Tag: managed IT services

Choosing the right IT support model for your business: in-house, outsourced, or co-managed

Image of a keyboard with a key labeled "Support"

In today’s technology-driven business landscape, having reliable and efficient IT support is crucial for smooth operations and growth. Choosing the optimal IT support model is critical for businesses facing increasingly diverse technology challenges. This blog explores the benefits of three primary IT support models – in-house, outsourced, and co-managed – to help businesses understand which option suits their unique needs.

In-House IT Support

In-house IT support involves hiring and managing a dedicated team of IT professionals within your organization. This model works best for large enterprises or businesses with complex IT needs and substantial resources. With in-house IT support, businesses have direct control over their IT operations and can align strategies with specific business objectives. It offers real-time support, immediate response to issues, and deeper knowledge of the company’s IT environment.

Benefits:

  • Direct Control and Alignment: With an in-house IT team, businesses have direct control over IT operations. The team can align IT strategies with specific business objectives, ensuring technology solutions are tailored to meet the organization’s unique needs.
  • Immediate Response: In-house IT support allows for real-time support and immediate response to IT issues. IT staff are on-site and readily available to address technical problems, minimizing downtime and disruption to business operations.
  • Deeper Knowledge of Company Environment: The in-house team gains extensive knowledge of the organization’s IT infrastructure, applications, and processes. This deep understanding enables more personalized support and tailored solutions.
  • Security and Confidentiality: In-house IT support with cybersecurity expertise allows businesses to maintain strict control over sensitive data and proprietary information, mitigating the risk of data breaches or leaks associated with external providers.
  • Customized IT Strategies: In-house teams can develop long-term IT strategies based on the company’s vision and goals, leading to better technology planning and implementation.

Cybersecurity:

  • Direct control over IT operations allows for better implementation of cybersecurity measures tailored to the organization’s specific needs. The in-house team can create and enforce strict security policies, ensuring the protection of sensitive data and proprietary information. However, limited expertise may hinder the ability to stay updated on the latest cybersecurity threats and best practices.

Ultimately, the decision to opt for in-house IT support depends on the specific needs, budget, and objectives of the organization. While it provides direct control, immediate response, and deep knowledge of the company environment, businesses must carefully consider the associated costs, scalability concerns, and potential limitations in expertise. For many small to medium-sized businesses, a combination of in-house IT support and outsourced or co-managed IT services may offer the most balanced and cost-effective solution to meet IT requirements.

Outsourced IT Support:

Outsourced IT support entails partnering with a third-party Managed Service Provider (MSP) like Back To Business I.T. This model is a popular choice for small to medium-sized businesses seeking cost-effective and expert IT solutions without the overhead of maintaining an internal IT team. Outsourced IT support provides access to a pool of specialized IT experts, 24/7 monitoring, proactive maintenance, and the latest technologies. It allows businesses to focus on core competencies while leaving IT responsibilities in the hands of experienced professionals.

Benefits:

  • Expertise and Specialization: Outsourced IT support provides access to a team of specialized IT professionals with diverse skill sets and expertise. MSPs stay up-to-date with the latest technologies and industry best practices, ensuring businesses receive top-notch support.
  • Cost-Effectiveness: Outsourcing IT support can be more cost-effective for small to medium-sized businesses compared to maintaining an in-house IT team. Businesses save on expenses related to recruitment, salaries, benefits, and ongoing training.
  • 24/7 Monitoring and Support: MSPs typically offer round-the-clock monitoring and support, providing continuous surveillance of IT systems and rapid response to any issues, even during non-business hours.
  • Proactive Maintenance: MSPs take a proactive approach to IT management, identifying potential problems before they become major issues. This helps prevent downtime and keeps the business running smoothly.
  • Scalability and Flexibility: Outsourced IT support can easily scale up or down to match business needs. It offers the flexibility to add or remove services as required, making it an adaptable solution for evolving businesses.
  • Focus on Core Competencies: By outsourcing, businesses can focus on their core competencies and strategic initiatives, freeing up time and resources to drive innovation and growth.
  • Access to Advanced Technologies: MSPs have access to cutting-edge technologies and tools, enabling businesses to leverage the latest solutions without investing in expensive infrastructure.

