SBA

Managed IT - What's Not To Like?

Smaller businesses generally don't have internal IT teams or IT experts, it's hard to justify the cost of a dedicated IT specialist in a 20-person company. Yet we all need IT in our businesses, we depend on IT in so many ways, so what's the solution?

Many smaller businesses use a "Managed IT Service" - basically they contract with a local IT company for that company to install and maintain their network, servers, PCs, software; and to do backups, virus protection, malware removal, upgrades, patches, system and user administration; all the hassles that come with owning IT systems. Make no mistake, owning IT is a hassle, it requires continual maintenance by skilled specialists if it is going to keep working, left untended most IT fails by default.

Managed IT is the only viable solution for many businesses to carry on in an IT enabled world, so how do you choose a Managed IT Provider? You have to ask the right questions. One set of such questions widely touted on the Internet is as follows:

• Will the proposed service partner support your business strategy now and in the future?
• Do you trust them to have the necessary expertise and bandwidth to provide maintenance, deliver support services or assume managed-services responsibilities?
• Will they become trusted advisors that stay engaged and serve as an extension of your IT organisation and business?
• Do they provide a portfolio of offers that span the entire service continuum and have the necessary flexibility to ensure a smooth deployment of managed services?
• What applications, diagnostics checks or analytics tools do they leverage to anticipate any problems or hidden issues?
• Do they provide a single point of contact that can quickly swarm experts to resolve an issue in your network?
• Do they really know you? Understand your solution?

To be honest these questions, if rather generic, are a good start. If you're satisfied by the answers to these then the chances are that the service provider will be a viable choice, and have the knowledge and capability to keep your IT running - which is what a Managed IT Service is supposed to do.

So what's not to like?

Keeping the IT running, a.k.a 'keeping the lights on', is only half the story. The IT that you have needs to suit your business, the chances are that your business is different to the busines next door, and you need different IT. The Managed IT Provider will keep it running, but unless they understand your business they are unlikely to be well-placed to choose your IT for you - they will expect you to do that.

There are a set of questions that you will probably have to answer yourself, including: 

• What information do you really need to run your business?
• How do you expect IT to support your business strategy?
• Which is the best set of computer systems for your advertising agency / wholesaler / publishing company / law firm?
• How can you exploit IT to reduce costs?
• How can you use IT to create more sales?
• How can IT make your people more productive?
• What are your policies on Data Protection and Information Security? Personal use of IT by employees? Social Media? IT Health & Safety?

These are outside the remit of most Managed IT Providers, basically Managed IT is only half the story. Making your business efficient, productive and profitable is your responsibility, not theirs. If one of your employees accidentally or intentionally releases sensitive customer data the lawyers will come after you, not your Managed IT Provider, and similarly if one of your employees needs long-term sick leave due to IT-related Repetitive Strain Injury, Migraines, Back Problems etc., the burden will fall on your company not theirs.

Somehow you need to answer these questions, they are unavoidable in the IT enabled world of today. If you have an in-house IT expert then all is well, they can answer these questions, but if you have an in-house IT expert then why would you be using a Managed IT Service? Catch-22. You probably need more than just Managed IT, most businesses need IT Leadership to determine what IT is supposed to do for the business and how it is to be used.

SBA provides a Virtual CIO / IT Director service. We cover the gap left by Managed IT Providers. We help you decide what IT is best for your business and enable you to get the most from it. We'll also oversee your Managed IT Provider to ensure that what they do for you is right, appropriate, and good value. Contact us for further information.