Category: Managed IT

Managed IT Services FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions

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Frequently Asked Questions about Managed IT Services

What does a Managed Service Provider do?

A Managed Service Provider (MSP) is a third-party company that manages and assumes the responsibility of a defined set of IT and technology management services to its customers. It is a strategic method of improving operations that is commonplace among large corporations as well as small and medium-sized businesses, non-profit organizations, and governments. As an MSP, the our Team can act as the client's IT Department or can augment the IT staff that is already in place.

What kind of companies are the right candidates for managed services?

Businesses of all sizes and in all industries use Managed Services for a variety of different reasons. Small to medium size companies use MSPs to provide full IT services so they can focus on their core business and maintain operational cost control. Larger companies may use an MPS to augment the in house IT staff, having the MSP handle the more day to day tasks freeing up resources to complete more strategic projects. Companies that need 24x7x365 monitoring and alert will engage an MSP to assist with that coverage.

Why use managed IT services? 

Simply put: most organizations use managed IT services because modern cybersecurity is a pain in the neck. Securing your networks and devices takes constant attention to the little details daily. Cybersecurity has high stakes too: even one single missed point has the potential to let malicious hackers into your systems. Even if you have an in-house IT team to handle your business technology, they might not have the time to focus on security day in and day out painstakingly. Most in-house teams are too busy putting out fires to keep up with comprehensive cybersecurity.

How to choose a managed IT provider? 

We're not going to lie: it takes time, and hard work to choose a managed IT services provider - but there are ways you can speed up the process. Start by identifying which IT services you need (such as business continuity, software licensing, or mobile device management), compile a shortlist of MSPs that provide those services, and then start making calls and taking notes. 

How are managed IT services vs break/fix different? 

When comparing managed IT services vs. break/fix, the word you want to keep in mind is "proactive." Break/fix companies provide traditional IT services: you break your technology, they come and fix it for you. But with the rise of cybercrime these days, malicious hackers make their money by breaking your tech - and it's not always possible to fix what they destroy. Managed IT services proactively prevent ~99% of breakage and cyberattacks by keeping your systems up to date and secure around the clock. Of course, the best MSPs will also roll up their sleeves and get to work fixing your systems when you need them to, which means that managed IT services providers are often breaking/fix providers too.

Signs that you might not be the right candidate for Managed Services?

 

    • You are a do-it-yourself type and only want help when you cannot figure it out yourself.
    • Why pay someone else if you can figure it out yourself?
    • Your IT plan is to keep the network running until the wheels fall off. Then we will deal with it.
    • You do not measure the performance of your business and employees.
    • You are content creating "work-arounds" or applying "Band-Aids" to fix problems.
    • You do not care how your employees use business resources during business hours.
    • You think "those IT problems" are not too bad, we can work harder.
    • You believe a PC should last more than 6+ years.
    • You enjoy spending free time learning how to fix computers.
    • You do not care if employee efficiency or morale can be improved.
    • You depend on "non-professionals" to help you out with IT.
    • You maintain that business productivity and performance are secondary to IT costs.

 

What sized companies benefit from Managed Services?

 

    • For managed IT services to be of value to your company, you should have at least ten workstations/end users and at least one server.
    • The maximum size depends on your company's business model, number of locations, strategic initiatives, growth plans, etc.
    • For companies under 200 end-users, an MSP can be the entire IT department (CIO, CTO, help desk and the like) or act as a supplement to in-house IT staff.
    • For companies with more than 200 end users, we usually see businesses hire an in-house technology technician, but still keep the IT Planning, Network Monitoring, and Windows Patch Management outsourced.
    • Managed Service Providers (MSPs) don't get sick, take vacations, or require benefits. MSPs also generally cost less than a full-time employee.

 

What if our network is working fine?

 

    • Most networks that we encounter are very far from healthy, although the client often doesn't realize it.
    • There is a lot that can be done, from installing patches to verifying and improving security to replacing outdated hardware that will improve the average network.
    • You have to have the right technical skills, the suitable network management systems and be prepared to spend the time on proactively stabilizing the network.

 

How are Managed IT Services usually priced?

It can vary from company to company, but typically services are priced by the hour, by the service, by the number of users serviced, by the number of devices serviced, or some combination of all of the above. Most companies will put together an annual service contract with you that bills you on a monthly basis.

What are some examples of Managed IT?

The list of potential managed IT services can be long. Among the specific benefits offered is overall network administration, maintaining the operational performance of your existing network infrastructure, patch management, live monitoring of network and equipment events, system performance audits, performance reporting, and so on.

Who Need Managed IT Services, SMBs or Large Enterprises?

Managed Services applies to all businesses looking for IT support. From startups to multinational companies, the Managed IT Services have become the need of the hour for almost every enterprise. In the wake of growing cloud adoption, the IT MSPs are finding relevance among SMBs who often refrain from spending on complex assets and critical storage maintenance. Moreover, staying updated to the changing technology trends and security updates is usually a severe challenge that most companies face. MSPs take care of this. So, MSPs work for every organization, irrespective of their size.

What Is The Difference Between Managed Services and Outsourcing?

Managed services and outsourcing share commonalities but are different in offering and the approach. Experts in both areas provide you with the needed technology and IT infrastructure support. While a consultant service ends with the implementation of a specific requirement, an MSP helps your company's IT for a long-term improving your organization's overall IT posture. While an IT consultant lays down the path for effective utilization of IT, an MSP proactively manages and operates the client's IT infrastructure and end-user systems. While IT Consulting has more to do with advice, managed services deal with the implementation required to run a specific application or a service.

How Much Do Managed IT Services Cost?

There is no standardized pricing as such for managed IT services. That purely differs with the service offered and the duration of the service. Pricing in IT MSPs usually involves per user and per-device pricing. Sometimes, services begin with low pricing and later on involves high variable costs. Mid-range services are often considered the best value for most businesses. And, high-end services involve higher fees and are more suitable for particular circumstances.

What are managed services, and how does this benefit me (the client)?

'Managed Services' is a general term that has not been truly defined yet. However, the way in which automated tools, agents, and software help manage systems is becoming more and more impressive every day. We fully utilizes 'managed services' to ease network management, foresee issues before they turn into problems, and help keep client fees stay as low as possible.

Is it risky to store essential data with a third-party provider?

It is not inherently risky to store data with a third party provider for two reasons- the data is encrypted, and the provider is not motivated to damage its reputation by repurposing the data of its customers. As long as the provider stores the information on its own servers, it is safe to use for data storage.

What are the advantages of outsourcing?

There are several advantages of outsourcing, particularly:

    • It is more cost-effective than the in-house model.
    • The provider possesses a high level of expertise.
    • It is easy to change network options.

Maintaining a system in-house can involve the following costs-hardware and software purchase, system maintenance, and staffing experts. Outsourcing allows a business to substitute these costs with an affordable monthly fee.

Are there certain solutions a provider should offer?

There is no certain set of solutions distinguishing good providers from mediocre ones, but a business is wise to choose a provider that offers solutions it may need in the future, in addition to the ones it needs today.

For example, many businesses turn to a provider for a common service such as issue tracking, but later require consultative advice on implementing new hardware, or need assistance implementing a network for mobile communication devices. A provider whose solutions meet a business' present needs, and anticipate its future ones, is the ideal choice.

What if we already have an internal IT department?

Of course. We have worked with numerous internal IT departments on a project-bases or in managing day-to-day operations. We work well with others, we promise.

Is Ransomware a real threat?

Yes, Ransomware is also malicious in nature because it is designed to encrypt files on a hard drive, essentially locking the user out, then demands a ransom to unlock the files. Keep in mind, and ransomware is also considered malware.

What type of attack is ransomware?

Ransomware is a type of malicious software, or malware, designed to deny access to a computer system or data until a ransom is paid. Ransomware typically spreads through phishing emails or by unknowingly visiting an infected website. Ransomware can be devastating to an individual or an organization.

Why do I need Managed IT Services?

Every business of every size in every industry must take a proactive approach to IT management in order to

increase productivity, reduce downtime, improve cybersecurity, and achieve better cost predictability.

What are the benefits of Managed Services?

One of the biggest benefits of managed IT services is the cost savings that businesses experience by making business IT support costs more predictable and manageable. A managed service approach will also provide businesses with comprehensive security, customized backup and recovery solutions, and state-of-the-art cloud storage and hosting.

 What industries does We serve?

Our serves most industries, as business technology is common across industry verticals. We also have specialized knowledge in the needs of industries that have special compliance requirements.

 What differentiates? Why Should I Choose You?

Committed partner with a strong focus on service. We pride ourselves on our ability to understand your business and your customers so that we can customize our service to you and ensure that you are able to provide that same commitment to your customers. We are dedicated to providing predictability of service, cost certainty, and responsiveness. Our organizational maturity, extensive senior talent, expertise, and effective systems will help you achieve your business goals.

Why Is Data Backup Important?

If you value the corporate data files on your computer or network servers then it is definitely worth protecting. You never know if your system is going to be damaged by equipment failure, man-made or natural disasters. Your type of industry can dictate the level of importance for your record-keeping and the retention rate for your files. A crucial data backup of your valuable customer base is an essential part of rebuilding after any disaster, sometimes the determining factor if you reopen or not. Also, your computer system could suffer a non-recoverable equipment failure or be attacked by malware, destined to destroy all your data files and potentially spread a virus through your corporate networked system. The cost to try to recover or rebuild these files is enormously expensive, labour-intensive and not always successful. Why incur this level of expense and suffer the frustration when this can be prevented?

