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A Complete Guide To Managed IT Services

The average UK SME is not particularly cutting edge in terms of IT, and for the most part, nor do they have to be. Most businesses get by with basic IT systems and knowledge, and don’t give either software or IT hardware much thought unless something goes wrong. That’s when an IT technician or MSP is called in, otherwise they are pretty happy to allow things to tick on as they always have done.

Is This The Most Efficient Way Of Working Or Managing Your IT Infrastructure?

No, and most business owners are fully aware of this. However, continually investing in IT efficiency, or taking on board managed IT services, could be considered as expensive, especially if cash flow is tight.

The result is the rollcall of frustrating but commonplace issues that most SMEs experience at one time or another, such as:

  • x Slow or outdated hardware and software,
  • x Inadequate network infrastructure or poor connectivity,
  • x Inefficient or insecure data management practices,
  • x Security vulnerabilities, and
  • x Ineffective software or hardware utilisation.

Many businesses also don’t have someone that they can immediately turn to when they experience a hardware or software problem – whether in-house or third party – increasing the downtime and expense of achieving a resolution.

Every business owner recognises the headaches that these issues cause. What many don’t recognise, however, is how much money these IT problems and the inefficiencies they cause could be costing their business.

IT problems bring a range of operational problems in their wake, each with serious financial implications, including:

  • x Decreased productivity
  • x Increased downtime
  • x Frustration for staff and poor morale
  • x Data breaches
  • x Higher operating costs
  • x Poor customer experience
  • x Loss of competitiveness

In many cases, the monetary drain of inefficient IT is greater than businesses realise, and the savings and productivity benefits that come from working with a managed IT service provider do, in most cases, more than make up the service cost.

In this guide from Vantage IT, we’ll explain the ways in which working with a managed IT service provider can eradicate the inefficiencies and productivity drains created by IT problems, and how to evaluate your strategic needs so that you get the best value for money and return on investment.

What Are Managed IT Services?

Managed IT services are a model of IT operations in which a business outsources the management and maintenance of its IT hardware, software, and network capabilities (i.e. its IT infrastructure) to a specialist third-party – commonly known as an IT Managed Service Provider, or MSP. The model is typically contractual and subscription-based, with the customer paying a regular monthly fee for continuous IT support, although some providers offer managed services on a pay-as-you-go basis as well.

Who Uses Managed IT Services

Who Uses Managed IT Services?

Managed services are popular among SMEs who do not have an established in-house IT team, and may also be used to complement and extend the capabilities of directly employed IT technicians. However, it is not only smaller businesses that use managed IT services. Many large national and international businesses also find it more cost-effective and efficient to outsource their full IT function to a specialist third-party, rather than directly employing an IT team.

Who Uses Managed IT Services
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Benefits Of Working With An IT MSP Include:

  • Access to a team of IT experts whenever you need them, without having to employ them in-house.
  • Significant cost savings compared to maintaining an in-house IT department, saving you money on recruitment, office space, salaries, ongoing technical training, ongoing costs etc.
  • Overall improved IT system performance and reliability.
  • Enhanced network and data security.
  • The ability to focus more of your staff time and resources on core business objectives.

Service Level Agreements (SLAs)

All IT managed services contracts operate on the basis of service level agreements, or SLAs, which are essential for setting mutual expectations and providing a clear basis of accountability for the services you receive. An SLA defines the level of service that you should expect from your provider in clear and measurable terms, transparently explaining the expected priorities, responsibilities, and guarantees associated with your contract.

A Typical Service Level Agreement Can Include:

arrow-li Overview Of Services – giving a detailed description of the services provided by the MSP, e.g. monitoring, support, backup, security etc.

arrow-li KPIs – performance benchmarks that the MSP is expected to meet, such as system uptime, response times, resolution times, and so on. It is essential that any performance metrics in your contract are both quantifiable and measurable.

arrow-li Problem Management – the process for how IT problems are reported (e.g. online customer portal, telephone helpline), tracked, resolved, and communicated.

game Business Continuity – explaining any disaster recovery and business continuity procedures to be followed in the event of an IT problem, such as data backups or system recovery.

arrow-li Terms And Conditions – explaining the duration of the agreement, payment terms, renewal terms, and conditions for termination.

arrow-li Escalation Pathway – this clearly spells out the steps that customers should take if there is a service issue that can’t be resolved at the initial level of support, i.e. if your issue can’t be fixed over the phone with a customer service adviser, where is your IT issue (or ticket) escalated to next – e.g. hardware maintenance helpdesk, account management, onsite engineer?

Most managed service contracts give businesses the flexibility to prioritise mission-critical systems with higher SLAs. For example, you may want a rapid 2-to-4-hour 24/7 on-site response time if one of your major servers goes down unexpectedly, whereas a five working day response time may be sufficient for a faulty office printer.

