The modern business is dependent on technology, and by extension, the team that supports it. Learn why more companies are turning to managed IT services providers to ensure their technology never fails them.

1. THE ULTIMATE GUIDE
TO MANAGED IT
SERVICES FOR THE
MODERN BUSINESS

2. INTRODUCTION
These days, you’re expected to be connected 24/7. Now an issue with
your computer, email, or network can have an exponential impact on your
business. Time is our most valuable resource – and it’s too precious
to allow your businesses to operate in a reactive mode.
Fixing problems after they've caused downtime simply isn’t good enough
nowadays. We realized it was time to adapt. Our clients needed and
expected more. So, we decided to take a more logical approach to IT
support.
Here you'll learn all you could ever want to know about managed IT
service, and why it's the best choice for a modern business.

3. WHAT IS MANAGED IT SERVICE?
“As a definition, Managed Services allow a business to offload IT operations to a service provider, known as a Managed Service Provider
(MSP). The managed service provider assumes an ongoing responsibility for 24-hour monitoring, managing and/or problem resolution for the
IT systems within a business.”
Imagine IT
The business of today looks much different than it did even 10
years ago. Entire databases and irreplaceable files are all stored on
electronic devices. Companies depend more than ever on IT.
You may be familiar with the traditional method of repair called
"break-fix": something breaks, you get someone to fix it. Looking at
this model we can spot its shortcomings. All business owners have
very likely experienced them firsthand. Systems are only serviced
when something has already gone wrong: a critical computer has a
virus, the server is down, important files are missing.
This puts everyone into a frantic state, scrambling to repair a
business-critical problem that is losing you money and keeping staff
from doing their jobs. And most times, third-party IT support won’t
be available until hours or even days later.
Managed service helps prevent, rather than react to,
issues long before they happen. Managed service
providers see important details of your IT operations 24/7,
not only when they are on-site to fix a problem. Instead of
minor issues building up to a business-disrupting problem,
proactive support ensures you won't lose time, money,
and sanity to IT nightmares.
Having an MSP is having a full IT department on-call and
watching for issues round-the-clock. This is why so many
companies are switching to a managed service model to
change the way they do business.

4. HISTORY OF MANAGED SERVICES
Understanding the how and why behind managed services allows a clearer picture of its usefulness.
Computer systems make immense strides
each year. Yet the tools to service
changing systems have had trouble
catching up. Companies managing small
networks in the past were hindered by a
lack of tools to help with problems.
Networks developed as simple systems,
usually built and worked on by a self-
taught technician. Maintenance was
break-fix only. When something went
wrong, the technician would come and fix
it when he was able.
Advanced support people then developed
procedures to come on-site periodically
and review infrastructure, looking for hints
of big problems. The trouble was the
service technicians could only see what
was happening on the day they were
there. If something popped up in the
future, they would never know about it
unless informed by the customer. Then it
was back to the break-fix method.
Along with this troubleshooting
inefficiency, backup problems and other
errors continued to occur. The only
professional test of backup systems
happened on the check-up visit. This
could result in days or more of missed
backups. This system was also prone to
human error. Technicians tried to be
accommodating and spent time correcting
user symptoms instead of addressing the
underlying issues.
This inefficiency created a constant uphill battle for technicians. They tried to put out fires as more continued to spring up.

5. MANAGED
SERVICES
BEGINS WITH
FORTUNE 500
COMPANIES
AND THEIR
HUGE
NETWORKS
As large companies began to have large networks, they paved the way for
managed services. IT vendors began to add new and better ways for
systems to signal problems as early as possible.
The first systems to take advantage of this technology were complex to
manage, geared only to large networks, and too expensive for small
businesses.
Luckily, by 2005 systems matured and smaller companies started to use
this technology. This began the widespread managed services movement.
The managed software that is in place today allows providers to work
towards two major goals:
1. Alerts come in for potential issues in real time, when or before they
happen.
2 .Every alert received is something important that needs to be addressed.
With this model of reporting, issues are fixed before becoming huge
problems. This allows MSPs and technicians to get away from the
"firefighting" method of repair. They can instead truly manage networks to
ensure maximum up-time and reduced risk.