Don't get caught off guard. Talk to one of our IT experts about your company's existing data backup plan. Compare what you are doing to what we has to offer. Enjoy the peace of mind in knowing whatever happens, and your corporate data is secure.

When to backup data?

Initially, we recommend that you do an overall backup of each computer and/or server. We then have you switch to increment backups that include all the newest files, folders and program data your system has acquired since the last backup. Our approach is designed for you to choose your comfort zone. Would you feel better doing an increment backup every 15 minutes during the business day or just at the close of business? The decision is yours, so choose your time frame and know you can always adjust your backup schedule depending on specific times of the year when you might have a greater volume of workload.

We strongly recommend that you test your backups regularly. Our technician will show you how to download a file from your backup so you can compare it to its original version and make sure it is staying current with each increment backup. We also suggest that you periodically look at your list of data files scheduled for backup to make sure your newest additions of files and folders are being included in your scheduled backup.

There is nothing worse then loosing all your important data when you could have backed it up. 

How Are Managed IT Services Different Than A Standard IT Contract?

The most significant difference between Managed Print Services and Standard IT services contract is Reactive vs Proactive. In Standard IT services contract, when your systems are down, you call, and the IT person comes out and fixes it. That means your company is out of commission until the tech gets there, diagnoses the problem and fixes it. It also puts you in the precarious position of hoping your backup was successful, hoping that data hasn't been corrupted by Viruses and Spyware and a litany of other "What If's". Another big issue is there really is no incentive to keep your systems running efficiently and securely. In a Standard IT service contract, the IT person only gets paid when your system goes down. In a Managed Services contract, the IT Partner is incentivized to keep your systems running because they get paid a flat rate. It actually costs them more money to send a tech out, so as opposed to a standard IT person, the Managed Services Partner will do proactive maintenance and monitoring so they can predict problems ahead of them affecting your business. Managed Services is usually on a per computer basis; however, we has a plan that covers your office needs.

Why should I choose Our Managed Services over another provider? 

Our commitment to the highest quality service and support is backed by our philosophy of mutual respect and building relationships. We focus on your business drivers and develop technical capabilities exceeding your expectations. Our managed and hosted services take you off the expensive installation and upgrade treadmill by continually providing the latest proven technologies - fully managed, redundant, secure, and affordable. 

How are we different?

What we do and how we do it is different from the norm. As your managed services/outsourced IT partner we provide a bespoke package designed uniquely to your requirements, and our approach and terms & conditions are so client-centric and different from the traditional model that it can be challenging to make a like-for-like comparison with our peers.

To make it easier, we present a comparison highlighting and explaining the key differences as reported to us by our clients as being the most important to them, and why it makes us unique.

Will I maintain full control over my business by using your service?

Yes, absolutely.

We understand that you are likely to have some reservations about outsourcing your IT. Perhaps you're concerned about the loss of directorship, the privacy of confidential information, or spiralling costs.

Rest assured that with us you won't surrender any control. On the contrary, you'll gain additional flexibility by relieving time-consuming responsibilities to us.

Will you ensure my work is backed up?

Yes - that goes without saying.

We regularly backup essential data to a separate location. In the worst-case scenario, this backup might be required to restore your system if your data is deleted or modified accidentally, or without authorisation.

However, we aim to anticipate potential faults and act before they become a source of confrontation or crisis. Regular maintenance, system updates, and enhanced security features carried out by us all help to eliminate data loss.

How will you keep my company's data safe and protected?

We'll assess the impact cybercrimes could have on your organisation, and take every possible measure to prevent anyone falling victim to them.

Our aims to tighten up the security at SME's so that no single vulnerability will become the cause of the disruption. We achieve this through:

    • Educating clients (and their staff)
    • System account management
    • System updates
    • Data backups
    • Staying up to date with known vulnerabilities
    • Recommending new software and hardware that reduces security breaches.

Companies of all sizes depend on the smooth running of their IT systems and the information contained on them. That's precisely why we devote so many resources to (substantially) minimising risks.

How would Your Services benefit my business? 

Our Managed Services are tried and tested. We:

    • Understand your IT needs in context of your entire business
    • provide open, candid advice, where your business IT issues are our first concern
    • are detailed, thorough and obsessive about ensuring nothing is missed
    •  provide consistent customer service and are always at hand to support and improve your business where necessary
    • ensure results, installing IT solutions that deliver greater IT control and efficiency
    • are committed and professional and prefer to be the best at what we do

 

 

How to choose the right Managed IT Service provider?

 

    • Understanding of both business & IT lifecycle
    • It is important that your IT managed service provider understands that technology is supposed to solve business problems. They should be able to help you align your IT support function with your overall business strategy and act as a propeller in your growth. But this can only happen if you have outsourced your IT function one service provider.
    • Many businesses often fell in a trap of appointing multiple managed services providers to meet various needs which are not recommended, as this approach can be costly, complex, and can slow down your processes. A better approach is to outsource your IT needs to one supplier who can take care of your IT function from concept to completion.
    • Industry experience
    • Finding a supplier that can consistently deliver on time is extremely important. Look for experienced suppliers who have been in the business for a long time and have a strong track record of delivering results.
    • Technical expertise
    • You can use different operational performance metrics to measure your supplier's technical expertise. Metrics such as on-time delivery, quality, lead times, SLA hit rates and average response times will give you a fair idea of their competency.
    • If you already know where your company is on the managed service needs spectrum, you'll be able to assess better if the prospective MSP is a good fit.
    • Customer references
    • The key is to identify that your prospective supplier has positive reviews in the areas you need them. Customer testimonials and endorsements from happy customers who have worked with the supplier are essential, and you should always ask for references when choosing a supplier before outsourcing your IT function. While any supplier can list the reasons why they are a qualified partner, only the quality ones will have excellent customer references to share.
    • You should look for customer testimonials or case studies and shouldn't be afraid to ask the prospective supplier for a shortlist of past clients to call on. This research ahead of time can lead to a more successful partnership in the long term.
    • Local presence
    • Location is one of the most important factor when shortlisting your IT services provider. Another factor that may weigh your search in finding the right MSP is their typical on-site response time. If an installation or implementation requires on-site technical assistance, you'll want to know the answers for all of these situations.

Major Benefits Of A Managed Security Services Provider

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What are the Benefits Of  A Managed Security Services Provider 

Technology makes modern-day business possible by increasing efficiency and generating useful insights through data. Your networks house your information and make it possible to get more work done than ever before. As one of your most valuable assets, your network deserves the utmost care and attention when it comes to upkeep.

Many businesses assume that the only option for network management is to delegate it to the in-house IT team, but that's far from the truth. Managed IT and technology services provide expert support and service for your network, so you can focus on what your business does best. The business benefits of managed services in combination with the money you can save make it a smart solution for companies of any size.

Managed IT service is when a company outsources certain IT functions to a third-party provider, referred to as a Managed Service Provider or MSP. These outsourced functions may be as basic as keeping IT equipment and other services functional all the way up to full IT team outsourcing. 

The goal is to either serve as an IT team for a company that has little or no internal capabilities or to support an experienced IT team by taking some of the day-to-day tasks off their plate. 

MSSP lowers costs in many areas

Can managed services cut down cost? The answer is yes. It can also make your IT expenses more predictable. With managed services, your costs are neatly packaged into a set amount paid on an annual or monthly basis. An in-house IT team, on the other hand, comes with many more frequent and unexpected expenses that can quickly drain your budget.

Networks come with a lot of equipment that needs to be maintained and sometimes repaired or replaced. MSPs provide maintenance as well as repairs as part of the contract, so a fix that might cost you thousands of dollars out of pocket is absorbed by the provider. This model shields your budget from extreme fluctuation, improving the stability of your business overall.

Small businesses benefit immensely from managed services because the up-front cost to start is so much lower. When a business starts from scratch, the initial costs of hiring and training a team while simultaneously paying for the servers and other equipment necessary can be financially overwhelming.

    • Reduced training costs
    • Working with an MSSP results in major cost savings on training and ensures IT teams have up-to-date knowledge of cybersecurity and threats. You benefit directly from the expertise and experience of the MSSP.
    • Lower staffing costs
    • You also save on staffing costs. Using an MSSP means you don't incur any costs for hiring one or more full-time professionals. In addition, MSSPs continuously monitor security systems - 24 hours a day, seven days a week! You can't even expect that from your best employees.

 

Lower investment costs

An MSSP spreads the fixed costs of investments in technology over a broad customer base. And as a customer, you benefit directly from these savings. With an MSSP, you save directly on the costs of your own hardware, applications, and experts.

No unexpected costs

An MSSP is a solution to a lot of your concerns, and it makes it clear what you have to do as an organization. After all, managing everything in-house means new rules and guidelines can come as a surprise, resulting in high unexpected costs when you need to hire industry and compliance experts.

More time to focus on your business

An MSSP frees uptime, so you can work on the things that really move your business forward - no more continuously having to resolve incidents. Your IT teams can reclaim time to focus on developing things, such as new services (innovation), network-related optimizations, business roadmaps, and more.

Access to unique expertise and tools

Are your IT staff experts in cybersecurity? Do they know all the latest developments, techniques, and technologies that guarantee safety? IT security is a unique expertise area that requires continuous training and education. For many organizations, experienced and dedicated staff for IT security are not only expensive but also difficult to find. 

Gaining access to the best cybersecurity solutions and technologies is a key asset and incentive to start working with a Managed Security Services Provider. An MSSP also provides independent cyber-security advice; this isn't the case for suppliers of hardware and tools.

One of the main benefits of working with a Managed Security Services Provider is the broad cyber-security expertise it offers, something that many companies don't have in-house. Outsourcing this to a Managed Security Service Provider means you can be certain that a security expert will protect and manage your data properly. The certified employees of good MSSPs are always aware of developments in the industry and in modern cyber threats.

