If you own or manage an SME, handling your own IT infrastructure can be time-consuming, complicated, and frustrating. You need the right components in the right places to achieve the right results.
Considering how important a strong IT infrastructure is to businesses today, it’s no surprise that IT outsourcing is increasingly popular in Canada, with a projected value of $11.45 billion in 2024.
Working with a provider of managed IT services offers a number of crucial benefits, but it comes at a cost. And you may feel reluctant to make room in your budget for yet another service.
Ultimately, though, managed IT services from a reputable provider offer fantastic value for money. Read on to discover how and why.
What do Managed IT services cost?
The cost of managed IT services in Canada varies depending on the company, the level of expertise they offer, their stature within their field, and your needs as a business.
Different providers are likely to offer vastly different quotes. That’s why it’s helpful to look around at various options and consider pricing carefully before you sign up with any provider. You need to feel confident and reassured that you’re getting the best value for your money.
If you’re a new business with a small team and a limited budget, you won’t need or be able to secure the same package as a long-established company with more complex technological requirements. A reputable provider of managed IT services will plan a tailored package to suit your individual needs, goals, and operations, based on your budget.
The quote you receive may be higher than you expect in some cases, but it’s vital that you recognize the value for money you’ll receive for the fee. The best provider will aim to give you the most competitive deal they can and meet (if not exceed) all your needs.
What value do Managed IT services offer?
Managed IT services can empower businesses to work better and achieve more in different ways. Here are five of the most important benefits.
Free up your time to focus on essential tasks
When you own and run a small business, you may find yourself working many more hours than you would like to. According to a report by the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB), the average owner of a small business works 54 hours each week. That’s the equivalent of an eight-day workweek for the majority of salaried employees.
But even with such long working hours, you might find that you still don’t have enough time to focus on everything you need to. Minor day-to-day issues can stand in the way of fostering growth and exploring new ways to maximize client satisfaction. The same may apply to your employees: they could find themselves dealing with small issues as they arise, which distracts them from their core duties.
This is especially likely to be the case when you experience technological challenges, such as system crashes and cybersecurity breaches. Fortunately, working with a provider of managed IT services can help make this much simpler.
Why? Because you’ll have a team of IT specialists on hand to help you with everything from computer network installation and IT support management to computer maintenance. You and your employees will no longer be distracted by various technological hiccups, leaving you all with more free time to put into critical tasks.
Managed IT services are proactive and prevent issues before they happen
If you take responsibility for your own IT infrastructure, it’s likely that you’ll work on a reactive basis rather than a proactive one. Any technological problems that strike may come without warning, whether because you missed potential warning signs or you lack the technical expertise to recognize them in the first place.
However, by the time you realize something has gone wrong and start putting it right, the damage is done. That can be hugely costly and disruptive to your operations in the long run.
Managed IT services, though, are proactive. Your network will be monitored closely to make sure that your systems are running smoothly. Any possible issues, such as an imminent cyber-attack, can be detected early. And the sooner that happens, the sooner the problem can be fixed.
Incorporate the latest technologies into your IT infrastructure
Investing in managed IT services liberates you from needing to research, source, and install your own hardware and software. You can leave that to your chosen IT experts instead.
You’ll get to incorporate the best, most efficient IT technologies into your infrastructure without the time-consuming, stressful leg work involved. Your managed IT services provider will recommend the right hardware and software to suit your budget, goals, and operations.
That can help you boost productivity and ensure employees have the best tools for their work.
Get comprehensive IT support whenever you need it
Have you ever found yourself with an unexpected IT issue and no idea how to fix it? If you called in a local IT specialist to fix it for you on a one-off emergency basis, you may have been unpleasantly surprised by a large fee.
However, managed IT services provide you with professional IT support as and when you need it. That covers on-site and remote assistance, whether you need someone to physically repair a piece of hardware or resolve a software problem.
Reduce the risk of costly and disruptive downtime due to cyber attacks
Cyber threats take many forms, from the scourge of ransomware to more comprehensive distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks. Cyber attacks can be hugely costly to businesses: for example, the average cost of a data breach in Canada was more than $5 million as of 2023.
However, managed IT services can help keep your SME safe from cyber attacks, with extensive network monitoring and cutting-edge security measures.
Get a Quote for Your Managed IT Services
NETWORTH offers dedicated managed IT services to businesses with fixed-fee, all-inclusive contracts to suit diverse budgets.
To find out how we can provide you with outstanding value, get in touch with our IT specialists today.