6. THE BENEFITS OF MANAGED IT SERVICE
Large and small companies alike need technology
to operate. As reliance on IT grows every year,
the means to support it must evolve as well.
Unfortunately, many businesses may not have the
resources to manage ever-growing networks.
Small IT teams can become overwhelmed with
keeping everything up-to-date and running well.
And without an IT person at all,
small issues often fall on whoever in
the office is best with
technology...and they can easily get
overwhelmed.

7. It is so easy to fall behind with important things such
as backups, patches, updates, and security. This
increases the odds that you'll face an IT outage or
other huge issue that will affect your business.
Imagine if your entire email server, customer
relationship management system, financial setup, or
network went down. You would likely face
substantial productivity and revenue losses.
Employees unable to do their jobs, and everyone
scrambling to fix these major issues.
It's a huge detriment to any company. Managed
service prevents these situations.

8. Managed services also create a
change in the way a business
deals with its technology.
Break-fix repair relies
on waiting until critical
devices fail, then
rushing to fix them as
the company suffers. A
business operating
under managed
services, however,
focuses on prevention
rather than reaction.
In today's business environment,
no one can afford the risk that
comes with reactive maintenance.
Organizations are dependent on
having a reliable IT system.
Furthermore, having many vendors
responsible for different parts of
your system puts you in
the difficult position of
figuring out which to
contact when needed.
Business owners
do not have time
for this!

9. With traditional repair, the only way for an IT support company
to make money is if something goes wrong for you.
This is a double-edged sword. If they do
the job too well, they will go out of
business, which happens to about 80% of
all small IT firms.
So many IT companies are promoting
managed service because it puts us on the
same page as your business. We partner
with our clients to become their complete
IT department.
Managed service providers become
invested in your success - a win-win
situation for all.

10. The major benefits at a glance
Increased efficiency and
productivity
Many companies that
turn to MSPs are
accustomed to
tracking and
responding to issues
as they happen. After
switching, most
businesses are
shocked to learn the
inefficiency of prior
issue management
systems.
A true partner sharing risks
and responsibilities
The goal of an MSP is to deliver on
contracted services; measure,
report, analyze, and optimize IT
service operations; and become an
irreplaceable catalyst for business
growth. Managed service providers
assume leadership roles. They
enable risk reduction, enhance
efficiency, and change the
technology culture. For companies
with internal technicians, they can
introduce new technologies and
processes.
Better understanding of
infrastructure and needs
Little things make a big difference
in the efficient management of a
company’s IT infrastructure.
Unfortunately with owners’ busy
schedules, these things can fall by
the wayside. Managed service
providers are always looking for
helpful updates, patches, and
upgrades. MSPs can also create a
list of what technology is tied to
critical operations. This ensures we
can assign different service priority
levels on a true needs basis.
A full-time, complete IT department
at a fraction of the cost
Most small business owners live
and die by proactive management.
They just haven’t had the budget,
resources, or access to be
proactive. A managed service
provider gives business owners
and overwhelmed internal IT staff
affordable support, monitoring of
critical components, data backup
and disaster recovery, network
security, custom software
solutions, and technology
evaluation and planning.

11. The major benefits at a glance
Access to important
historical data
Your MSP's tools are constantly
monitoring the performance and
capacity of your system space,
database size, network
bandwidth, and more. That
information gets stored as
historical data. Clients have
access to this data and can use
it to analyze trends in
performance associated with a
specific device or database. As
a result, they can make informed
decisions about future IT needs.
Freed-up resources and a renewed
emphasis on core business
Both business owners and internal
IT staff would much rather focus on
revenue-enhancing tasks like
product development or improving
operations. This is one reason
routine tasks are often neglected,
which becomes detrimental later.
Often misportrayed as a threat to
internal IT staff, MSPs can instead
relieve them of mundane
maintenance, repetitive monitoring
tasks, and day-to-day operational
duties.
Timely patch and update
management
When IT staffs are too busy with
firefighting responsibilities, patch
management is one thing that
tends to fall to the back burner.
This can leave an organization at
risk for downtime, security
vulnerabilities, and incidents that a
vendor may not support when
patches are too far out of date.
MSPs handle patches and software
so that they remain updated.
Reduced downtime and
risk
Because of the ability to track
and rectify problems before they
happen, downtime due to IT
issues becomes almost non-
existent. There is rarely the risk
that your business will be
unavailable. In turn customers
will view you as reliable and
organized.

