The decision between a managed IT services and professional IT services is not exactly binary. A plethora of factors must be considered when determining which route would be best for your business.
If you’re in the position to be making this decision, however, you likely facing one or more of these challenges:
- Your business does not have the time or resources to set up a full-scale IT operation
- You are looking for an IT solution for a vital business function, but would like to save capital
- You’ve decided outsourcing IT would make the most sense for the business in its current state
Most customers choose one or the other, but in some cases, a combination of managed IT services and professional IT services will provide you with maximum utility when achieving very specific business goals. Before we get into that, it’s imperative to describe the difference between the two service options.
Managed Services
Managed services are likely what you think of when you think of an IT department for any major company. Managed IT service providers, working within defined service level agreements, help businesses with day to day operations to maintain and support the IT infrastructure. These services will ensure your business goals are being achieved at all times.
These are the types of services you can expect from a Managed IT Service Provider.
- Troubleshooting
Managed IT services are generally standby to answer any tech-related needs your business may face – 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Whether you’re experiencing a software malfunction or hardware failure, they’ll be available via phone, email, or online chat.
- Data backup
Backing up essential and non-essential data to the enterprise is often a forgotten task by the small to mid-sized business owner. The unfortunate crash or data breach can prove detrimental to the unprepared organization. Managed services prevent you from the unknown by performing regularly schedule backups on your data and securely storing the information.
- Daily maintenance
Software updates and tune-ups are performed by managed service teams daily. They take care of tasks that, often, employees may overlook if it does not directly relate to their job task.
- Administration
Managed IT services can set up an entire network infrastructure for your company and maintain it on your behalf, getting rid of any operational responsibility on your end.
- Network monitoring
Not only will they set up the network, but they will also monitor is 24/7 for any problems that may arise. For brands receiving high traffic to their website from international sources, this service is vital.
- Onboarding
Onboarding new employees can be a time-intensive task for organizations of smaller sizes. Managed services can take over the task of onboard, setting up logins, installing software, and initiating training programs.
- Security
Cybersecurity is a huge topic in today’s technological landscape. Every business needs a strong defense against attacks that may be directed towards their network. Managed services will take over this function completely, also assisting in data recovery in case any data was compromised during an attack attempt.
Professional Services
These services will provide you with more of a singularon-demand solution for a specific problem your business is facing. They are generally involved in small projects or short-term IT adjustments in a company.
These are the types of services you can expect from a Professional IT Service Provider.
- Consulting
Many businesses are either uunderstaffed, or uninformed as it relates to technology solutions to further their strategy. This is a common occurrence where we see IT professionals come in, understand the needs of the business, and advise what the best solutions would be.
- Deployment
Managing the deployment of a new software implementation is difficult for all parties involved, especially those not acclimated with the process. Professional services bring in their experts to assist with the rollout and ensure a smooth transition with no breaks in service for the company.
- Troubleshooting
No troubleshooting issue is too small or large for a professional IT service. Having on-demand technical support available at your disposable is a cost-effective method of keeping your software and hardware working properly.
Summary
The main difference between managed IT services and professional IT services is the time spent with the client and the scope of work done. Managed services work with clients around the clock and generally have a larger scope of responsibilities across the entire enterprise.
Some companies will mix the two, employing a managed service to handle many of their less vital, low-risk business function, while they will contract highly skilled IT professionals to handle more advance projects, as needed. All in all, the route you choose to take heavily depends on your current business needs, budget, and amount of time you require IT assistance.
When working with the Kansys Edge no one understands the art of the possible like the managed services or professional service teams from Kansys. We tailor the right mix to provide the model that makes the most sense for the client.
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