What Exactly Are Managed IT Services?

Managed IT Services

Are you considering managed IT services from a local Chicago IT company? Before you make any calls or sign any contracts, make sure you know what you’re getting into.

One of the most common questions we are asked is, “What are Managed IT Services?”

By definition, they are a set of best practices, processes, and tools that, when combined with technical knowledge and proper facilitation, delivers an ideal result for businesses.

For many businesses, the cost of hiring even a single internal IT person is too expensive. They need a salary, training, benefits, vacation… it’s a lot to budget for.

By default, they have no other option than to outsource their IT support needs to a local Chicago IT company. Outsourced IT services have largely become the norm, with service levels varying depending on the Chicago IT company in question.

The type of outsourced IT support you’re likely most familiar with can be referred to as “hourly IT support”. This type of support fixes IT problems after they occur, and charges by the hour.

Managed IT Services are generally considered to be a more effective model. In practice, instead of waiting for something to go wrong and stepping in to correct it, an IT company in Chicago that provides Managed IT Services takes on all the responsibilities of a traditional in-house IT department. This means working to prevent issues from happening in the first place.

Most Chicago IT companies like this charge a flat monthly fee rather than an hourly rate, and offer a long list of services, including:

• IT Consulting
• Cloud services
• Cybersecurity Services
• Email/Spam protection
• Business phone systems
• Backup & disaster recovery services
• IT Audits
• Virtual CIO services

What’s included, and at what price, will depend on the Chicago IT company in question. The point is that, if something does go wrong, you’re not hit with a hefty repair bill based on hourly support – Managed IT Services are proactive.

Are Managed IT Services The Right Choice For You?

Which type of service is right for you depends on what you need out of your technology in terms of uptime and efficiency, what your technology budget looks like, and how technology issues could potentially impact things like security and compliance.

Servers, routers, computers, etc. actually last longer and perform better when they receive regular maintenance. If you wait till something breaks, then you’re basically shortening the life of your equipment. And this type of equipment is often pretty expensive. In the long run, with fully managed support you will save money and experience fewer technology headaches.

6 Reasons To Find A Chicago IT Company For Managed IT Services

By having an IT company in Chicago handle your IT, you can shift their spending strategy, free up resources and potentially cutting costs.

1. Free Up Cash Flow: Traditionally, IT expenses get categorized as capital expenses or CapEx. With managed services, you can move away from a CapEx model to operational expenses or OpEx model, as you are paying month by month and seeing the return right away. Your costs for these services are considered monthly operating expenses like the electric or water bill.
2. Outsourced Expertise: Keeping an IT environment running smoothly does require constant attention and the availability of highly-skilled staff. By taking advantage of managed services, you can eliminate the burden of finding and retaining talent with all of the necessary skills.
3. Decreased Downtime: Businesses now heavily depend on their technology. That increased reliance on mission-critical applications and 24/7 access to data, make high availability a top priority for IT. Chicago IT companies will help ensure that uptime, security, power, and redundancy requirements are met.
4. Cost Savings: CIOs are not only tasked with the management of IT, but also with supporting business growth by reducing costs. Organizations are being asked to do more with fewer resources. The right Chicago IT company can be a vital component to ease the burden and free up IT staff to focus on in-house projects.
5. Enhanced Levels of Service: Many IT companies in Chicago offer a comprehensive suite of services such as cloud infrastructure, application management, database, network, and security management solutions. When you work with IT professionals, you get the benefit of their years of experience, their certifications and much more.
6. Cybersecurity and Data Loss Prevention: Another benefit of opting for Managed IT Services (instead of the a la carte alternatives) is that you have a partner in your IT support. One that can recommend proven, tested solutions to problems that you encounter – problems like cybercrime and data loss.Chicago IT companies benefit from partnerships with industry-leading solution vendors for these very problems, and they pass those benefits on to their clients. Instead of having to research and find the best solution for security and data recovery, you can instead consult your partner in IT support.

Looking For An IT Company In Chicago?

Before you think about going through the stress of trying to find a computer technician or even a computer engineer to support your network and technology infrastructure, speak with a local Chicago IT company.

Ask some questions about the services they offer, what their prices are and other concerns you may have. When you find the Chicago IT company – a reliable partner who will work with you – you’ll see the benefits first hand.

Like this article? Check out the following blogs to learn more:

Do Managed IT Services Cost More Than The Break/Fix Model?

Outsourcing IT Makes Sense for Small Businesses: 7 Reasons

Are You Prepared? Your 9 Step Local Business Disaster Recovery Plan