Organizations that place their trust in an MSSP are often more effective at protecting their own organizations than when they rely on their own security teams alone. Of course, this doesn't alter the fact that both teams have to make proper arrangements about how they communicate with one another.

Direct cybersecurity

IT teams themselves often don't have time to keep up to date with the best next-generation firewalls or cyber-security topics, such as endpoint protection, phishing, and advanced threat prevention. 

The good news is that as a partner of your company, an MSSP always has that knowledge at hand and applies it directly. From the moment an organization chooses a good MSSP, that expertise is immediately accessible: your MSSP is dedicated to ensuring the security of your network, endpoints, and data 24 hours a day, seven days a week. This is intelligent, always-on cybersecurity expertise!

Automatic detection and fixing of vulnerabilities

An MSSP takes a lot of work off your hands when it comes to detecting and fixing vulnerabilities. An MSSP can:

    • structurally detect and reduce vulnerabilities in critical systems.
    • Proactively predict threats, especially and specifically for targeted cyberattacks.
    • Automatically detect important offensive tactics and methods in critical systems.
    • Respond effectively and quickly.
    • Reduce the likelihood of an attack succeeding and becoming an 'event' that takes a lot of time to control.

Increase Action-oriented Insight And Reduce Alert Fatigue

Day in, day out, IT professionals have to deal with countless security alerts originating from various security tools used within the company. In short, alerts often fail in their purpose: they're either not usable or don't contain information that could be used to take action. This form of alert fatigue increases the likelihood that actual cyber threats will go unnoticed.

Over 31% of IT security specialists don't respond to security alerts due to the high number of false positives. 

Many cyber-security solutions cause integration problems when exchanging data, resulting in inefficient and ineffective data silos. MSSPs usually have integrated technology solutions that fully focus on action-oriented alerts.

So if your MSSP sends you alerts, these are hardly ever redundant or unusable.

Most MSSPs use the technology of all types and sizes that in-house specialists have integrated over time for businesses. The MSSP, therefore, offers solutions that avoid situations where IT staff receive endless alerts, while at the same time increasing response efficiency. Moreover, thanks to the insights provided by an MSSP, you can set easily measurable goals for cybersecurity.

Scalability

Another benefit is that MSSPs can be scaled perfectly to your needs, and the required security IT infrastructure can be easily adapted. So if you temporarily need extra capacity, you simply scale up. Resources automatically grow with your capacity needs. And if you need to scale back at a later time, you can. MSSPs respond quickly. 

The price tag associated with maintaining an in-house IT team is a big one, and that's why you often see teams that are understaffed, overworked and unable to get everything done due to a lack of time and resources. That doesn't work on a daily basis, and it definitely doesn't fly when your company is trying to expand.

Training even one additional employee for your IT department costs thousands of dollars, and there is never a guarantee that they'll even stay with the company. An MSP absorbs the cost of training, and you'll never have to worry about your IT experts jumping ship.

Scaling networks takes significant coordination, manpower and new equipment. It's a huge cost for any company, and it often takes an IT team's focus off other important functions like security. Managed services can help you expand or upgrade systems when you need to, without having to hire and train employees you won't necessarily need later on.

Good guarantees and fast response times

Good MSSPs offer Service Level Agreements (SLAs) alongside their 24-hour, 7-days-a-week, 365-days-a-year support An SLA contains guidelines for customers on incident response times and guarantees in the event of security incidents. 

In short, all potential risks associated with cyber threats are shifted from your organization to a specialized third-party, the MSSP.

Risk Of Cyberattack Is Growing.

Has your organization ever had to deal with ransomware, malware, virus infections, or cyberattacks? This attack may have seen important services fail and meant employees couldn't do their work for hours or even days. It could even have blocked customers from accessing your digital or physical services. There's a good chance this has already happened to you, given that the number of reports of cyber incidents has never been as high as it was last year.

The damage cyber attacks do to organizations ranges from unauthorized access via a relatively simple hack to large-scale theft of sensitive data, resulting in prolonged downtime. Effective recovery costs a lot of money and damages the confidence of your customers and investors. Whatever happens, don't let a cyber incident destroy your organization. Prevention is better than cure, but if it does happen, it's important to act quickly and limit the consequences.

Affected By A Cyber Incident?

If something does go wrong and your organization falls victim to a cyber incident, the often already overloaded IT staff work overtime to get the affected services and security back up and running as quickly as possible. These sorts of situations can be a frightening wake-up call, suddenly making everyone aware of the organization's unexpectedly high vulnerability to cyberattacks.

This is when people start asking: how can we better secure our organization, employees, and customers against cyberattacks? And what's the most cost-effective solution?

Managed Security Services Providers (MSSPs) provide structural security solutions against cyberattacks, including always up-to-date expertise in the latest cyber threats and appropriate solutions.

What is a Managed Security Services Provider (MSSP)?

Because security threats are becoming increasingly common, many organizations are partnering with a Managed Security Services Provider (MSSP), often in addition to their existing security program. MSSPs provide professional monitoring and management, protecting hardware and data from potential cyberattacks. 

A Managed Security Service Provider is a third party that manages and implements network security and other forms of security for organizations. This could include:

    • Blocking viruses and spam.
    • Managed Firewalls.
    • Detecting intrusion attempts.
    • Setting up and securing a virtual private network (VPN).
    • Implementing system changes or upgrades.

In addition, MSSPs continuously monitor the security devices and systems in the organization. Most MSSPs offer a wide range of services, including:

    • Device management.
    • Log monitoring and management.
    • Vulnerability management.
    • Consultancy services.

Managed Security Service Providers generally offer their services in a software-as-a-service (SaaS) model. This means that your organization doesn't need any extra hardware or staff - and this has a number of major benefits! We've listed the eight main ones for you.

Most Common Types of Services

The number and type of services a company needs from an MSP usually depend on the company's internal IT capabilities. However, the most common services companies need support on are:

Data Backup

IT backup services protect and retain your data and allow you to recover data as small as single files or as large as entire databases.

This layer of redundancy provides additional security and accessibility in case of an event. It usually makes sense to outsource secure data back-ups to take advantage of the state-of-the-art technology an MSP can offer. 

Help Desk Solutions

Many companies who use managed IT services have little or no IT resources of their own. MSPs often offer help desk solutions as a way to give their customers access to an on-call IT specialist who can help them troubleshoot their issues either remotely or on-site. 

IT Support Services

IT support services are really useful when you need a combination of IT support and guidance. The MSP is responsible for proactively managing and patching your devices while providing insight into how your system works and how it should work. 

Managed Network Security

Cybercriminals will steal an estimated steal 33 billion records in 2023

This service helps free up your IT resources by outsourcing tasks like network intrusion detection and prevention, virus and spam eradication, content filtering and traffic analysis through a traditional or next-generation firewall.

Microsoft Office365

With so many companies adopting this extremely popular cloud service, many MSPs are able to plan, design, implement and support Office365 for their customers.

Object Storage

This type of data storage architecture allows a customer to store large amounts of unstructured data. As businesses struggle to find ways to store massive amounts of data, object storage can offer benefits like cost-effectiveness, scalability and reliability. This type of storage is typically used for data like media files, web content, documents and backups. 

Storage

General data storage comes in several tiers. The provider generally works with the customer to find and use the type of storage that will give them the optimal efficiency and the lowest cost. 

Systems Management

This type of outsourced IT allows your MSP to monitor your servers, applications and network. They'll interpret the data and real-time metrics in order to proactively identify and solve issues before they cause downtime and impact your business.  

Virtual CIO

Small and medium companies don't typically have the capacity to hire a dedicated Chief Information Officer. A Virtual CIO is a service some MSPs offer that provides analysis, strategy and a step-by-step plan for the company's technology. 

 

Is SaaS a managed service?

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    Difference Between SaaS & Managed Service?

    Small and medium-sized businesses these days have various kinds of services available to them in terms of handling any IT-related needs. Managed IT services and software-as-a-service (SaaS) enable you to handle complex technical areas without the added cost of upkeep and installation, on-call staff, and software engineering.

    Besides, these outsourced services minimize the costs involved in carrying regular IT tasks and the implementation of certain applications. In this blog, we will tackle the differences between managed IT services and SaaS and how both resources can help elevate your business. Not that long ago, if an organization needed software, they would call the software provider, get them to deliver a bunch of CDs and license keys, load the product on their systems and then start using it. But with the advent of the cloud and continually evolving business models, much has changed. And let's be honest, it's sometimes confusing. Nowhere is this confusion more apparent than in the realm of the difference between managed services and Software-as-a-Service (SaaS).

    In recent years, swift technological developments have changed the business and information technology domain. For non-technical business owners who are struggling to stay up-to-date with the latest technological advances, this is both good news and bad news. There are two solutions that businesses can outsource to save themselves from confusion. These are managed services and software as a service (SaaS) model. 

    Organizations of all sizes are adopting these solutions to beat the costs and hassles of managing their IT systems and using traditional packaged applications. There are essential differences between these two outsourced models. In this article, we will be tackling these differences between managed services vs. SaaS that every organization needs to understand and some tips on which model works best for an organization's specific needs. 

    What is Software-as-a-Service, and why do businesses love it?

    If your business has ever used any product through the cloud, then it has used SaaS. Take Gmail, for instance. The search giant's email service is, technically, SaaS because it's software that's distributed through the cloud: you can access your Gmail account on any internet-connected device at any location.