12. MANAGED SERVICE COSTS
Surprisingly, managed services actually cost less on average than break-fix
repair. Not only in monthly expenses, but when factoring in the cost of downtime
that comes with the old method.
A break-fix company must drive back and forth to customers and is always in
firefighting mode. Remote monitoring, maintenance, and the prevention of major
issues allow a managed service provider to operate far more efficiently.
We've often seen that someone on staff who isn't an IT person is tasked with
handling minor issues to avoid paying support fees. Not doing their real job
equals both money and productivity waste. And when this person is in
management, the cost is even greater.
Using break-fix support, rush fees and after hours/weekend support to handle
emergencies adds up. A managed service company can prevent issues before
they happen, and handle most service remotely. The MSP can thus offer a
“better” service without charging more.

13. Managed services are generally priced on a flat-rate monthly basis.
Depending on the services
included, pricing is usually
based on the number of
devices managed. This makes
it easy for a business to get the
exact service they need,
without paying for more than is
necessary.
Features like on-site support
and device leasing can even be
added to offer a comprehensive
support package.
At Techvera, we perform a
full consultation to
determine needs and
create a unique,
personalized package to fit
our clients.
Any reputable service
provider should perform a
thorough consultation
before giving you a quote.

14. To summarize the cost benefits of managed IT service:
Minimal downtime = no lost
productivity or profits
24/7 monitoring means potential
issues are caught and prevented
No rush or after-hours repair fees
Flat-fee, fixed-price contracts
ensure predictable OPEX and
lowest Total Cost of Ownership
across your systems
Businesses that switch decrease
their overall IT support costs by as
much as 30-50% on average

15. CHOOSING A SERVICE PROVIDER
Deciding who to trust with the entire scope of your
business' IT can be daunting.
In the modern age, businesses live and die by the
quality of the technology - and by extension the IT
team - that backs them.
This makes it important to choose the right MSP for
your needs, with the qualifications and experience to
take your company to new levels.
These tips will help boost your confidence and
ensure you're getting the most for your money when
shopping for an MSP or IT consultant.

16. Ask the right questions and design a solution just for you
How can someone improve your business if they don't know anything about it?
There is no one-size-fits-all in the world of technology. Even two businesses
with the same number of employees in the same industry will have completely
different IT needs. A good MSP or consultant knows this. They will ask probing
questions to help determine the correct approach for your unique goals.
Do you want to scale production? Improve customer service? Reduce
downtime? You may not think technology can affect many of these goals. Yet
a credible IT support provider knows that technology has ripple effects
throughout an organization, both good and bad. A technology plan must
support and enhance whatever your vision may be.
Don't trust the guy who knows exactly what you need without asking a single
question. Make sure your consultant will learn your goals and craft the right
solution.
Have extensive skills and experience beyond break-fix
Having skills that go beyond installing a hard drive is crucial. To proactively
maintain an entire network of servers, computers, peripherals, software,
services, and devices requires many years of experience and high-level
knowledge. MSPs need to have a deep understanding of business processes
and industry best practices. Far more than traditional break-fix where repair
skill is generally enough.
When interviewing a potential managed IT service provider or consultant, go
beyond questions about certifications or staff size. Ask about scalability, staff
with specific skill sets, proactive versus reactive support methods, and what
they view as best practice.
You want to hire the organization that knows how to implement technology to
improve your business and has the expertise to make it happen. Avoid the
provider that will only fix issues as they occur without looking at the bigger
picture.
TRUSTWORTHY, PROFESSIONAL MANAGED SERVICE PROVIDERS WILL:

