosters greater collaboration, communication throughout your organisation.

Even with these benefits – and more – it is vital that you actively work with your MSP. Although these companies give you access to a team of experts who support your business, it’s unwise to take a completely hands-off approach with your IT.

The good news is that you don’t need to know a stack of IT jargon or have an IT degree to work with these companies. A competent provider will be able to translate technical concepts into easy to understand language. They will empower you with actionable and practical IT advice, strategy and plans.

How do you get the most from your Managed Service Provider? How do you leverage their expertise to achieve your business objectives?

Create a partnership

A Managed Service Provider doesn’t replace your existing IT team but empowers them to achieve your business objectives. Approach your relationship like a partnership. Share your vision, challenges and relevant information to help them deliver what you need. An MSP fills in the gaps, in terms of your in-house skills and expertise.

Instead of hiring them for ad-hoc projects, they work with your business to help you achieve your long-term business goals. You get a proactive future-proof plan instead of having a ‘band-aid’ approach to IT problems and issues.

An MSP is available 24/7 (even when your staff are on holidays) to offer technical support and assistance. If your systems go down on Christmas day, they’ll get you back online within 3-15 minutes. In fact, an uptime guarantee will be part of their service level agreements.

Foster open communication

Open communication is a key to a successful relationship between your MSP and business. Communicate with them often. Ask questions. Your questions should be welcome and they should give you plain English advice.

Treat this company the same way as your internal IT department. This will make it easier for you to identify risks, threats, problems and opportunities. Regular communication minimises problems and controls risk.

A vital aspect of communication is transparent reporting. Does your Managed IT Provider give you regular and easy to understand reports? These reports shouldn’t have IT jargon or useless technical terms – just straightforward and practical insights.

Gleen from their specialist knowledge

An MSP has the expertise to help you align your technology with your business direction. The company will show you how to take advantage of the latest technologies and advances in IT. They create agile and scalable solutions – usually cloud-based – which will grow with your business.

To get the most out of this knowledge, schedule regular meetings with your MSP. Talk to them so that you become better informed about the latest industry trends. Gleen from their specialist knowledge and get insights that will help you formulate strategic IT goals.

Understand your data backup and disaster recovery plan

It may seem like your systems are secure, your encrypted files are safe and your data storage is rock-solid. Even with the best plan in place, there may come a time that your data is at risk – whether from human or machine error, hacker or natural disaster.

Since data is the lifeblood of your organisation, you need a plan that protects you from every scenario. Work with your MSP to develop a data backup plan and disaster recovery strategy that is tailored to meet your business needs.

Are your team well versed in what to do after a disaster? Do they understand the risks and measures that have been put in place to protect your business? Discuss your data backup and disaster recovery plan with your MSP and understand the process step-by-step.

Essential Tech is a Managed IT Services provider in Brisbane who partner with countless small to medium businesses around Australia. As Brisbane’s leading Managed IT Services and IT Support company, we value open communication, collaboration and outstanding customer service. We help you protect your data and drive efficiencies and cost-savings through fit for purpose technologies.

Get 24/7 support, 100% uptime and a 90 day satisfaction guarantee. Take control of your business with transparent and easy to understand reports. Find out the benefits of having a bird’s eye view of the performance of your business. Discover new opportunities and safeguard yourself from threats. Visit essentialtech.com.au to find out more.