    In general, SaaS refers to services delivered through the cloud that your company pays for. Office 365 from Microsoft, for instance, is SaaS, because the company provides it through the cloud and charges firms a subscription fee for the privilege of using it, depending on the number of users.

    Top reasons to implement a SaaS model:

     

      • Reduced Time To Implementation. It can take a long time to install a new software update on a legacy system. But with SaaS, you can start using a service immediately through the cloud: there's often no delay at all.
      • Lower Costs. When installing software on legacy systems, firms not only have to pay for the software itself but the time and expense of installing it. Cloud-based solutions avoid all of this, leading to lower costs overall.
      • Scalability. Cloud-based services can scale as business scales. The cost of purchasing ten licenses for Office 365, for instance, is much lower than buying one hundred.
      • Easy To Use. The app-like nature of most SaaS solutions means that you don't have to invest so much time and money training staff to use features effectively. Many services are highly intuitive and self-explanatory.

     

    Managed Services vs. SaaS

    Managed services are different. While SaaS provides companies with software that they can use over the cloud (with all of the attendant benefits), managed services go a step further. They often offer additional support by taking care of both networking and hardware requirements.

    Take SIEM software, for instance. SIEM software might be a SaaS if the developer provides it through the cloud. Still, it doesn't qualify as a managed service until another third-party company takes over things like monitoring from in-house IT staff. A fully-managed security solution, like BitLyft's partnership with LogRhythm, would not only provide a firm with SIEM software but also have a dedicated SOC with trained analysts processing security logs and events.

    Customer relationship management tools also provide an excellent example of the difference between SaaS and managed services. A company like Salesforce offers CRM as SaaS. Salesforce allows companies to access their CRM facilities through cloud portals, charging them a fee depending on the number of users (for instance, the number of customer reps at a real estate agency). Salesforce's CRM services only become managed services when clients outsource tasks like communicating with customers or analyzing CRM data to Salesforce itself. Salesforce certifications are required to offer such services. Suddenly, SaaS turns into a managed service which takes over the human component.

    Managed services can also go further than managing software and help businesses on the hardware side too. Suppose, for instance, that a firm outsources the task of maintaining security on its IT network to a third-party firm. That third-party firm might do things like event reporting and threat detection, but it could also offer firms support to upgrade and improve their hardware. A managed security company, for instance, could recommend that a firm switch out its ailing servers and replace them with services rendered through the cloud. Managed services, therefore, are more comprehensive than SaaS, and can spur the transformation of the overall company IT strategy.

    Managed Services vs. SaaS: Defining the terms 

    Managed IT services are IT tasks provided by a third-party vendor to a customer - this can be businesses of all sizes. The managed service provider has the responsibility to maintain the IT operations of the organization that avails the service. There are different types of managed services, but it all boils down to the transfer of IT management from the customer to the service provider. 

    On the other hand, the software as a service model is a category of cloud computing alongside infrastructure as a service and platform as a service model. The SaaS model involves software distribution in which a third-party vendor hosts, maintains and upgrades applications that are available to customers via the Internet. If an organization has ever utilized any software from the cloud, then it has used SaaS. 

     

    The software as a service model might be a good fit for businesses that have full commitment to staff their IT infrastructure but need outsourced applications to have cutting edge services and be on the next level. In short, the businesses that will get the most advantage out of SaaS are those that have existing IT infrastructure. On the other hand, managed IT service providers collaborate with their customers and provide IT expertise and pre-built IT infrastructure. There are also remote IT service providers that fully maintain and control their customers' IT operations so that these customers will focus on more critical business projects and processes. 

    Managed Services vs. SaaS: The Cost 

    Many companies love the SaaS model because it provides a low-cost alternative to traditional software solutions. It offers businesses the flexibility to scale up or down and implement the latest products without having to experience expensive processes. On the other hand, managed IT services are more expensive. Although the methods are costly, managed services offer far more comprehensive operations and solutions. Managed service providers can provide support in integrating, maintaining, and upgrading software to give a better flow of work. 

    There are different types of pricing models for managed IT services and SaaS. Let's start with managed services pricing models that are most popular for businesses. These are the following: Per-user, per-device, monitoring only, and tiered pricing models. 

      • Per-User pricing model typically charges a monthly flat rate per end user. It covers IT support on all user devices and is a straightforward pricing model that can help minimize the guesswork.
      • Another pricing model for remote IT services is the per-device option. This provides a flat rate for each type of supported device. For example, a basic per-device pricing model may assign a monthly flat rate of $99 per managed network, $29 per network printer, $299 per server, and $69 per desktop. This pricing model makes the pricing structure simple and more comfortable to give customers a quotation or estimate of the cost.
      • Monitoring only pricing model is another option for utilizing managed services. Managed service providers are in charge only of monitoring the network and alerting their customers. Customers are billed for remediation tasks identified through monitoring.
      • Lastly, one of the most popular pricing models is the tiered pricing option. This model sells bundled packages of IT services. The price increases as the business avail more services. This option is the most flexible pricing model for remote IT services. 

     

    The software as a service solution also has different pricing models popular to businesses, and these are as follows: flat rate, usage-based, tiered, and per-user pricing models. 

      • The simplest pricing model for SaaS is the flat rate option. SaaS providers offer a single price, a single product, and a single set of features. This is billed monthly and has similarities to the software licensing model before the cloud existed.
      • The usage-Based pricing model is also known as Pay as You Go model. This pricing option relates to the cost of SaaS products to its users. If businesses use more of the product, the bill increases and if they use smaller, the fee decreases.
      • Another option is the tiered pricing model. This allows for multiple-package offers, with different combinations of features charged at various price points.
      • Lastly, the per-user pricing model is the go-to SaaS pricing option. It's popular because of its simplicity. A single user spends a monthly flat rate; add another user, and the cost doubles and so on. 

     

    Managed Services vs. SaaS: Services offered 

    The most common services offered when using remote IT services are remote monitoring and management of servers, desktops, and mobile devices. Remote monitoring and management are usually the foundational services provided by managed service providers. However, there are also other services offered. One popular option is the managed security services since businesses demand IT security support from their remote service providers. Following this, service providers have been developing practices when it comes to IT security. They have also been partnering with third-party vendors that specialize in cybersecurity. 

    Remote IT services have also progressed to provide cloud services with the advent of cloud computing. In other words, it can offer one of the categories of cloud computing, which is SaaS. 

    On the other hand, SaaS offers two standard service models: the hosted application management model and the software on-demand model. In a hosted application management model, the provider hosts the customer's software and with the use of the Internet, delivers the software to approved end-users. In the software on-demand model, the SaaS provider offers customers access to a single copy of a software that the provider created particularly for SaaS distribution. The source code of the software is the same for all the users. When there are new functionalities or features, these are rolled out to all the users. 

    There are specific SaaS applications for essential business activities and tasks, such as sales management, customer relationship management, email, financial management, billing, and collaboration. 

     

    Managed Services vs SaaS: Security 

    Every business investment carries certain risks. Perhaps the most significant asset to any organization is the assurance of cybersecurity. 

    Remote IT services offer different benefits to keep an organization's data secure. These benefits include constant remote monitoring and the creation of relevant reports to inform the organization about the state of its system. Another security benefit is the supply of compliance assistance, risk assessment and correlation analyses to keep a steady overview of the activities of the network. 

    With SaaS, on the other hand, the customers don't have complete control over their data since the data is hosted in the cloud. Although a customer has the advantage of accessing SaaS applications anywhere with the use of the Internet, the customer must perform a security review of the application before subscribing, especially when it is deployed on a public cloud. 

    Managed Services vs SaaS: Stability and Predictability 

    One of the most promising things that managed IT services offer is their stability. Unlike the break/fix model where an IT professional is only available when there is an issue, managed IT service providers have a 24/7 availability and prevent all issues from happening. 

    In the SaaS model, on the other hand, data portability can be the problem. The situation can become unpredictable and unstable. What happens to an organization's data stored in the cloud if the SaaS providers go bankrupt? Unfortunately, this is one of the risks an organization needs to take when opting for a SaaS solution. 

    Managed Services vs SaaS: Scalability 

    Businesses grow, and their needs change. At some point, the solution business has invested in may be necessarily changed or updated. Scalability and flexibility are vital to any business using different IT solutions. 

    With remote IT services, an organization doesn't have to worry about switching up approach as it gets bigger because a managed service provider is already setup to do just that seamlessly. They can address day-to-day IT issues, maintain and monitor the network or system, and help an organization plan for future needs when it comes to technology. 

    SaaS solutions usually reside in scalable cloud environments that can integrate with other SaaS offerings. Using SaaS, users don't have to buy another server or software as compared to traditional models. SaaS applications are scalable by enabling an organization to choose the delivery model and changing it when the requirements of the business change. With SaaS, it is easier to turn on an additional set of components, integrate to other systems, and get new application users. 

    Managed Services vs SaaS: Updates and Upgrades

    For managed IT services, there are basics services offered for upgrading the system. This includes software updates, patches, and upgrades for servers and desktops. Any machines covered by the agreement with the service provider have an automatic you updates run on schedule. Organizations availing these services don't have to worry about the time it takes to check for updates and apply necessary patches. Updating and upgrading happen automatically using managed IT services. 

    For SaaS model, upgrades are also done automatically by the service provider. The SaaS provider ensures that organizations they are partnering with have the most up-to-date version of the software. This is done without having to re-customize or reimplement any of the preset features. Service level agreements between the SaaS provider and the availing organization typically includes frequent, automatic, and frequent upgrades as part of the subscription.