17. Offer 24/7/365 monitoring and support (both on-site and remote)
A good managed service provider knows that computer issues don't
take holidays. They should watch your systems and resolve any
problems regardless of the time or date.
Some IT service providers will only be available during certain
times/days, only include remote support, and charge you extra for on-
site visits.
While remote monitoring and service is great for many problems, there
are occasions where an IT provider needs to come on-site for a fix or
audit.
These situations should always be accounted for in your plan. Ensure
that you know what you're paying for and that it covers all current and
potential needs.
Demonstrate consistency
Maintaining consistent results and delivery is key.
Your potential managed service provider should be able and
willing to share examples of their policies and processes, and
show how they translate to different business environments. If
they can't explain what they do, how they do it, and why it is
effective, then you'll want to question their validity.
This also applies to current partnerships. Good MSPs are
happy to share details of their managed clients and how they
have helped their company. If their success and client
satisfaction metrics are inconsistent (or non-existent), you
may want to rethink hiring them.

18. Take a forward-thinking, technology-based approach
You would think that a company offering technology management would
default to a modern, technology-based approach, right? But many IT
firms are stuck in the past, offering only reactive issue fixes and legacy
processes.
As managed services have become more commonplace and in-demand,
lots of IT companies have jumped on the bandwagon claiming they offer
MSP support. These are generally glorified break-fix contracts without
proactive monitoring and support or business improvement plans. You
will only see them when something is already wrong and they won't do
much, if anything, to prevent issues or look at the bigger picture.
Many also don't pay attention to IT industry trends and advancements
which could restrict their clients to lagging behind competition.
Ensure that any potential MSP company you interview offers:
Proactive monitoring to detect and prevent problems before
they spiral out of control and cause downtime, data loss, or
other disruptions
Sophisticated capabilities such as modern detection and alert
systems, prioritization of tasks, scaling potential, automation,
and a comprehensive web-based user portal
Regular audits of their knowledge base, procedures, and
offerings to ensure you're always getting the latest and
greatest support available

19. Support multi-vendor and -device environments
The IT infrastructure of today looks much different than even 5
years ago. The typical office will have many desktops, laptops,
servers, mobile devices, and software all from many different
vendors.
A managed service provider should design a support plan that
encompasses all your technology. They will also be the ones
responsible for contacting these distributors as needed. An MSP
who has good relationships with multiple leading vendors is ideal.
They will be kept abreast of new vendor offerings before the
general public and can design upgrade paths that harness
emerging technology.
It is important to find out if your IT
provider is vendor neutral. If they are
contracted or partial to using only
certain vendors' products, some
offerings may not necessarily be right
for your business. A good MSP should
always focus on selecting the
technology that provides the best
results for you.

20. BEWARE OF IMPOSTORS
Some companies market their product as a managed
service, but are actually trying to take advantage of the
"managed services" hype and sell you an inferior package.
Providing true managed services requires a large
investment in both technology and expert staff to operate
properly.
Some companies offering "managed services" are selling
you a beefed-up break-fix service. They will merely dial-
in/remote access your systems to fix problems on your
network. They do no proactive maintenance or monitoring,
and are offering break-fix services without a site visit.
Ensure that you're getting what you pay for with any IT
company, and don't fall for impostors.
If you answer "no" to any of the following questions, then you are utilizing a
break-fix methodology to maintain your network, and may benefit from a
managed service provider without costing you any more:
Do you find out immediately if your data backup fails to run?
Do you know which equipment on your network is aging and might need
replacing in the next 6 months?
Do you know if your server and all your desktops have the latest antivirus
updates installed and are functioning correctly?
Do you know if the latest security patches are installed on your network?
Do you know who the heaviest internet users are, and whether they are
downloading large files which can slow down the network, or accessing
inappropriate web sites?
Do you know which PCs are running out of memory, affecting user
performance?
Do you have one number to call for all your technology service requirements?
Do you hear from your computer guys before there is a noticeable problem
affecting your technology?
Which type of IT service do you have?

21. We also recommend checking out the annual MSPmentor 501 list put out by
Channel Futures. Every year they rank the top 501 managed IT service
providers around the world. Any of the companies who make the list are
known as reputable, successful, and innovative.
If the provider you're interviewing has made the list, that's a pretty solid sign
you can trust them with your IT needs.
Take awards and industry recognition into consideration

22. We hope this guide helps you in
deciding whether managed IT
support is right for your business.
If you're ready to explore it further,
contact Techvera!
info@techvera.com | 940-382-8644