[Infographic] What’s the Deal With Managed Services?

There’s no doubt that cyber security threats are getting increasingly sophisticated. So it’s no surprise that more organizations are seeking out an easy, fixed fee network maintenance and disaster prevention service that gives them freedom to get back to their core business tasks — and protects them from cyberattacks. Enter managed services.

If you’re just starting on your managed services research, or you just want to figure out what “managed services” means, check out this infographic and on to get answers to some FAQs.

Click to enlarge

Why Use Managed Services?

Cyber security is a top concern for businesses today. With the variety of threats out there, it’s important to make sure that your business is protected. Did you know that…

• 45% of companies feel that they’re unequipped to handle a cyber attack due to a lack of skilled personnel (Crowd Research Partners)?
• 43% of cyber attacks target small businesses (Cybint)?
• Only 38% of businesses say they are prepared for a cyber attack (Cybint)? 
• 44% of businesses will lose this much in one hour of downtime (Continuum)?

With all these scary statistics in mind, organizations are scrambling to find the best way to protect their data. By signing up with a MSP (which stands for managed services provider) organizations get access to knowledgeable representatives that give them peace of mind.

What Does a MSP Agreement Include?

When you sign up for a managed services agreement, you get the benefit of working with a trustworthy team of IT experts. This means that someone other than you handles your organization’s time-consuming, but necessary networking tasks, such as:

• Optimizing your security software so your firewall and other security monitoring services are up to date with the latest patches and set up to alert the right people in case of disaster.
• Taking care of preventative hardware and software maintenance. 
• Training and support for your team to educate them on safe computer practices, and how to avoid the latest high-profile cyber threats.
• Saving you from expensive disasters because if someone’s taking care of your IT needs, you should be able to count on them to protect your data rather than recover it from a hack or mistake.

A good managed services provider will give you immediate responses to technical issues that come up, as well as reliable answers to your super-technical questions.

What About the Internal IT Guy?

Don’t worry — we would never tell you to fire your trusty IT guy.

Many organizations sign up for a managed services agreement when they’re too big for their IT person to handle everything. In fact, your IT guy will most likely be relieved to get some help. When was the last time you heard him say, “I’ve got loads of time on my hands — I’m looking for more to do”?

Working hand in hand with your internal IT professional, your MSP will appreciate the high-level insights your IT person can provide. After you’ve figured out how a managed services provider will fit in to your business plan, your IT person can start working on those fun IT tasks that will help your business really take off into the future.

How Much Will This Cost Me?

Here’s the thing: managed services providers are not as expensive as you think. Sure, you can blow your budget on a fancy global managed services provider with 100 offices and enough IT staff to fill a football stadium, but there are ways to find a reliable provider that fits your needs (and your budget).

Need Help?

Gross Mendelsohn Technology Solutions Group specializes in helping businesses keep their computer networks healthy. Contact us here for more information, or give us a call at 410.685.5512.