    Managed Services vs SaaS: Availability and Accessibility

    With the right managed IT, service provider, 24/7 help is available, which means all-day and all-night services are provided. This also includes weekends, holidays, and in the middle of the night. This kind of IT support provides and ensures a superior level of productivity for the availing organization, regardless of the time and date. 

    On the other hand, the SaaS model can be available and accessed in all locations with an Internet connection. This is unlike licensed software that provides limited access because it is dedicated only to a specific number of devices and can't be accessed using foreign computers. Location is not only the advantage of SaaS when it comes to accessibility. SaaS model is compatible across multiple devices, and this advantage increases mobility and independence.

    Though the cost for a SaaS application is often much less than for a managed service application, users pay for up-close attention, maintenance and support, seamless upgrades, and customization that MSPs can offer. When weighing one model against the other, first consider how integral the software you're purchasing is to your organization.

    Some applications may be vital to the organization but may not need much differentiation from those used by competitors, and a SaaS is fine here too, he adds. The customer relationship management (CRM) application Salesforce is one example. For areas of the business that need customized software or software that must be tightly integrated with other areas, consider the hands-on help an MSP can offer.

    But as great a solution as SaaS can be, it only applies to your software headaches - and if you need to customize your software heavily, it may not even go that far. A managed services plan, on the other hand, does much more than merely handle your software logistics. Managed services also include taking care of all your hardware and networking needs (by dealing with multiple vendors, so you don't have to). Still, they can also include everything from regular backups to troubleshooting and repair. It costs more, but it's worth it - so contact us and get the details!

    The Benefits of Having Your Business’s IT Managed

    Posted on by Oak & Bluebird
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    The Benefits of Having Your Business’s IT Managed

    Businesses are always on the hunt to increase their operational efficiency and cut their costs. That's easy to do in some parts of the business - you can hire interns to cut on labour costs for menial tasks. You can find a cheaper coffee supplier for the break room

    But some areas require a little more effort. We're talking about the IT department here.

    Internal IT departments often struggle with putting out proverbial fires and handling troublesome IT projects. However, you can always turn to professional managed IT services to take care of these things for you.

    Companies of all sizes place a priority on operational efficiency, but not all businesses are equally equipped to maintain this efficiency. Small businesses may have limited IT resources, meaning they can quickly fall behind in updates and network management, placing the company's system at risk of an outage or breach. For many, the solution is a managed IT service.

    Managed services have been on the rise in the business world, with reportedly 64 per cent of organizations in 2016 using managed services of some type or another. The same report predicted a managed services market growth rate of 12.5 percent between 2017 and 2020, making this valuable asset all the more relevant across the board.

    Unsure if managed support services are right for your business? Let's take a look at the essence of managed IT services, how they differ from other solutions and what their overall benefits are. You may find yourself surprised by all these services can provide.

    These days, it's not only large companies that need technology to compete in their respective markets. Reliance on IT is growing, but are the efforts to increase IT support within small businesses moving at the same rate? To keep companies from being overwhelmed due to limits on IT resources, managed service providers, or MSPs, have entered to identify threats and fix potential problems as warning signs arise.

    Essentially, managed IT services involve delegating IT tasks and operations to a third-party provider who is responsible for around-the-clock monitoring, management and repair. There is a good chance this approach to technical support differs greatly from what you're used to if all you have ever considered in the past is a traditional break/fix solution. Here's a closer look at those differences.

    What Are the Different Types of IT Services Available?

     

    Network Security

    Perhaps the most significant asset to any business is the assurance of cybersecurity. Don't allow stolen data to result in a loss or damage your brand. Instead, you can receive the software and support you need to protect yourself against any potential threat. We can offer a few additional benefits to keep your data secure:

    Constant remote monitoring and generation of relevant reports to inform you on the state of your systems

    A complete supply of compliance assistance, risk assessment and correlation analyses to keep a steady overview of network activity

    Notifications of maintenance requirements and security alarms. Active prevention of unauthorized network access

    Never underestimate the value of reliably managed network security. With our experience and dedication, you can trust your data is safe and the health of your system is consistent.

    Network Administration

    Backing up your data, coordinating devices and troubleshooting solutions can be a full-time endeavour. Since the setup and maintenance of your network can easily distract from other business responsibilities, you may find outsourcing to be beneficial. We understand setting up systems and arranging connectivity shouldn't be your primary job, so let us take the lead through our services like:

      • Creating unified communications and connecting mobile devices

     

      • Establishing network security and connectivity

     

      • Offering our network operations centre for managing connection hurdles and diagnosing slowdown causes on a 24/7 basis

     

      • Thanks to managed IT services, keeping your network running at all times has never been easier.

     

     

    Reliable Response Services

    When your team needs extra troubleshooting support, make the most of your time by taking advantage of certified technicians who can assist you in diagnosing and correcting any concerns.

    Our Kloud offers quick assistance thanks to:

      1. Our large team, familiar with issues big and small

     

      1. A commitment to exceeding expectations in every project we take on.

     

      1. Controlled communications and an emphasis on customer satisfaction

     

    The best MSP will provide you with efficient response times and smart solutions to any software or hardware errors you may encounter. The Help Desk staff seeks to do just that.

    Cloud Computing and Data Backup

    Until recently, the cloud was not nearly as relevant as it is today. However, companies are increasingly relying on web-based platforms to store and manage their data. Rather than having cloud infrastructure management demand too much of your IT team's time, allow a reliable MSP to take over the job.

    Doing so provides you with:

      1. Increased functionality and administration of your shareable content

     

      1. Backups of your information to prevent an accidental loss of data

     

      1. Maintaining safe operations to guarantee easy accessibility for your staff.

     

    As you navigate cutting-edge cloud-based technologies, don't let organization and updates bog you down.

    Managed services are the way of the future because they allow companies to discover and address technical issues before they can take a negative toll on your business. Thanks to proactive service and regular maintenance, you can rest assured your computer network will run smoothly and efficiently.

    Apart from preventing disasters before they can strike, there are a few other benefits to think about when deciding whether to take the next steps toward managed IT services.

    Cost reduction for your IT needs

    Manage your IT budget more efficiently by establishing a long-term partnership with a reliable MSP that will save you money over time. Typically, MSPs accomplish this by keeping systems updated, reducing hardware costs, maintaining high levels of security and providing expert knowledge all at a fixed monthly rate, meaning you can request as much service as you need without worrying about the bills piling up.

    System centralization allows for constant visibility.

    MSPs help centralize your network applications and servers into a single data centre. This centralization allows for faster speed and increased accessibility from all staff, regardless of their location. With a centralized system, access to your company data improves, allowing your employees and executives greater access. The system also facilitates secure mobile and web access points so your staff can continue to work on the go.

    High-level support on up-to-date tech

    One of the perks of constant monitoring and system management is that you can count on continually upgraded IT systems at no additional cost or financial risk. Your IT systems will be guaranteed to be as current as possible, and you have access to enterprise-level services at an affordable rate!

    Minimized downtime and significant productivity increases

     Because of advances in network security and the MSP proactive approach to addressing potential risks, you can almost guarantee you won't have to deal with the system failures and shutdowns that can hinder company progress. When you minimize technology-related frustrations, your teams can focus on their work and achieve a higher level of productivity than ever before.

    Peace of mind regarding efficiency and security

    It's a common misconception that outsourcing decreases your level of data security. Instead, you can rest easy knowing MSPs must follow stringent safety and data management regulations and are designed to provide robust backup and recovery systems, making them much more capable of protecting your data than even in-house IT teams. Additionally, you won't have to worry about system failures leaving you in a time crunch on a significant project, thanks to monitoring systems that address concerns early on.

    Extended relationship with an expert service provider

    Since your MSP will become extensively familiar with your business and your system over time, you can count on excellent service that is ready to assist you at a moment's notice. The specialists assigned to you have greater accountability to thoroughly help your business with any IT issues that may come up, allowing your in-house staff to focus on their daily tasks, rather than changing course to address a technology problem on their own or dealing with a break/fix technician.

    To reap any of these benefits, however, you need to find a provider who will give you the attention you deserve and the reliable service that will help you accomplish your tasks unhindered. To do so, you need to know what to look for in an MSP partner you can trust.

    What Are the Best Strategies for Choosing a Managed Service Provider?

    Before committing an MSP, get to know the company to discover whether their values align with your organization's priorities. Knowing whether an IT service provider is trustworthy and reliable may take a few conversations, but a few key attributes can help you determine if a particular company is a good fit. Consider the following tips to assist you in your search.

    Look for evidence of experience in your field.

    With different trends and customer bases, your industry will require a knowledge of specific requirements in your IT support. Technology isn't the only thing that is changing rapidly, so make sure you find an MSP that understands your vision on top of keeping up with tech innovations.

    Find a provider that takes on challenges with a positive attitude.

    Even if an IT provider has a limited background in your industry, if they have a go-getter attitude, you may find their services are worth investing in. You may have some unique technology challenges for them to wrestle with, and if they appear willing, inquisitive and enthusiastic about learning new solutions, they may just be the right fit.

    Expect available service that will go above and beyond.

    A dependable partner will give 110 percent every single time. For example, we always seek to exceed our clients' expectations. Since there's no way to predict when a tech emergency may strike, we also believe in around-the-clock, year-round service with buzzer-beating response times. Ask your prospective MSP about their remote monitoring and how often they will be available to assist you in times of need.

    Search for a long-term commitment to growth and scalability

    Don't settle for a company that is stuck in the past or focused on increasingly obsolete technologies. Rather than only addressing former successes, your MSP should aim to discover new advances and prepare for future generations. That way, you can ensure out-of-date solutions won't impede your future growth and success.

    Pay attention to the company's qualifications, service options and contract terms.

