Managed services outsourcing – characteristics and benefits

A strong specialisation of IT teams and the growing need to use external companies to handle various tasks have led to outsourcing being more than just software development. Managed services offered by external IT service providers are becoming increasingly popular in business.

Why are managed services sought after in business nowadays? And is it worth resigning from a company IT specialist to hire a subcontractor? Explore the benefits managed services can bring to your company!

Managed services – what is it?

Managed services is a specific outsourcing model in which the company can hire a third-party vendor to maintain and manage a single IT area. Managed services providers can handle the following areas:

• network monitoring,
• backup,
• cloud services,
• cyber security,
• help desk and service desk.

By deciding on a managed services outsourcing model, you flexibly determine the scope of work and subscription rates according to your company's capabilities and needs.

Characteristics of managed services outsourcing model

Managed services eliminate the effort involved in maintaining a specific IT service. External specialists supervise the correct operation of the company's IT infrastructure 24/7 and react promptly to any problems. This assistance is not one-off but comprehensive and long-term support to keep your company functioning efficiently.

Advantages of choosing a managed services model for your project

Managed services offer an exciting alternative to the services of a full-time in-house IT staff. What can you gain by choosing this way of maintaining IT services? Take a look at the benefits in the following paragraphs.

Access to expertise

Your company IT specialist may need more knowledge of the latest technologies. Upgrading their skills will be costly and take time. Choosing managed services gives you immediate access to professionals with extensive experience in many fields and up-to-date certifications in the latest technologies.

Enhanced security

Managed services specialists can monitor the security of your infrastructure 24/7. Human supervision supports automated systems that protect your company's networks and allows instant decisions when unusual activity is detected.

Cost savings

Hiring one or two people to manage your company's IT infrastructure means paying for recruitment, employment, and additional employee benefits. Working with a managed services provider ensures a flexible budget. For the cost of employing one IT specialist, you can receive the support of several experts available remotely 24/7.

Effortless scalability

When your business grows and IT systems expand, you need more people to administrate and prevent failures. With a managed services provider, you can request additional support as part of your contract. In the same way, you can reduce the need for specialists when your company focuses on reducing costs.

Operational efficiency

An IT specialist in a company must supervise many things: they are the front line of employee support, the network administrator, and the equipment maintainer – all within a limited workday. By using managed services, you reduce your company's downtime caused by technical issues or delays in repairing damaged equipment.

When should you decide on managed services?

Are breakdowns and long downtimes paralysing the smooth day-to-day work? These signals should encourage you to cooperate with a managed services provider. Find out in which situations you should consider changing your current IT systems administration model.

Focus on your core business

If you are not an IT company, but problems with the applications and networks are the main topics of company meetings, it is time to rethink your current approach to IT infrastructure management.

Managed services specialists will restore even the most dysfunctional systems while you regain time to attract new customers and launch more products and services.

Minimise downtime and breakdowns

When downtime becomes an integral part of every working day, your company's productivity drops. Employees may serve fewer customers who will eventually leave for competitors with better operational efficiency.

Managed services allow you to minimise the losses and rebuild a market position affected by technical problems.

Increase the level of security

Cyber attacks are increasing every year. As many as 72% of European decision-makers admit that their company has been a victim of a cyber threat in the last 24 months.

To minimise the risk of a cyber attack, you need to be proactive and monitor your systems to detect unusual behaviour. Managed services monitoring allows you to stay protected even when nobody is in the office.

Maintain 24/7 operations

When your business operates on a 24/7 model or needs round-the-clock IT support, specialists available for a few hours during the day will not be enough. Ongoing remote access to specialists will give you peace of mind when problems arise at night or on a day off.

Grow your business at a fast pace

The rapid expansion of your business offer involves developing IT systems. When you open a branch in a new location, setting up local IT infrastructure and support may be challenging.

A managed services provider can handle the technical aspects of your business in any branch located on any continent and respond to issues just as quickly as in the headquarters.

Differences between managed services and other outsourcing models

The managed services outsourcing model differs from other types of cooperation primarily in the scope of operations. While other outsourcing models focus on software development, managed services maintain the proper functioning of existing solutions and activities in the area of IT infrastructure.

Managed services vs team augmentation

Team augmentation gives you one or more software development specialists who help complete the project according to the agreed deadline. This is a temporary collaboration that ends when the contracted tasks are finished.

The managed services team works with your company over a long time (usually unspecified), taking care of the proper functioning of the IT infrastructure and resolving any problems that arise in real time.

Managed services vs project-based outsourcing

With project-based outsourcing, you hand over total responsibility for creating a fully-fledged software product to an external IT company with specialists in the required fields. This model allows your company to develop new applications without having an IT department.

Managed services also take responsibility for a specific area of IT within the company, such as network management and security, but they usually do not focus on software development. This means you do not need to hire an in-house IT specialist for these areas, as the external provider cares for maintaining them.

Managed services vs dedicated team

A dedicated team is a group of software engineers with a project manager who works on specific tasks delegated by your company. A dedicated team is a long-term collaboration that ends when the product is ready to launch.

The managed services provider looks after a specific area of IT to keep it in good condition and avoid external dangers. New tasks arise continuously, and the service lasts as long as specified in the contract.

How can you leverage the potential of managed services in your company?

Choosing managed services to maintain your company's IT infrastructure helps you increase its efficiency and productivity. A reliable provider gives you access to a team of dedicated experts who fluently handle technical tasks. While a managed services provider solves everyday issues, your internal team can focus on core business operations. So, ultimately, you can scale your business faster and achieve competitiveness in the market.

Conclusion

Managed services is a cost-effective IT outsourcing model that extends the flexibility and efficiency of enterprise infrastructure management. Easy access to the best specialists in the industry and comprehensive protection against threats let you conveniently grow your business and minimise situations that hinder the smooth functioning of your company.