How Managed Services Work

Managed Services Let You Declare Independence From Day-to-Day Computer Problems

 

If you run a small business, you might deal with computer issues in one of these ways:

 

• “Hey Margaret!” One employee (and it might be you!) is designated the office computer guru, and he or she is the person everyone asks to fix a printer problem, help out with a software install, or set up a new workstation.
• “I got a guy.” There’s nobody in the office to deal with computer issues, so you have somebody on speed dial – an independent contractor with a lot of clients just like you.
• The Yellow Pages. If there’s a crisis and you can’t get your “I got a guy” on the phone, you pick up the phone and get whoever’s available.

All of these approaches have their drawbacks: they waste valuable employee hours; they’re reactive instead of proactive; and they can end up being a lot more expensive compared to the cost of preventing problems from happening in the first place.

 

Managed services allow you to offload the responsibility for periodic software updates, antivirus updates, security patches, and other regular maintenance so that you can concentrate on running your business. You can have round-the-clock professional support and know that your systems are being monitored and you’ll be alerted if they see a potential problem developing (for example, a failing hard drive). And because most managed service providers bill by the month, you’ll be able to budget for computer support instead of getting whacked with big repair fees whenever a problem arises.

 

Different managed services providers offer a different slate of options; some charge for services that others include automatically. Our managed service package, CMIT Marathon, includes daily automated proactive maintenance with virus updates, spyware detection and removal, plus management of security patch updates. Remote technicians and engineers at a Network Operations Center, a US-based help desk, and on-site support help ensure you’re not alone when you encounter computer issues.