    The ideal MSP for your needs will understand the software that is most widely acknowledged in your field, and they will have the right certifications to service these products. Additionally, their contract options, whether month-to-month or annual, will have your budget in mind to maximize your investment. Ask plenty of questions relating to their policies so you can make an informed decision.

    How Much It Costs?

    The most significant factors in determining their prices are the kind of services provided and the grade of involvement needed from your dedicated IT support team.

    An externally-managed and fully-integrated IT support will cost more in flat-fees than just monitoring services, but you don't need to worry about paying more in variable extra charges. And you're also getting way more - you mostly get an entire IT department!

    The complexity of your infrastructure is also a consideration for managed IT services pricing. The presence of technology devices and systems help managed services providers define how complex your business IT system is and price their services accordingly.

    IT people command good salaries and having just a full-time IT manager can be a significant expense. There's more to know than any one person can, so hiring just one person may not be enough. A large enterprise can afford a full-time staff, but it's a burden for a business that doesn't have many employees. Managed services let you share the cost with other customers while getting the expertise needed to keep your systems running.

    With managed services, your costs are predictable. "Break-fix" service may seem cheaper, but recovering from a service disruption can be very expensive when it happens. You have to factor in not just the cost of correcting the problem but the time lost and the effect of downtime and stolen data on your business's reputation.

    One of the greatest incentives to partner with a managed service provider is its extreme cost-effectiveness. With managed services, organizations can:

      • Reduce operational costs

     

      • Conserve capital budget

     

      • Lower IT operating expenses

     

    The majority of MSPs operate on a subscription-based model where clients pay annual or monthly fees for services, allowing them to foresee if it is feasible to remain within their budget. Clients receive a service level agreement (SLA) that's customized to their company's precise needs, allowing them to efficiently manage hardware and software, increase productivity and reduce the total cost of application ownership. MSP clients typically pay for the services they require, rather than for expensive packages with extraneous services they don't need.

    World-class It Managed Service Provider That You Must Have

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    World-class It Managed Service Provider That You Must Have

    The Best It Managed Service Provider That You Need

    More small and midsize businesses are turning to managed service providers to manage and maintain their network and systems infrastructure. As businesses start to grow, so do their technology needs. Growing businesses often find that they save time and money by contracting with the right Managed Services partner. Managed Services allow you to augment your existing IT staff and infrastructure by partnering with a dedicated IT firm to take care of your network, servers, computers, and all your technology needs. 

    This is the perfect solution for companies who need to operate at peak efficiency but do not have the resources to manage a large on-site IT staff. Choosing the right partner for your Managed Services needs is important. Here are 10 Things to look for as you are evaluating a managed services provider:

    Revolved around you

    Working with a managed service provider should not be about relinquishing control of your IT operations, but delegating expertise of IT operations, technology or hardware that an MSP has access to, but your company may not have readily available.

    A world-class MSP will revolve around your business goals and provide strategic plans that cater to your business's technological needs. The focus will be on the customer's performance and growth; not the other way around.

    Flexible

    Your organization is unique, and you may want to leverage your managed services differently than other businesses in the industry. A world-class MSP should have the flexibility to collaborate with multi-vendor environments or integrate your old systems with new ones according to new updates in pertinent technology.

    You may want to have a hybrid environment on-premises with servers and others in the cloud. Your line of the business application may be critical to your business operations. A world-class MSP will offer flexible options to meet your needs.

    Process-driven

    Have you ever returned to a restaurant for a dish you enjoyed, and the presentation, taste and texture were totally different than what you enjoyed the first time? It shouldn't matter who's behind the kitchen that day. A restaurant should have a process around their kitchen where the customer can have a predictable, quality dish every time around.

    A World-class MSP will also have a process around providing managed services to deliver world-class results. Processes are set, defined and refined on a continual basis, and people follow them. 

     

    Seek to improve

    A World-class MSP will always seek to improve. They have key metrics that are measured and improved upon. A goal of creating a culture of accountability within the team maintains an atmosphere of constant innovation and improvement.

    Strong company culture

    A world-class MSP has a set of core values that are respected and followed by every team member. They make personnel decisions based on those core values and attain employees that are not only talented and capable but ones who care about the customers and their everyday problems.

    Availability

    You don't work 24 hours a day, but your computer network needs to, and so does your IT provider. When choosing any managed services offering, you must make sure your provider is available to you 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. Your business depends on it.

    Fast Service and Response Time

    Not only does your provider need to be available all the time, but they also need to respond quickly to your needs and problems. Make sure that your IT provider doesn't forward calls to a call centre, but actually responds in a timely manner. Look for guaranteed response time.

    Annual IT Budget Planning

    A good managed services provider will sit down with you and assist in your technology planning for the future. Look for their advice and expertise to assist you with yearly planning and look for ways for you to save money and improve efficiency on technology that will help your company grow to the next level. Make sure your managed services provider is forward-thinking and looks out for your interests.

    Disaster Recovery Planning

    If your business is hit with a weather disaster, vandalism, or other outages, are you prepared? A good managed services provider will help you plan for the future, protect your data, and make sure your business can recover from a disruptive event.

    Third-party Vendor Partnerships

    An advantage of using a managed services provider is that they can handle technology vendors for you, saving you the time of tracking down multiple vendors for service and support. When evaluating a provider, look at who they partner with and make sure they have expertise on the tools you use.

    Local On-Site Maintenance and Support

    Make sure you choose a vendor that is available for onsite support. Using a local provider is a huge benefit to making sure you have the best service.

    Daily Backups and Cloud Services

    Using a managed services provider is a great way to ensure your data stays safe and secure. Make sure your provider provides automatic and consistent backups, backed up on a remote server for safety.

    Security Testing and Monitoring

    A good managed services firm will help protect your network from cyber-criminals and hackers. Make sure that your plan includes regular security testing and monitoring for attacks.

    Employee Support

    If your employees are fighting with technology, they can't get their jobs done. Make sure your IT managed services provider is available to provide fast answers to technology questions and use remote access to resolve issues quickly.

    Proactive Maintenance

    At a busy, growing company, often the temptation is to only fix technology when it is not working. A managed services partner will make sure you are pro-actively running the updates you need now to avoid problems later.

    Managed Services Help Your Bottom Line

    Whether it is improving efficiency by saving time, saving money on problems before they occur, or avoiding costly disasters and repairs, a managed services provider can bring great value to your business and improve your bottom line. Finding a true partner to look out for your technology needs will help your business grow to the next level.

    Tips for Choosing the Best IT Managed Service Provider

    Nowadays, the incorporation of IT into your workspace is a key element towards the success of any business or enterprise, regardless of its size or sector. More often than not, organizations turn to IT managed service providers to help them in the implementation and management of critical It resources. Here are some useful tips and things to look for in your next It Managed service provider.

    Identify Business Requirements

    Before starting to look at prices and comparing companies through that sole indicator, it is best to analyze the needs of your company. Most managed IT providers have a selection of services that can benefit your business. These can range from communication tools to help your teams be more productive, to back-end cyber-security technologies and policies to protect your network from cyber-threats. 

    Any business needs a good IT service provider to be successful, and implementing some of the technology needs of a business is often not an easy task. Therefore, it's prudent to leave IT management to the hands of true specialists. A managed IT service provider's job is to ensure all of your workspace's technology needs are met.

    Find potential partners that align with your requirements.

    Once you have identified your business requirements, you can start doing research and analyze the different offers and skills managed services partners have. Although most organizations tend to work with Managed Service providers that have industry-specific knowledge, more important than this is to work with a company that understands the impact of technology in business outcomes as their view of technology will be more holistic providing you with powerful insights into how to optimize your IT investments. 

    Evaluate Providers based on key capabilities and expertise

    When finding an IT Managed service provider, there are seven key capabilities that will determine their knowledge, experience and give you a better idea of their approach to managing technology environments. 

    Experience in the market: In a very competitive market, choosing a seasoned managed IT service provider is the best way to ensure a top of the line service. A proven track record of having attended to diverse cases, with a history of offering efficient technology solutions that have led to the satisfaction of their customers.

    Knowledge and Innovation: MSPs (Managed Services Providers) need to be knowledgeable in industry-leading solutions, having partnerships with industry leaders such as Cisco, Microsoft and DellEMc is a good indicator of the level of specialization a partner can have to deploy and manage a high-performing solution. Moreover, look for an MSP who has innovated developing their proprietary solutions based on these technologies. Many times these solutions will be tailored and fully designed for SMBs like yours with a backend of enterprise technologies.

    Efficient IT advisory services

    An ideal managed IT service provider should make a personalized strategic plan for your company, and then advise you on the best ways to implement technology so you can reduce costs and maximize efficiency, while at the same time getting all your IT needs. Effective assistance is not limited to face-to-face but must also be done remotely. Make sure the IT service provider has experts that offer a personalized consulting service for your business. Finally, the services that work best are those that maintain a balanced cost-benefit relationship.

    Offer a range of services. 

    An IT service provider with experiences in services like cybersecurity, networking, and systems can offer a comprehensive view of your technology environment. All of these technologies work in tandem towards your business success so finding an IT service provider that understands it that way is essential as you can trust more and more of your infrastructure to them knowing you are in great hands. In this day and age in which cloud technology is becoming more and more prominent, ensuring that the provider offers cloud solutions, as well as full migration, should be a priority.

    Cyber-security

    A company that offers proper security for your company should be a priority. Items like firewalls are important to prevent something unexpected from happening with your data, as well as from hedging against cyber-attackers. A company that offers credible security services should be necessary in order to protect your data and make sure IT operations in your business run smoothly.