Cybersecurity:

  • External MSPs, like Back To Business I.T., specialize in cybersecurity and stay informed about emerging threats. They implement robust security protocols, conduct regular monitoring, and offer proactive maintenance to protect businesses from cyber threats. However, businesses must carefully vet MSPs to ensure they have robust security practices in place.

Businesses looking to outsource IT support should carefully select a reliable MSP, consider data security, and establish effective communication to ensure a seamless and productive partnership.

Co-Managed IT Support:

Co-Managed IT support, like the services provided by Back To Business I.T., is an ideal option for businesses that already have an in-house IT team but require additional expertise and support. With this model, the internal IT team collaborates with an external MSP, benefiting from their industry knowledge, advanced tools, and resources. Co-Managed IT support offers enhanced IT capabilities, faster issue resolution, and the flexibility to scale IT resources based on business demands.

Benefits:

  • Augmented Expertise: Co-Managed IT support offers businesses the advantage of combining the knowledge and skills of their internal IT team with the specialized expertise and resources of an external MSP. This partnership ensures a more robust and comprehensive strategy.
  • Flexibility and Scalability: The co-managed model allows businesses to scale based on their fluctuating needs. During peak periods or specific projects, the MSP can provide additional resources and support, enabling the internal IT team to focus on core tasks.
  • Enhanced Efficiency: By sharing responsibilities with an external MSP, the internal IT team can offload routine tasks and focus on strategic initiatives and innovation. This leads to improved efficiency and productivity within the IT department.
  • Proactive Problem-Solving: Co-managed IT support brings together the collective insights of both internal and external teams, leading to a more proactive approach to IT problem-solving and risk management.
  • Cost-Effectiveness: Businesses can gain access to specialized IT resources without bearing the full cost of maintaining a larger in-house team. Co-managed support allows businesses to optimize their IT budget effectively.
  • Increased Coverage: With the MSP’s 24/7 monitoring and support capabilities, businesses can ensure continuous coverage and quick response times to IT issues, even outside regular working hours.
  • Industry Best Practices: The collaboration with an external MSP introduces the organization to industry best practices, emerging technologies, and innovative solutions that can drive business growth.

Cybersecurity:

Co-managed IT support combines the expertise of the internal IT team and the external MSP, leading to a comprehensive cybersecurity approach. The MSP’s industry best practices and insights enhance the organization’s security posture, while the internal team maintains an in-depth understanding of the company’s specific security requirements.

Co-Managed IT support offers businesses the best of both worlds, leveraging the expertise of their internal IT team alongside the specialized knowledge and resources of an external MSP. While communication and coordination are crucial to the success of this model, the benefits of flexibility, scalability, and cost-effectiveness make co-managed IT support an attractive option for businesses.

Which IT Support Model is Right for Your Business?

In-House:

  • Best suited for large enterprises with extensive IT needs and resources.
  • Provides direct control over IT operations.
  • Offers on site response and deeper knowledge of the company’s IT environment.

Outsourced:

  • Ideal for small to medium-sized businesses seeking cost-effective expert IT solutions.
  • Provides access to specialized IT experts, 24/7 monitoring, and the latest technologies.
  • Allows businesses to focus on core competencies while leveraging external IT expertise.

Co-Managed:

  • Perfect for any size business with an in-house IT team in need of additional expertise and support.
  • Enables collaboration with an external MSP for enhanced capabilities and issue resolution.
  • Offers flexibility to scale IT resources based on business demands.

Choosing the right IT support model is a crucial decision that directly impacts your business’s efficiency, security, and overall success. Back To Business I.T. provides tailored solutions to keep your business thriving in the digital age. Our goal is simple: to help you get back to business. Contact Back To Business I.T. at 937.490.5600 or schedule an IT Assessment today to explore how we can empower your business with the right IT support model.

Why Accounting Firms and Financial Advisors Are Turning to Managed Services

managed services for accounting firms and financial advisors

Accounting firms and financial advisors need the right technology and expertise to run their businesses successfully. But maintaining networks and servers, upgrading hardware, updating software, meeting compliance requirements, and protecting sensitive information — all while supporting client needs — is a limitation many face. It can be downright impossible for small and medium-sized firms to keep up with.

In a time when technology plays a huge role in the financial industry — from communication to customer service to charting the past and planning for the future — it’s critical to maintain a robust I.T. infrastructure.

Leveraging Managed Services

Many small and medium-sized accounting firms and financial advisors use managed services to accommodate their technical needs and stay competitive. This is a highly successful support model in which a firm outsources their I.T. to trusted technology professionals who provide proactive 24/7 monitoring and maintenance of their computer systems.

