It's no secret that managed IT services are popular in today's business environment. Experts estimate that the global managed services market was valued at $255 billion in 2022, and has continued to grow steadily. In terms of desirability, one study found that around 35% of businesses want to explore managed IT services in the next 12 months, and another 30% see the demand for it within their markets.
If you're trying to find the best managed IT service providers for your business, it helps to know what these companies typically do for clients. This guide will explain managed IT services, how they work, and how to choose a provider that matches your business needs.
A managed IT service provider helps businesses keep everything running smoothly from an IT perspective, usually with the benefit of reducing labor and maintenance costs.
Some providers offer a specific service, while others offer various services and combinations. There are so many options that it can become overwhelming!
For example, one managed IT service provider might handle all the long-term system maintenance rather than just fixing things when they break. Another provider might offer robust network monitoring and security. Yet another may offer a combination of those services but at a reduced rate.
Let's help narrow the playing field by reviewing some basics.
In the industry, there are a number of different types of IT service providers offering managed services. Let's go over some of the main players:
Cloud and IT-managed service vendors are the most common among the various managed IT services available.
These types of managed IT services can help with cloud gateways, network-to-cloud infrastructure, data storage, and data backup and recovery, as well as with identity and access management and authentication within the network. Some providers may also handle practical business aspects, like payroll and vendor management.
In addition, these providers can help build and operate seamless continuity systems, such as systems for failback and failover in emergency scenarios or other kinds of disaster recovery planning. In layman's terms, when "the computers go down," there is an adequate backup system to keep operations running without any noticeable hiccups.
Another variety of managed IT services involves business-to-business integration, which covers aspects like supply chain management and internal department communications.
These kinds of services can help reduce downtime risks while perfecting connections between software systems and ensuring that workflows are set up well. Cost reduction and efficiency enhancement are some of the usual benefits of this type of managed services, and companies may offer specialized services related to change management or skills deployment.
Supply chain managed services is yet another category of managed IT services. Here, the vendor will help with supply chain logistics and planning, and may also assist with optimized cold chain logistics or procurement objectives; it all depends on the core business and its needs.
Supply chains can be incredibly complex and coincide with other aspects like inventory management, so that's an opportunity to use managed IT services. For example, some managed services will help with business processes like lean inventory or just-in-time inventory, providing the capabilities that drive competitive business in inventory management.
Ultimately, this type of managed IT service will optimize the inventory processes, leading to cost savings, efficiency improvements, and a competitive edge in inventory management.
In addition, there are a range of specific managed services for businesses by industry, including:
These different types of managed IT services help businesses ensure their operations are consistent and well-supported on an ongoing basis. Companies that serve these professional categories of clients may use specific strategies to approach the needs of businesses in a given vertical.
In approaching a contract with the managed IT service provider, it makes sense to look at how they are well matched to your business needs.
First, look at the size of the business. Does your company have 10 to 50 employees, or 50 to 100 employees? Is it a business with hundreds of employees and a broader geographical footprint, or a local tech start-up?
Next, can the Managed IT service company scale along with the business? What are its limitations?
Then it's important to look at the business's technology stack. Is the business in the cloud or moving into the cloud? How can the managed IT service company help with that? For example, a managed IT service company can be very effective in helping with cloud vendor thresholds from suppliers like AWS and Microsoft. Then, too, there's the day-in, day-out work of assessing and auditing the architectures used, the network structure, etc. to ensure that tech assets are providing the value the company needs from them.
Addressing the vendor process with the company's tech stack can ensure that the contract is a good fit.
When it comes to finding managed IT service providers, you want experienced, knowledgeable companies that can scale with your business. At Hypershift, we can help your business attain the next level in IT services planning and logistics. Whether you're "all cloud," a hybrid, or just trying to migrate from legacy systems quickly, Hypershift can help! Contact us today.