    Certified experts

     Not all managed service providers have them. Accreditation of a recognized certification guarantees maturity, experience in the work processes and adds greater value for the clients. The quality of the training of technicians adds to the incorporation of effective solutions that are adjusted to the diverse IT needs a company might have.

    Constantly updated

     Ensuring efficient communication and maintaining a good relationship with their clients should be prioritized by your IT managed service provider. Full transparency should be available, as well as support that works for your company's working hours. 

    Furthermore, by following these general guidelines towards choosing the best managed IT service provider for your company, your company will be benefited, given that it will ensure the best possible outcome for all your technology needs while at the same time maximizing your return on investment. 

    These tips are the result of what we've seen with our customers over the years. They summarized some of the biggest concerns businesses like yours have expressed when hiring Tekscape as their managed service provider. How have we helped?

      • By reducing the complexity of IT deployments, making it easier for our customers to reallocate resources into more business-centric technologies. 

     

      • By increasing the return on investment for various companies and helping increase workforce productivity through collaboration solutions.

     

      • By ensuring smoothly run IT operations for several companies providing 24/7 assistance for any issues that may arise.

     

    Why do we need managed services?

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    Why do we need managed services?

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      The importance of managed services

      Companies of all sizes place a priority on operational efficiency, but not all businesses are equally equipped to maintain this efficiency. Small businesses may have limited IT resources, meaning they can quickly fall behind in updates and network management, placing the company's system at risk of an outage or breach. For many, the solution is a managed IT service.

      Managed services have been on the rise in the business world, with reportedly 64 per cent of organizations in 2016 using managed services of some type or another. The same report predicted a managed services market growth rate of 12.5 per cent between 2017 and 2020, making this valuable asset all the more relevant across the board.

      Unsure if managed support services are right for your business? Let's take a look at the essence of managed IT services, how they differ from other solutions and what their overall benefits are. You may find yourself surprised by all these services.

      By 2019, the managed-services market is projected to grow by $193 billion. Both small, medium and large businesses are becoming very aware of the reasons to choose the managed-services business model, and the demand is strong. Here's an outline of some of the reasons why your business should choose IT managed-services.

       

      Are you still relying on your in-house IT team to maintain your systems? It might be time for a change.

      Technology has come a long way since the days of break/fix IT, and the reality is that most internal IT services aren't equipped to keep up with the pace of innovation. As a result, many organizations find their IT to be reactive rather than proactive, and that their systems struggle to keep up with the demands of a growing business in a digital world.

      If you've ever scoffed at the idea of outsourcing support to a third-party provider because you think your current IT structure is fine or because of concerns about cost, now is the time to reconsider. There are numerous benefits to managed services, especially if you're using a system like Microsoft Dynamics 365.

      What are Managed IT Services?

      Before we dive into the advantages of the managed services model, let's go over the basics.

      The term managed services refer to the practice of outsourcing business administration and management responsibilities to a third party. You'll notice that this definition isn't specific to IT - that's because managed services can describe anything from supply chain management to marketing strategy to call centre operations. That said, managed IT services is the most commonly referred to as a type of managed service and will be the focus of this article.

      The demand for managed services has grown exponentially in recent years. The global managed services market was valued at $185.98 billion in 2019 and is projected to reach $356.24 by 2025.

      This increase in demand can be largely attributed to small and medium-sized businesses who require access to the latest technology in order to maintain a competitive edge in their respective markets and to sustain their continued growth but lack the IT budget to meet those goals. The good news is that managed services enables SMBs to play at the same level as middle-market and enterprise-level organizations, without overextending themselves - and that's only one of the benefits of the managed services model.

      A Shift in Mentality Regarding Technical Support Services

      Before managed services entered the market, there was only one way to deal with technical difficulties. At the time, if a server or desktop quit operating effectively, the only approach would be calling a professional, trying to explain the problem and scrambling to come up with a solution in record time. While this standard was acceptable at one point, now, it is not enough.

      With the technological developments of the 21st century, waiting for problems to arise and systems to fail before taking action is no longer a viable option. Our increasing dependence on automated systems and digital databases means technology outages can have a profoundly negative impact on business operations. If a network goes down or an email server is inaccessible for substantial periods of time, the loss in productivity and revenue could be devastating.

      Due to these higher stakes, the need for security and adequate support to prevent system failure and to catch potential issues before they happen is critical. That is a gap managed IT services have come into the industry to fill.

      Enhanced Security and Compliance

      Today, security and compliance are a major concern for all businesses. Operating systems, smartphones, tablets, laptops and other types of technology store and transmit important data. This makes security-critical. Falling victim to a security breach or hacker is a common fear. A breach can cost companies a loss in reputation and a huge loss in dollars. Managed service providers help protect businesses from a security breach event and take quick action if one does occur. All businesses must be compliant with regulations specific to their industry, especially the legal and health industries. A managed service provider can supplement additional policies, protocols, and procedures to ensure compliance.

      Efficient and Reliable IT Operations

      This is one of the most important reasons businesses need to manage IT services. Lack of employees with the knowledge and skills to handle an entire network and an overburdened IT staff leads to inefficiency and unreliability. It isn't easy to negate the value of having an IT provider. It's a partnership that is collaborative that leads to more efficient and reliable IT operations. While it doesn't replace an in-house IT staff, it enhances its capabilities. Not only do issues get resolved quickly, but businesses also have the benefits of the latest technology and innovative solutions to maximize uptime and profitability. These technologies include cloud computing, backup and disaster recovery and remote monitoring and management. The need to keep the entire IT infrastructure efficient and reliable is a big reason for managed IT services.

      Cost-Effectiveness and Return on Investment

      Working with a managed IT service provider benefits companies financially. It's a considerable cost saving. It helps control outgoing expenses and increases return on investment. Typically, an IT budget consists of many things like IT labour, maintenance costs, software and network infrastructure and hardware costs. Using outdated software negatively impacts the return on investment. Plus, managed IT services provide scalability and flexibility to grow in a manner that internal IT teams cannot provide. Businesses can easily project IT expenses every month and can plan for improvements and larger projects. IT services play an instrumental role in cost-effectiveness and return on investment.

      A Proactive Approach to Maintenance

      This is another major reason to work with a managed IT, service provider. Businesses no longer have to waste time thinking about their IT infrastructure. There's no need to worry about daily things like the speed of network connections and dependability. With a managed IT service provider, businesses are given the luxury of an all-day, every day around the clock coverage. Security and service solutions are always at work, detecting potential disturbances, vulnerabilities, and threats. Issues and bugs can most likely be detected and fixed before the business is even aware of a problem. And data management on the cloud with a service provider yields more revenue. IT service providers offer a proactive community with regular and encrypted backups, virtualization and cloud computing.

      Free Up Internal IT Staff to Concentrate on Strategic Projects

      Often, businesses need their internal staff to focus their energy on other tasks. It's a good reason to work with an IT managed provider. Projects and other needed tasks get the time and attention needed. It maximizes the company's IT budget. Think about it. It doesn't make any practical sense to have an internal IT team handling things like migrating over to Microsoft Office 365 when a provider can expertly handle it. With specialized services, managed service providers take the pressure off the internal IT team.

      Variety of Solutions

      Many businesses need solutions specific to their individual needs, such as accounting software solutions and customer relationship management software (CRM). Managed service providers offer accounting software to monitor their transactions. It automates the business process and manual information. With CRM, businesses can get greater visibility garner through:

        • surveys

       

        • notes

       

        • campaigns

       

      The result is a secure data control system that helps manage business information and customer information. With accounting software solutions, businesses can monitor financial information, vendors and taxes. It's designed to suit the needs of the specific company.

      Technology is transforming the world of business. But it changes fast and is a complex industry. Most companies today want to streamline their IT operations and turn to managed IT service providers to accomplish that goal. 

      Cost-Effective

      One of the top reasons why companies choose managed IT services is because it's much more cost-effective than hiring permanent staff.

      The resources required to manage your IT services can be immense. The demand for your tech-savvy staff members will gradually become overwhelming to handle. If you're determined to grow your company, it's important to outsource IT services so that your staff can concentrate on other stuff.

      For small and medium-sized businesses, it makes financial sense to outsource it to a professional IT management firm. This way, the finance team can calculate exactly how much is required to manage the IT systems each month. Your financial team will surely thank you for helping them determine the budget for monthly operations expenses.

      Access to Latest Tech Knowledge

      How can small and medium-sized businesses be expected to keep up with the latest development in technology at the time? By outsourcing your systems to IT managed services, you can leave the experts to address any issues.

      This means that you get access to the latest tech knowledge and resources to make sure your company stays ahead of the game. But the best part is that you don't have to pay over the odds for it.

      Maximize Uptime

      Uptime is the time in which a computer network is up and running. If you want to keep your company's IT systems running all the time, it's important to have the managed IT support from the professionals.

      Emergencies and disasters happen. Your company needs to be prepared for the worst-case scenario. If you're not downtime could cause untold damage to your credibility and ability to operate. By outsourcing your IT services to the experts, they'll make sure your company has a business disaster recovery plan (BDR) in place in case of downtime.

      With managed IT services, you don't just get the occasional check-in. But rather it's a 24/7 service that ensures your IT systems are running all the time properly. No matter how big or small the problem, you could consult the managed IT services for a solution. You can sleep easy knowing everything is taken care of.

      But sometimes you won't even notice that there was a problem. Before you know it, the IT managed support will have everything working soundly once again. This means that any slight glitches or pesky bugs will be taken care of immediately.

       

      Security and Data Protection

      Do you work with other organizations and client data?

