Why Managed Services: IT Support

Information technology support has developed and evolved as the methods and equipment used have improved. As a result of this development, there are a variety of ways that managed IT providers can deliver additional value through their services. In this series, we’re exploring the many benefits a business can gather through managed services - here, focusing on the support available.

How a Managed Service Provider Provides Support

If you read the first part of this series, you may remember that we touched upon the many differences between a more traditional service provider’s methodology, and the experience that could be expected when working with a managed service provider.

You may also remember, specifically, that the managed service provider had a particular advantage over the break/fix approach. Namely, the fact that they didn’t necessarily need to be onsite in order to provide support.

Remote Support Capabilities and Help Desk Solutions

Let’s say Abbott is sitting at his workstation when he comes across an issue. Across town, Costello is hard at work for the competition, when he also has a problem with his workstation. The major difference? Abbott’s company utilizes both in-house resources and a managed service provider, while Costello’s has stuck to just an in-house team.

Let’s assume that both internal IT teams are swamped, and simply can’t get to resolving the issues anytime soon. This puts Costello in a tough spot, as he simply can’t continue with his work until his computer issue is resolved.

Abbott, on the other hand, also has his managed service provider’s help desk to lean on. All he has to do is submit a ticket, and someone will look into the issue in short order. Abbott is soon contacted by a technician, who asks a few follow-up questions to better understand the issue. The technician decides that he needs to see things for himself, so he remotes into Abbott’s workstation. Having done so, the technician quickly realizes Abbott’s problem, and resolves it right then and there. As a result, Abbott is able to get back to business, the entire ordeal taking up just a few minutes of his day.

In the meantime, Costello is still waiting for his internal team to get to his issue.

Onsite Support Services

What would happen if Abbott’s issue wasn’t something that could be resolved remotely?

In that case, the managed service provider would send a technician onsite to diagnose the issue. Thanks to the remote work already put in, however, this process can be completed much more quickly because many possibilities have already been ruled out. Abbott is therefore still able to get back to work fairly efficiently.

In fact, the managed service provider would likely have recommended that a spare workstation be kept in the business, to eliminate even more of the downtime that Abbott experiences. Once the device is booted up, the managed service provider could remotely configure it to Abbott’s needs, allowing him to continue his work while someone is en route to see to the original workstation.

Costello isn’t quite so lucky. He either waits for his internal IT team to get to his issue, or he calls in another IT provider. Since he has never worked with this provider before, they are completely unfamiliar with his technology - so when a technician gets there, they have to spend a lot of time troubleshooting the issue before it can be resolved. A lot of time, mind you, that Costello still can’t get any work done, and that the company will have to pay him for.

Managed Services Can Help You Keep Your Business Going

Time is one of a business’ most scarce resources, and if any of it is wasted, there’s no recovering it. Every moment is therefore valuable, so you can’t afford to wait around for your IT issues to be resolved. Managed service providers like Washington Works are here to ensure that you don’t need to, assisting you in maintaining your crucial technology solutions.

This is far from the end of how leveraging managed services benefits your business. Keep an eye open for our next post on the subject. In the meantime, don’t hesitate to reach out to us with any questions you have! Give us a call at 301-571-5040 to talk to one of our experts.