As necessary as technology is in modern business operations, a variety of common IT-related obstacles must be overcome for your efforts to succeed. Fortunately, partnering with a managed service provider (MSP) can make these obstacles less “mountain” and more “molehill.” Let’s examine some of the most often seen business technology challenges and discuss how a relationship with an MSP helps alleviate them.

We love to highlight how technology helps businesses thrive, particularly small and medium-sized businesses with a lot of growth potential but limited by their budgets. This is why we provide SMBs with managed IT services specifically designed to drive business growth. If you have yet to consider outsourcing your IT needs, you could be missing out on a golden opportunity to alleviate many of the pain points your organization suffers from on a daily basis.

As a small business, we’re sure you want to improve your profit margin so that you can offer more exciting and innovative services or products. One way that many businesses bleed capital is through their IT expenses. While it might make sense on paper to address technology challenges only when they present themselves, the truth is the exact opposite.

Information technology—IT—is a necessity for the vast majority of modern businesses to function. For the sake of these businesses and their operations, it pays to optimize this IT by any means available.

Let’s go over the benefits that a relationship with a managed service provider gives businesses, particularly regarding the overall efficiency these businesses see as a result.

There are significant benefits to be had by businesses that choose to seek out IT services and assistance from a managed service provider like us. We’re very aware that our word isn’t going to be super convincing on its own, of course, so let’s review what a managed service provider can do and how working with us can help your business.

With technology being so important for all businesses in at least some capacity, it’s no small wonder that effectively using it (and having someone on-hand to manage it all) is tremendously valuable for any company. This is where a managed service provider (MSP) can be helpful, even for businesses that have a dedicated IT department. All small businesses benefit from working with an MSP.

Across the board, modern businesses rely on no small amount of technology to support their operations, making it key that you, one, have the technology your operations require, and two, have the means to keep this technology operational. Fortunately, managed services help you by providing both. Let’s review what managed services are, and how they work.

As we’re in the midst of Q3 of 2023, common wisdom says that now is about the time that small businesses should be planning their budgets for the next fiscal year. As such, if you haven’t already done so, it’s time to give managed IT services some serious consideration.

We hate to be the bad guy, but we’re certain that you cannot multitask nearly as well as you think you can. Multitasking is just not how the human brain works, and whether or not you believe in the psychology of it, we think you stand to benefit by outsourcing some of the tasks on your plate to a managed service provider.

Defining Managed Services

On a very fundamental level, managed services and tech support are very different due to the way they operate.

Traditional tech support, also referred to as break-fix IT, are those that most people think of. Whenever a piece of technology breaks down or has some other issue, an IT technician is called to fix it. This was the predominant—and really, the only—option to receive any level of IT support for some time, despite the expensive repeat visits and prolonged operational interruptions that came with it. For larger enterprises, hiring full-time IT staff solved this problem. It’s still costly, and often too costly for small businesses, but it does lead to faster turnaround times and ongoing support.

What are Managed Services?

Let’s start off with a very basic description of what “managed services” are, as compared to the common impression of “tech support.” Whenever one thinks about “tech support” or “IT,” they’re likely thinking of the break-fix version: some piece of information technology breaks or malfunctions, so IT is called in to fix it. While this proved effective enough, it also led to a lot of repeat visits… oftentimes for things that were relatively simple to fix.

Quibi’s Crash and Burn

In a market already saturated with on-demand streaming services, Quibi offered something at least a little different in its short-form episodic storytelling and big-name casting. It also had quite the financial backing to support it—$1.75 billion in funding. Pair that with a monthly price tag of $5, and on paper, it would seem to be a surefire hit.

October saw five vulnerabilities patched in Chrome, with two of those vulnerabilities being classified as zero-day threats. A zero-day threat is an attack that is already being used by cybercriminals by the time security researchers identify it. With the head start that the zero-day threat gives them, these cybercriminals have a dangerous advantage.

What Should My Documentation Include?

Basically, your documentation should be a complete inventory of all the technology you have, first divided between your hardware and software solutions.

When most people think about IT, their thoughts turn to the phone calls they make to tech support that usually take forever and feel like they do little to move the recovery process along, or they think about the technician who comes in to repair something onsite, making a huge mess and causing a distraction. Naturally, this has made many business owners and users loath to call in IT services, preferring to make do as best they can with what they have. Neglecting IT-related problems, just like neglecting signs of malaise, can exacerbate problems substantially.

Let’s go over some of the ways that an MSP can help reduce your support costs, while still providing better support than the alternative.

Where Support Costs Build Up

Take a moment and consider why technology costs tend to rise so rapidly once an issue is discovered.

