Managed IT services: Is it worth it for my company?

Managed IT services refer to the outsourcing of certain IT tasks or responsibilities to external service providers, known as managed service providers (MSPs). Companies opt for managed services to manage their IT infrastructure more efficiently, control costs and focus on their core business while benefiting from the expertise of external specialists. Among other things, it saves decision-makers the effort and responsibility of recruiting IT specialists for the company and implementing an internal IT department.

Both large corporations and SMEs make use of managed IT services. One of the main reasons for the rising demand in recent years is the growing requirements in IT – particularly due to the increasing digitalization of the working world – while at the same time it is becoming increasingly difficult to find suitable specialist staff. Outsourcing to an expert is an attractive alternative here.

We have summarized the 9 typical signs that indicate that you and your company could benefit from Managed IT Services. Do you recognize yourself in some (or even all) of these points?

1) You suffer from frequent IT failures

2) IT tasks and projects are delayed

3) Your IT infrastructure becomes too complex for internal expertise

4) Your IT team is drowning in support requests from the specialist departments

5) Your IT team has just enough time to take care of operational tasks

6) You have difficulties expanding your IT team due to a shortage of skilled workers

7) Your IT infrastructure has long been in need of modernization

8) You would like to use new technologies (e.g. scalable cloud services), but you lack the necessary expertise

9) You have already had one or even several cases of data loss

Managed IT services offer many advantages for companies that want to manage their IT infrastructure more efficiently and effectively. We have summarized the most important ones for you.

Managed service providers continuously monitor the IT infrastructure in order to identify and rectify potential problems at an early stage. This enables proactive maintenance that minimizes downtime and improves overall performance.

Managed services enable better cost control, also because they are often based on a subscription model – keyword “Software as a Service” (SaaS). This means you can plan your IT expenditure better, as you have fixed monthly costs and are not faced with unexpected expenses for fixing problems.

By outsourcing IT management to an MSP, you can concentrate on your core business areas without having to worry about the technological aspects. This enables improved efficiency and productivity in primary business activities.

MSPs should have specialized knowledge in the area of IT security and compliance. You can implement advanced security measures and ensure that your company complies with applicable regulations and standards.

Managed services are usually scalable, which means you can easily add or reduce additional resources or services as requirements change. This enables flexible adaptation to the growth or decline of your company.

MSPs have a broad range of IT expertise and can draw on a team of experts. You therefore benefit from this expertise without having to carry out extensive training yourself or hire your own staff.

Managed IT services can minimize downtime by proactively monitoring and responding quickly to potential problems. This leads to higher availability of IT systems and services.

MSPs can use resources more efficiently by optimizing the utilization of hardware, software and networks. For the IT infrastructure, this means improved performance and efficiency.

Overall, Managed IT Services provide a strategic approach to IT management that helps organizations better manage their technology environment, reduce costs and focus on their strategic goals.

Yes, definitely. Managed IT services can be particularly useful for small and medium-sized companies, as they often do not have the resources to maintain an internal IT department with extensive specialist knowledge. A managed service provider can offer a cost-effective solution that still provides access to highly qualified IT experts. The flexible pricing and service models of managed service providers also contribute to this.

There are clear differences between a managed service provider and a traditional IT service provider. However, it should be noted that the terms are not strictly delineated and there may be overlaps in the services offered.

A managed service provider usually offers comprehensive, proactive services to manage a company’s entire IT infrastructure. In particular, this includes monitoring, maintenance, security and support. These are therefore normally recurring services, such as user management, regular backup tasks and/or long-term archiving.

IT service providers, on the other hand, are usually consulted in the event of a one-off problem. This could be a server failure or a case of data loss, for example.

An MSP generally acts proactively and implements preventive measures to avoid problems before they arise. This can include, for example, the regular monitoring of systems and the implementation of security patches. This preventative mindset is advantageous for both the company and the managed service provider itself, because: They look after the IT systems themselves and therefore have an interest in avoiding problems and the associated additional costs.

An IT service provider can of course also represent this mentality, but does not necessarily do so. Rather, his actions are reactive: he is commissioned when a problem already exists. It is not his job to avoid problems, but to solve them.

While traditional IT service providers usually work on your premises, managed service providers mainly provide their services remotely. Most MSPs rely on cloud technologies for this. If you commission a managed service provider, for example, you do not have to accommodate additional staff on your premises and provide work resources.

The dataglobal Group’s Managed IT Services provide you with customized solutions for your IT systems. Our colleagues will take care of all your IT operations relating to data centers, operating systems, data control, user management and your dg Group applications.

We have been active as an MSP for over 25 years and successfully take over the IT operations of our customers in the DACH region. Across all industries and regardless of company size.