This I.T. support model stands in stark contrast to the traditional “break/fix” model dependent upon I.T. systems having issues before a technician is dispatched. In a managed services support scenario, technicians are constantly working behind the scenes to secure, stabilize, and streamline I.T. operations.

Benefits of Managed Services

I.T. Expertise On-Demand — All your technology issues are cared for by a team of certified and trusted I.T. experts.

Round-the-clock Support — Real-time answers to your I.T. questions or troubleshooting requests through a 24-hour help desk.

Better Security — Skilled professionals and industry-leading best practices protect you from online threats.

Data Backup and Recovery — Confidence that your data is encrypted and backed up and can be restored when needed.

Compliance — Help with industry compliance standards and documented evidence for auditors.

Less Downtime — Near-zero I.T. downtime to maximize workflow and efficiency.

No Long-Term Contracts — Easily budgeted, comprehensive monthly payments with no minimum requirements.

Complete Peace of Mind — System monitoring, maintenance, and management 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

At Back To Business I.T., we understand the unique challenges you face as an accountant or financial advisor.

That’s why we offer affordable I.T. solutions and expertise that make it easier for you to concentrate on your work without worrying about network downtime or technology issues.

You can expect:

  • 24/7 System Monitoring, Maintenance, and Management
  • Improved Disk Health and Space Utilization
  • Optimized and Up-To-Date Servers and Hardware
  • Real-Time Alerts When Issues are Detected
  • Unlimited Access to Our Remote Help Desk and Ticketing Portal
  • Around-the-Clock Support and Training
  • Increased Data and Resource Security
  • Continuous System Backups and Data Restoration, As-Needed
  • Assistance with I.T. Budgeting and Hardware/Software Procurement

Want to learn more? Ask one of our I.T. experts about managed services today!

Battling the Myths of How Businesses Control Their IT Infrastructure

IT Infrastructure

In order for businesses to stay ahead of the competition, they need to be innovative. One word that is often associated with being innovative is technology. A business’s technology stems directly from their IT infrastructure. This includes their server(s), hardware, technology, managed services, software, network, etc. In order to allow innovation, businesses need to have a stable, secure and up-to-date IT infrastructure. By having this, it will allow technology to help the business operate smoothly.

Back to Business I.T. helps businesses to create, monitor and maintain their IT infrastructures. After helping many clients, we have experienced a lot of different IT environments. Through these environments, we have noticed there are some common myths that businesses believe regarding how to control an I.T. infrastructure. Below we discuss three myths and explain the realities to these situations.

1) Myth: A business can hire one person to run their entire IT infrastructure.

Reality: This may be true in some very rare cases but for most businesses, they find success in having a team of experts to control their IT infrastructure. IT managed services firms have a team of experts who work together to monitor and maintain these infrastructures. This is what allows technology to continue running for a business. So, outsourcing a business’s IT department to an managed service provider is needed.

2) Myth: An employee considered to be “tech savvy” can take on a business’s technology issues.

Reality: Taking an employee, who already has responsibilities in their current position, and throwing them into an IT environment can be dangerous. Monitoring and maintaining an IT infrastructure is a full-time job. It should not be given to someone who does not have the time to put in the work that is required. Also, being considered “tech savvy” does not mean they have the expert knowledge to provide the stable, secure and up-to-date IT infrastructure that every business needs.

3) Myth: Outsourcing a business’s IT department to a third-party managed service provider is expensive and not worth the high costs.

Reality: Outsourcing a business’s IT to a managed services firm can take up a major portion of their IT budget. However, when looking at the big picture, it can save the business money. For example, if a business’s IT network is invaded by a major threat that their one-man IT department or “tech savvy” employee cannot handle, the business is going to acquire substantial losses. Not only will they have to find and pay an IT expert or firm to resolve the issue, they will also lose a lot of important data in the process. Yet, if the business had outsourced their IT infrastructure to a managed services firm before this happened, they could have contained the threat in a much more cost and time saving manner.

In order for businesses to keep up with the competition and become innovative enough to stand out against them, they need to start investing in their technology. By doing this, they will be gaining access to opportunities that will help their business to grow.

If you are interested in learning more about what an IT managed service provider can do for your business, let’s start a conversation.

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