• The technology itself could be expensive to repair or replace.
• The repair fee will likely include fees and travel costs in addition to the cost of the service itself.
• The repair is likely only focused on fixing the immediate problem, without considering if it will recur or if the fix itself will cause further problems down the road, leading to repeat visits.
• If an issue does happen, you have to call in the technician for them to come and actually fix the problem. This all takes a lot of time, before the repair even takes place, which itself can take a large amount of billable time as well. So, in addition to paying for the travel time for the tech to get there and the time they spend solving the issue, you are also incurring costs through missed productivity.
• It is next to impossible to predict these kinds of expenses when trying to budget out your year, as you can never know when you may be surprised. If you set aside too little, you could drain your budget long before you planned.

Upkeep is Simplified Via Network Monitoring

It is a well-established fact that, for a computer network and other IT solutions to continue working effectively, it helps to maintain them. In turn, this requires them to be monitored so that potential and developing issues can be resolved… which means that someone will have to be responsible for that monitoring.

Now, you could hire an additional employee to handle that part, but one person just isn’t going to be able to both maintain your business and see to the other considerations we’ll cover here. A better option would be to hire that employee, supplementing them with an agreement with Coleman Technologies. We can handle the network monitoring aspect, allowing your internal resource to help you strategize how your strategy will develop - but more on that later.

Updates are Managed Per the Managed Service Agreement

Between performance improvements and heightened security, it isn’t as though software developers stop improving the solutions they release until the official end-of-life date passes. However, while these improvements may be available, do your employees know that they are?

This could be one more thing you don’t have to worry about with Coleman Technologies on your side. We keep our ears open for industry news and will install updates for our managed service clients… we’ll even do so after hours, so as to not interfere with your operations. 

Upgrades are Strategically Prioritized

It isn’t uncommon for people to turn to an expert opinion for assistance in making a decision. As the IT experts around British Columbia, we’ve fielded a lot of questions about improvements to existing technology. As we said before, we can help you come up with a strategy for your technology that allows you to make optimal use of it, and this strategy includes the upgrades you should make. Upgrades keep your business safer, more efficient, and as a result, help you to be more productive.

We can help you decide which upgrades you need to adopt next, referencing your current solutions and needs to inform your strategy. Then, we can handle your vendor relationships on your behalf, possibly getting you a better deal than you would have otherwise.

Reach out to us to learn more about these solutions and services, or any of the others we offer. Call (604) 513-9428 today!

What is Consulting?

Like we’ve established, it isn’t uncommon for people to recruit an expert or a professional with the capability to assist them with a task that the person cannot do. There are many reasons that people do so: they may not have the skill to safely work on whatever process is required of them, they may lack the technical know-how to complete it. Sometimes, it is simply to ensure that something is done the right way.

Whatever the reason may be, bringing in an expert (often referred to as a consultant), is a great way to help reinforce your chances of a positive outcome.

What You Should Expect When Working with Consultants

First and foremost, the consultants you work with need to have a better grasp on their area of expertise than you do, and should be motivated to give you the value that you are looking for in a provider. Coleman Technologies qualifies as a consultant for managed services, working with businesses to ensure their information technology solutions are optimized.

As such, we are committed to using the experience and expertise that we have built up to deliver the solutions and services that our clients need to be successful. After all, the success of a managed service provider is dependent on the success of its clients, providing the motivation to deliver services that deliver the positive outcomes these businesses are looking for.

There are a variety of services we offer to help accomplish this shared goal through our consultation. If the technology you use could stand to see an upgrade, following through with us allows the decision makers we work with to take the data on their past and present IT strategies. As a result, we can make the best decisions for them that will help to cement their business’ future.

Here are some of the consulting services that we offer:

Virtual CIO

One of the biggest concerns that businesses come to us with regarding their technology is (predictably) the cost associated with their IT implementations. There are a few reasons that that they’ll do so… some are looking to upgrade, others will want to scale their technology to match their business’ growth without outpacing their budget. Whatever the reason, there is one fundamental motivation why they do so:

In essence, these companies want to make sure that their investment will provide them with the value they require (or really, demand) of it.

Working with you as your Virtual CIO, we can oversee your complete IT strategy. Our seasoned professionals will evaluate your current technology, identify which products and services will serve your needs best without breaking the bank, and work with you to strategize your approach to your IT from top to bottom. As a result, you aren’t saddled with the responsibilities to research and come to decisions - duties that you probably have neither the time nor the practical experience to take on.

Business Process Management

One of the major benefits of any business technology is the positive effect it has on efficiency. When working to streamline your processes, your in-house resources may not have the perspective to see the big picture and come up with an efficient and effective plan. An outside resource, like a managed service provider, has that needed perspective. Pair that with the experience they have in optimizing business resources, and you have a winning combination.

By working with a partner who is committed to equipping you with the processes and tools from start to finish, you can shift your productivity/waste ratio in the right direction - and the better your productivity, the higher your revenue.