Key Services Offered By Managed IT Service Providers

The services offered by an IT MSP provider vary widely, with some businesses offering a comprehensive service spanning network management, server support, cyber security, data backup and recovery, end-user support, hardware maintenance, and more, and others specialising in a specific niche area of IT, such as Microsoft systems or server network administration.

Key Services

Key Services That You Should Look For In An IT Service Provider Include:

Helpdesk And Technical Support For End-Users

A vital part of the support offered by an MSP is their helpdesk and technical knowledge base for your end-users. This service provides hands-on online or phone-based troubleshooting, assistance, and support for IT related problems that your employees might face in the office or when working remotely. The helpdesk is the first port of call for all levels of IT support, from email and password resets to hardware or software issues requiring expert assistance.

  • Gives your staff rapid access to a team of experienced IT professionals.
  • Allows your employees to focus on their core roles and responsibilities, rather than IT problem resolution.
  • Reduces or eliminates the need for in-house IT resources.

Why you need it: faster response and IT problem resolution times lead to higher productivity and less wasted time.

Proactive monitoring

Proactive Monitoring And Maintenance Of Your IT Systems And Infrastructure

By offering a proactive monitoring and maintenance service, the MSP continually monitors your IT equipment, networks, and systems, in order to identify and resolve potential issues before they escalate into significant problems. Your service provider may provide regular reports and updates on the health of your IT systems and keep them updated with the latest patches and updates.

  • Ensures that your IT systems run at optimal performance.
  • Reduces the cost of addressing issues reactively – i.e. after something has stopped working.
  • Increases system security through regular patches and updates.
  • Avoids serious latent IT issues going unnoticed.

Why you need it: minimises downtime and disruption to your business, and reduces or even removes reactive repair costs.

Data Backup And Disaster Recovery Solutions

Most MSPs offer a customisable data backup and disaster recovery solution to ensure that your vital business data is securely backed up and easily recoverable in the event of hardware failure, data corruption, or a security breach. Your partner will work with you to design and implement a data backup strategy tailored to meet the needs of your business, ensuring minimal data loss and swift recovery.

  • Guarantees business continuity in the event of a disaster or data breach.
  • Facilitates rapid business recovery, reducing revenue loss and downtime.
  • Offers peace of mind to your customers, knowing that their critical data is protected.

Why you need it: protects your business from the inconvenience, financial and reputational damage arising from data loss.

Key Services

Cyber Security Services

With the risk of cybercrime at an all-time high, most good MSPs now provide a range of cyber security services aimed at safeguarding your business’s IT infrastructure from viruses, malware, phishing, and other forms of attack, as well as data losses that occur from human error or negligence. The MSP’s service portfolio may include active threat detection and prevention, a managed network firewall, intrusion detection systems, and even security training for your employees.

  • Safeguard your business and your customers against current and emerging online threats.
  • Comply with all regulatory and industry-specific data security standards.
  • Save money compared to managing your cyber security solutions in-house.

Why you need it: enhanced security for your business data, employees, and customers gives you greater credibility as a business and protects you from the risk of cybercrime.

Cloud Computing Services And Migration Support

Cloud computing and software services are becoming increasingly ubiquitous for small businesses, allowing data and critical systems to be stored and processed over the Internet – and a wider range of devices – rather than an office server and desk-based personal computers. Cloud computing has also given businesses wider access to vendor support in terms of troubleshooting, hosting, and updates, so is there still a role for a managed IT service provider in the world of cloud computing? Yes. An IT MSP can provide a wide range of cloud-based support services, not least in the initial stages of migrating your business infrastructure over to cloud-based solutions. We can work with you to fully integrate your cloud systems with your legacy IT infrastructure, while increasing your storage capacity, scalability, access to data, and flexibility.

  • Ensure a smooth transition to cloud computing with minimal disruption to your business.
  • Ongoing support and maintenance for your cloud-based solutions, over and above the core support offered by your vendor.
  • Maximise integration and cross compatibility when working with multiple cloud-based vendors.

Why you need it: if you’re not careful, cloud computing can decentralise your IT infrastructure, reduce visibility and cause you to lose track of where your valuable data is stored. Working with an IT MSP gives you back control of your core operations, making your IT systems more versatile and robust.

Strategic IT Infrastructure Planning And Implementation

IT managed service providers aren’t simply here to help you with the IT infrastructure you already have, but can also actively help you plan and implement the IT infrastructure you need to achieve your future business goals and operate more effectively. An experienced MSP will, for example, be able to assess your business’s current IT infrastructure and identify areas that need improvement – e.g. recurring problems or the inefficiencies we explored earlier in the guide. They can then help you devise an investment plan that aligns with your budget and strategic needs, and help project manage a smooth transition with minimal disruption to your business and customers.

