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In today’s tech-driven business environment, the value of IT is more pronounced than ever. But along with the many opportunities that come from tech integrations come several noteworthy challenges.
I recently had the chance to speak with Greg Elliott, chief operating officer and co-owner of Standley Systems, which offers business automation, document management, imaging equipment and IT managed services to customers in Oklahoma and Texas.
As Elliott explains, businesses across all industries stand to significantly benefit from partnering with a managed IT services provider. By entrusting crucial IT activities to experts, businesses can make the most of their tech.
Helping with day-to-day needs
“Business owners can often be caught off-guard by just how many day-to-day IT needs exist within their company,” Elliott explains. “For every app a business uses, they need IT support to set up users, manage licenses and keep apps up to date across all in-network devices. They need to manage cloud back-ups and ensure proper access controls are in place. Then, of course, there are the daily user issues that pop up in any organization. The more a business grows, the more these needs expand — and managed IT can greatly relieve these burdens.”
The need for IT support can easily be understood by seeing just how much business IT usage has grown. According to Statista, organizations currently use 130 SaaS applications on average. By comparison, in 2015, organizations used an average of just eight applications.
As the scope of apps and tech integrations has expanded, so too does the level of work needed to maintain and operate these systems. After all, failing to keep an app up to date can introduce cybersecurity risks and even interfere with the operation of other apps and systems. It becomes a lot for a small in-house IT team to keep track of on top of their other duties.
Today’s managed IT services are largely built around the ability to provide virtual support to address these and other daily needs (though on-site support is also often available when needed). Users rely on automated ticketing systems to submit information regarding the issue they’re dealing with, enabling a rapid and efficient response from the managed IT team.
“Technology is only beneficial when it streamlines your team’s work and makes things easier,” Elliott says. “With support from managed IT, you can have confidence that you’ll actually get the desired outcomes from your tech use.”
Addressing cybersecurity and maintenance
Managed IT services can also provide much-needed support in addressing cybersecurity and maintenance issues. “Managed IT can provide cybersecurity and remote monitoring capabilities that both reduce the risk of an incident and help you better address existing vulnerabilities,” says Elliott.
“For example, remote monitoring allows managed IT partners to track and identify vulnerabilities so they can quickly implement needed fixes. This allows businesses to take a proactive rather than reactive approach to cybersecurity and network maintenance — and better still, this support is available outside of normal business hours.”
The importance of properly mitigating cybersecurity concerns cannot be understated. In 2023, 73% of small business owners experienced a cyberattack, with criminals primarily targeting customer and employee data. Forty-two percent of small businesses said they experienced financial consequences from these attacks, while roughly one-third said they lost customer trust and had higher employer turnover.
In addition to addressing security vulnerabilities, managed IT can mitigate other hardware and software issues that might lead to downtime. By essentially outsourcing security and maintenance, businesses can focus on serving their customers, without having to worry about whether they are prepared for the latest threats.
Supporting existing IT teams
Even for businesses that already have an IT team in place, managed IT services can offer significant benefits. “With managed IT providing virtual and on-site support for things like remote monitoring and software updates, existing IT teams can expand their capabilities without needing to hire additional staff,” Elliott explains.
“Both large and small teams can be freed up to focus on higher-value projects that are more closely tied to the company’s goals. This can be especially important for smaller teams, who often lack the bandwidth to address high-value projects. Managed IT can also cover areas outside of a smaller team’s existing capabilities.”
It’s also worth noting that the support organizations receive from a managed IT service provider will generally be much less expensive than hiring an additional employee. While salary varies based on experience and specific job title, IT professionals have a median annual salary of $100,530.
Even hiring a single additional employee will likely be much more costly for the organization than using managed IT services to take care of the same tasks. Managed IT services are well positioned to scale alongside the businesses they support, ensuring sustainable growth that is consistent with your organization’s budget and evolving IT needs.
Delivering IT success for all
“Ultimately, I think one of the greatest advantages of managed IT is its flexibility,” Elliott says.
“Regardless of whether you have a large or small IT department — or no IT team at all — managed services can be integrated in a way that meets your organization’s specific technology needs. The level of adaptability provided through managed IT means that no matter how you use technology today, you can become better prepared for the future.”
By ensuring IT success for every organization, managed IT services help level the playing field.
