October 14, 2022
Managed IT services typically include the management of every tool and system in a workplace’s tech stack. Back in the day, most tools and systems needed in-person support, so having an internal IT team ensured an organization could get quick help when they needed it. But just as an office worker can do most, if not all of their work from anywhere, so can IT personnel.
If you haven’t considered Managed IT before, or you had a not-so-great experience with it in the past, it’s definitely worth a second look. Plus, cybersecurity is becoming a niche all its own, and can be a big burden for any internal team that is constantly pressed for time.
What Are Managed IT Services?
Managed IT services is another way to describe outsourcing your IT to a trusted third party. A Managed Services Provider (MSP) has many specific advantages over an in-house team (I’ll explore those in more detail later). However, one obvious advantage is tough to beat: using an MSP means that you don’t have to add any full-time staff in order to get every aspect of your technology protected and managed by world-class experts.
What Is Included for Managed IT?
Not all MSPs are the same or will offer the same capabilities. At Marco, we have 650 US-based certified systems engineers and technical representatives, so we are able to do things that others can’t, like constantly monitoring emerging cybersecurity threats and providing 24/7 monitoring and support.
An MSP will include all of their services in their Service Level Agreement (SLA). Pay special attention to this document, and note their guarantees for timely issue resolution and the like. For example, at Marco, 96% of calls to our support desk are answered within ten seconds, and 98% of issues are able to be resolved remotely.
At Marco, our Managed IT Services include a robust suite of tools and services:
Services
- Unlimited Support Desk
- On-site escalation support
- Remote network reviews
- Client business reviews
- Security operations center
- Network operations center
Tools
- Threat detection and response
- Secure managed network
- Remote 24/7 systems management and monitoring
- Security training, including phishing
- Email and web security
- Anti-malware protection
5 Advantages of Managed IT Services
Aside from getting access to the best IT talent 24/7 without making one additional hire, Managed IT offers multiple financial benefits while providing a number of unique advantages at the same time.
1. Better Cybersecurity
Many internal teams struggle to have the bandwidth to also provide robust cybersecurity. Technology changes year to year, but the cybersecurity landscape evolves month to month. Keeping on top of them is very difficult unless you have a dedicated team with the time and resources to monitor emerging threats. Cybersecurity alone can be a significant source of stress for internal teams and is often cited as a source of frustration and burnout.
2. No Unpleasant Surprises
Even if you have an IT emergency, your costs typically won’t go up with an MSP. However, that depends on the MSP. Take extra care to look at your SLA and research various pricing models for managed IT. For example, you want your provider to be incentivized to help you avoid emergencies instead of profiting from them. At Marco, we price per user, so our services scale up or down with you, and our job is to help you avoid disruptions and make recommendations accordingly.
Higher standards of certification. Since managed services represent a host of technology vendors, they typically have to hold more up-to-date certifications in the constantly-evolving IT products and services than an in-house IT expert would require. This means more informed decisions and expertise.
3. Improved Visibility
Wouldn’t you love to know what other successful organizations are using for their productivity tools and the like? Is there a more efficient way to do what you’re doing? It’s hard to get this kind of insight unless you work with a third-party IT provider. At Marco, we have experience with all different industries and organizations of all sizes, and we have first-hand knowledge of what has worked well elsewhere.
4. A Clearer Path Ahead
You can get clear, custom recommendations for upgrades on a timeline that works for you. You’ll know what to budget for, and you will know what to invest in without having to research every tool and solution yourself. It’s an enormous time-saver that is often overlooked by those researching managed IT services but overwhelmingly appreciated by our long-term clients.
5. Simple Resolution
Have you ever gotten caught between two companies, neither of which will take responsibility for fixing an issue? Today’s technology is designed to be interconnected; it’s wonderful when everything works, but it’s extremely frustrating when something goes wrong. With one vendor that’s in charge of your entire tech stack, if there’s a problem, you won’t have to chase down the right vendor to resolve it. With Managed IT, no matter what’s causing the problem, one phone call can fix it.
Finding the Best Managed IT Provider
If you’re in the market for a Managed IT provider, you’re likely to hear a lot of sales pitches about excellent service and best-in-class support. But if you want to save yourself some time, ask a potential provider if they have a SOC 2 Type 2 report.
SOC (pronounced like sock) is evidence that an independent auditor has verified that this provider is basically doing what they said they would. A SOC 1 report is the bare minimum any Managed IT provider should have. If they don’t have this, look elsewhere.
A SOC 2 Type 2 report means that this provider is doing what they say they would over a period of time and is providing the necessary cybersecurity protection to safeguard an organization’s data.
At Marco, we take cybersecurity seriously, and we believe a SOC 2 Type 2 should be the new standard for Managed IT. I think you know where I’m going with this — we’ve attained a SOC 2 Type 2, and our experts are happy to discuss with you how our cybersecurity solutions can give you added peace of mind. We believe you deserve it, and so do your business partners, your staff, and your customers.