Key Services
  • Increase the functionality and strength of your IT infrastructure with less risk and downtime.
  • Streamline your operations with new and improved software, hardware, cyber security safeguards, and cloud migrations.
  • Reduce the strain on your in-house resources during an infrastructure upgrade, preventing service delays or bottlenecks.

Why you need it: Create a customised roadmap for streamlined and improved IT services that is tailored to your business, without the risk of unscheduled downtime, data loss, or unforeseen issues during implementation.

Choosing The Right Managed IT Service Provider

IT managed services is a thriving sector in the UK, with thousands of MSPs to potentially choose from. These companies span the gap between independent consultants and huge UK-wide service providers, so while the strength of the sector gives businesses plenty of choice, it can also make it tricky to narrow down on the right provider for your budget and strategic priorities.

So, How Do You Arrive At The Right Choice Of IT MSP?

The first and most important step is to define your specific IT needs and objectives, considering your business’s internal needs, as well as market trends, customer requirements, and performance benchmarks and standards relevant to your industry. This will give you objective and personalised criteria on which to evaluate your providers.

  • Assess the state of your current IT infrastructure, including hardware, software (including both locally installed and cloud applications), and network capabilities, to identify any gaps or areas for improvement.
  • Consider the specific requirements of your industry, such as legal or sector-based regulations, and security standards, to determine if your current IT setup meets those needs.
  • Talk to your employees, customers, and key stakeholders to establish their current pain points and what they would like to see from your IT infrastructure.
  • Evaluate your growth projections and future goals to ensure scalability and flexibility.
Key Services

KPIs & ROI

Managed IT services are an investment in your business, and not simply an insurance policy, so any engagement with an MSP should be quantifiable in terms of key performance indicators (KPIs) and return on investment (ROI). It’s helpful to establish your expectations in advance before talking to providers, so that you understand your baseline metrics before implementing a managed IT service. You can then compare these metrics before and after partnering with an MSP, to ensure you continue to derive good value from your relationship.

Performance indicators should cover a range of quantitative financial benefits, including cost savings and optimised resource utilisation, as well as qualitative factors such as improved customer satisfaction and better data security.

Key Services

What Makes A Good IT MSP For Your Business?

Armed with an assessment of your strategic needs, you can evaluate IT MSPs based on how closely they meet your objectives, within your budget and timeframe. There are five basic criteria on which to assess a service provider:

1.Price – make sure that the MSP’s service fits your budget and expectations and delivers genuine value for money.

2.Capabilities – carefully consider their range of services and capacity to ensure that they accommodate your current and future goals. This includes the size of their helpdesk team, hours of operation, the physical location of their field engineers, storage depots, supply relationships, and so on.

3. Expertise – find out about the vendor partnerships and professional memberships held by the business, as well as the qualifications and skill level of their IT engineers. Make sure that these areas of expertise align with the competencies you need from a service partner.

Key Services

4. Experience – experience with businesses in your sector is a definite bonus, and we recommend looking for a company with at least a few years of trading under their belt, as this will expose them to a broad range of IT problems and challenges. However, as IT is a rapidly developing field, years in business isn’t the sole factor to consider. The provider should also demonstrate continual investment into the latest technologies and training for their team in order for their experience to stay relevant.

5. Reputation – reputation covers both the professional track record of the business, which can be verified through client references and testimonials, and the MSP’s record on data security, so be sure to carefully assess their security measures to ensure that your business and customer data is fully protected.

Implementing Managed IT Services

Careful planning and execution are crucial for achieving a successful transition to a new managed IT service, and working closely with an experienced and trusted MSP will help you streamline the process and ensure that nothing falls through the cracks. To begin with, you’ll need to establish a comprehensive implementation plan that covers all aspects of the project, from data migration to system setup and network integration. Your MSP partner will work with you to create a personalised roadmap that outlines all the necessary steps, milestones, and timelines, helping your team and stakeholders stay on course and informed at every step of the journey.

Key Services

Our Scalable Managed IT Services For SMEs

At Vantage IT, we have been delivering personalised managed IT services to SMEs in the Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire, and Oxfordshire areas for over 30 years. Our experienced team can help manage and optimise every aspect of your IT infrastructure, including hardware, software, strategic planning, communications, licences, and asset management, helping you scale your IT systems painlessly and adding functionality along the way to enhance your productivity.

Whatever your IT needs, Vantage IT is here to help.

To find out more or to request a personalised quote, please contact us by phone or email using the details below:

enquiries@vantageit.co.uk

01296 668966

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