Vendor Management

How much time has your business sunk, in total, into working with your vendors? How much has that cost the business? You need to keep in mind that vendors are - in most cases - effectively salesmen. Not to say this is a bad thing, but it does mean that the majority of vendors will prioritize making a sale over ensuring you get what will serve you best. However, with Coleman Technologies, you will no longer need to deal with vendors … we’ll do it for you. Anything you need, you’ll be able to call us and get it, simplifying and streamlining your procurement.

Find Out How Else We Can Help

By working with a managed service provider, a company has a simpler means of handling their crucial technology. Whenever they need a problem solved, they simply lean on their provider to see to what’s needed… whether that’s support, resource management, or a representative to speak to vendors. Coleman Technologies can be that for your business.

To learn more about our consulting services, reach out to us at (604) 513-9428 - and don’t forget to check back here on Wednesday for part four of this series!

Understanding Why Managed Services Work

It may help to look at managed services a lot like how you’d look at any other outsourced services provider external to your business, fulfills some business needs you to have. However, this service goes a little more in-depth than many you may be more familiar with. An MSP (or managed services provider) will supplement your existing technology management, reducing the responsibilities you have to maintain them (oh, and the costs of doing so as well).

While this might not sound like much at first, it can greatly cut down on the time and resources that any one of your given tasks can require. Let’s assume that your IT technicians spend about 45 minutes each day on maintaining your servers, and again, that’s maintenance. An issue could make this process take much longer.

So, each week your techs are spending three hours and forty-five minutes on mere maintenance. What else could be accomplished during the time dedicated to this maintenance? Now, think about how that time increases every time an issue is discovered, and all the time that is spent resolving these issues after the fact.

It all adds up pretty quickly.
However, adopting managed services can help relieve your in-house staff of these responsibilities. This could allow them to devote more time to improving your business’ technology, or supporting your other internal staff, or any other goal that would benefit your operations more than playing Whack-a-Mole with IT issues ever would. Can you confidently say they have the time to accomplish all this now?

What If You Don’t Have Internal IT Resources on Staff?

If you don’t have internal IT resources, outsourcing your IT needs to a managed services provider has even greater benefits. Take, for example, the reduced financial obligation. While there are many benefits to maintaining a small business, the typically limited size of the budget isn’t one of them. These limitations may mean that you have fewer qualified in-house IT technicians, meaning that some of the IT maintenance and support falls to your other employees -- likely IT novices. This is just too risky to enact, as improperly configured or maintained solutions could (and likely will) contribute to major issues with downtime.

Managed services help to make your solutions more predictable, without the need to manage and maintain them internally. To find out more things that Coleman Technologies can do as an MSP, give us a call at (604) 513-9428.

Breaking Down Managed Service Providers (Also Known As MSPs)
First, our title throws a lot of people. What are managed services, and why do you need a provider at all?

In a lot of ways, we’re just like the internal IT team that you may or may not have. We look over and manage your technology solutions as a part of the service we provide.

Again, just a part.

Yes, part of our role is that of a remote monitoring service, but we can provide much more than that. We can advise you on your technology solutions, assist you in procuring and maintaining them, help you implement technologies like cloud computing, help keep your data secure and your solutions compliant to industry requirements, and a lot more than just that.

We Won’t Replace In-House Staff (Or Vice Versa)
When they learn the extent of what we do, many business owners (and eventually, their staff) may start to wonder if they can outsource all of their IT responsibilities to us, essentially eliminating the need for an internal IT resource. While we appreciate the confidence, we wouldn’t recommend that, unless you don’t currently have an IT resource.

The truth is, we work as well in tandem with an organization’s IT staff as we do as a standalone management solution.

Most internal teams or resources face the same problem: an overwhelming workload. Between day-to-day problem mitigation, managing your current technology, and planning for your business’ future strategy, there isn’t enough time for them to do everything that they have to… and that’s where we come in. Our job is to pick up the slack, wherever it may be, so that all responsibilities are attended to.

However, if you don’t currently have an in-house resource and have been entirely relying on the services of break/fix by-the-incident providers, we can replace those, adding much more value than you could expect otherwise.

We Can Handle Most Anything You Throw At Us
Finally, you might be hesitant to reach out to us because you’re anticipating that your particular industry has needs that we just couldn’t keep up with. Compliances and minutely specialized solutions may be a key factor to your success, and you don’t want to risk it all on the expertise of an outside source.

We have one thing to say to that:

Try us.

It is our job to assist businesses with their solutions. This means that, as these solutions evolve and develop, we have to continually educate ourselves. How does this problem need to be handled? Is there a better option that we should learn more about?

As a result, we’re pretty up-to-date on most things IT.

To discuss your particular needs further, reach out to us at (604) 513-9428, or read some of our other blogs to learn more about how we can help you.