      It's important that they can trust you. If they know that you have a secure IT system in place, they will have no problem doing business with you. With managed IT services, you confidently know that your client's data is protected. Regulations and compliance are constantly changing. It's difficult to keep up with the latest policy changes. By employing managed IT support, you can rest peacefully that your system will comply with the regulation.

      Security is a top concern of organizations of all sizes. It's not surprising either, especially considering that a direct cyberattack can cost businesses as much as $40,000 per hour.

      Security is a really broad topic, too. Proper security measures include protecting the network, the endpoints, the servers, and more. Security efforts never sleep, either. To be fully protected, you need to have active security measures running within your organization 24/7/365.

      For your business, that might sap valuable time and resources that you don't have. But the right managed service provider can dispatch experienced teams of cybersecurity experts to help you at a moment's notice. They'll also use advanced next-gen security applications and devices to keep your employees, clients, hardware, and data fully secure.

      Proactive Managed Support

      If you've had a computer issue, you'll know how annoying it is to sit and wait for someone to help you. Each second of downtime for you (or any member of your staff) is likely going to cost you dearly.

      With a managed service provider as your partner, you can get around-the-clock support for these issues. If you have a problem, you'll have an experienced technician guiding you to full computer recovery within a short period. It's a pretty great feature. However, that's far from the greatest benefit of managed services.

      Managed services operate on a flat-rate fee. It's in the best interest of your managed services partner to quell issues before they ever come up. That's why managed service providers work so diligently. By proactively taking care of your IT infrastructure, they effectively reduce the number of potential errors and trouble tickets from ever arising in the first place.

      Included Bundled Services

      When it comes to IT, there's a very good chance that your business isn't doing everything it should. Internal IT departments are limited in scope based on your current (and immediate) IT needs, as well as the IT budget.

      But managed service providers get a little more flexibility.

      The right managed service provider will take care of many aspects of your technology that you might have never even considered. That includes building a solid data backup and recovery plan, creating organized network documentation, recommending upgrades to your IT infrastructure, and more.

      What Are the Best Strategies for Choosing a Managed Service Provider?

      Before committing an MSP, please get to know the company to discover whether their values align with your organization's priorities. Knowing whether an IT service provider is trustworthy and reliable may take a few conversations. Still, a few key attributes can help you determine if a particular company is a good fit. Consider the following tips to assist you in your search.

        • Look for evidence of experience in your field. With different trends and customer bases, your industry will require a knowledge of specific requirements in your IT support. Technology isn't the only thing that is changing rapidly, so make sure you find an MSP that understands your vision on top of keeping up with tech innovations.

       

        • Find a provider that takes on challenges with a positive attitude. Even if an IT provider has a limited background in your industry, if they have a go-getter attitude, you may find their services are worth investing in. You may have some unique technical challenges for them to wrestle with. If they appear willing, interested and enthusiastic about learning new solutions, they may be the right fit.

       

        • Expect available service that will go above and beyond. A dependable partner will give 110 per cent every single time. For example, we always seek to exceed our clients' expectations. Since there's no way to predict when a tech emergency may strike, we also believe in around-the-clock, year-round service with buzzer-beating response times. Ask your prospective MSP about their remote monitoring and how often they will be available to assist you in times of need.

       

        • Search for a long-term commitment to growth and scalability. Don't settle for a company that is stuck in the past or focused on increasingly obsolete technologies. Rather than only addressing former successes, your MSP should aim to discover new advances and prepare for future generations. That way, you can ensure out-of-date solutions won't impede your future growth and success.

       

        • Pay attention to the company's qualifications, service options and contract terms. The ideal MSP for your needs will understand the software that is most widely acknowledged in your field, and they will have the right certifications to service these products. Additionally, their contract options, whether month-to-month or annual, will have your budget in mind to maximize your investment. Ask plenty of questions relating to their policies so you can make an informed decision.

       

      To reap any of these benefits, however, you need to find a provider who will give you the attention you deserve and the reliable service that will help you accomplish your tasks unhindered. To do so, you need to know what to look for in an MSP partner you can trust.

      Remember, finding the right MSP has everything to do with the approach the provider uses to help you operate most efficiently. If they are more interested in fixing problems than preventing them, you may want to continue your search elsewhere.

      Which Business Office Photocopier Brand Is Best?

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      Which Business Office Photocopier Brand Is Best?

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        Looking for the best business office photocopier brand?

        If you're looking for the best digital photocopiers of 2021, then you've come to the right place, as on this page we've ranked the best photocopier brands money can buy.

        There are plenty of reasons why you'd want the best digital copier your budget will allow. Modern offices will find plenty of reasons to use a fast and dependable photocopier. On this page, we'll list the best standalone digital copiers, as well as affordable and convenient multifunction printers (MFPs), which combine printing and scanning functionality in one device and slash the cost of producing printouts using inkjet or laser technologies.

        In the past, MFPS had a bit of a bad reputation as a 'jack of all trades', but they have made significant improvements both in terms of quality, value for money, and onboard features.

        As a staple of most small businesses and offices around the country, multifunction copiers (MFC) have helped companies send, receive, print, and duplicate documents for decades. Since these machines take up significant real estate in your office, it's essential to consider not just its size and weight.

        Still, how proficient the copier is at its job when it comes to print speeds, copy and print resolutions, and overall usability. After considering products from 10 of the world's top MFC manufacturers, we compared each device's functionality, price, and ease of use to determine our best picks. 

        From usage tracking to improve security, auto duplex, mobile, and wireless printing, or digital touchscreen display, there's now a flurry of options available on the market, for the occasional printout and mailing all the way to digital agencies.

        Having the wrong office supplies can make your day extraordinarily unproductive and frustrating; having the right brands of office supplies can make your day feel like a breeze! When it comes to stocking your small or home business with the perfect fit of technology, brand names do matter. It can be the difference between completing your projects on time or experiencing an unfortunate delay.

        If you've ever asked the question, "What are the best copier brands available?" before then you have come to the right place! Everyone has experienced it at least once: you're already in a rush at work, trying to complete your overdue project before clocking out at 5; you press the "print" button on your desktop, only to find that a massive paper jam is going to take an hour to unclog.

        The right brands of copiers are the ones with years in the industry perfecting their products. These brands are known for being extremely durable and versatile.

        Need help finding the right business photocopier? We'll help you out!

        This list discusses the top copier brands, including:

          1. Canon

             

         

          1. Konica Minolta

             

         

          1. Hewlett-Packard

             

         

          1. Lexmark

             

         

          1. Epson

             

         

          1. Brother

             

         

          1. Kyocera

             

         

          1. Toshiba

             

         

          1. Dell

             

         

          1. IBM

             

         

          1. Samsung

             

         

          1. Fujitsu

             

         

          1. Ricoh

             

         

          1. Sharp

             

         

         

        The Top 10 Commercial Business Photocopier Brands

        No productive business environment is complete without a tremendous commercial copier.

        When deciding on the right office equipment for your company, you want to make sure you are considering the top retail copier brands. The top copier manufacturers have several years of experience and have built their reputation by producing quality equipment, reliable customer service, and technical support. Investing in a reliable brand can help you avoid the hassle of technical difficulties with your new machine.

        Before making your commercial copier purchase, it's best to do some research to figure out which top copier brand is the best fit for your company.

        Canon

        Cannon has been a top commercial office equipment brand for almost 90 years. They are best known for their versatile office equipment that can be used in any size office or home. Canon's multi-functional printers are a staple in many office environments and come in a variety of sizes for different print volumes. In fact, the Canon image RUNNER series has been a top-rated multifunction copier for a few years. Canon is aiming this mid-priced device at the small to medium-sized business by loading it with key features and giving it a fast photocopy speed. There's room for 250 sheets of paper in the main tray, plus 50 more in the multipurpose tray. It makes a fine photocopier with dual-sided scanning and duplex printing and makes it easy to print and scan via the cloud thanks to Canon's helpful companion app for iOS/Android devices.

        Konica Minolta

        Konica Minolta is a top commercial copier brand, with high-quality office copiers and impressive options for both colour and black-and-white needs. They offer a wide variety of office equipment, including multifunction printers, faxers, digital scanners, and more. They are also known for their superior security features on commercial copiers and are a great fit for companies that need to print sensitive documents.

        HP

        HP's LaserJet series has been a small office favourite for many years. HP provides both desktop and standing models for businesses, and their copiers can handle high paper outputs. HP products tend to be some of the most environmentally friendly and cost-effective options for businesses. 

        If you have the space for it, this multifunction device will serve a small business well thanks to its useful 35-sheet automatic document feeder and automated photocopying skills. This is a mono machine, and it's not the fastest laser on the block, but it's quicker than any inkjet and offers an attractive blend of features and performance.

        Lexmark

        Lexmark products tend to be some of the most reliable, affordable options. Their modern office copiers are digital, produce superior colour quality, and are wireless, for easy connection to your business's WiFi network. Their new models also have remote connectivity features such as Air Print and Google Cloud Print, so you can easily print from a remote device.

        It might look a little top-heavy, but this all-in-one A4 photocopier feels well made and offers plenty of features for the footprint that it takes up. Duplex scanning from the ADF and rapid automatic photocopying is performed flawlessly, while the print quality in both colour and mono is excellent. Duplex printing is not the fastest, but a wealth of security features and an easy interface more than makes up for the shortfall.  

        Xerox

        Xerox is one of the most well-known brand names in the copier industry. They are a USA-based brand and have one of the largest sections of colour copiers and printers in the world. Despite their huge range of products to choose from, they're best known for their multifunction, all-in-one printers.

        This is a modest machine, but it has an impressive specification that will meet the demands of any small to medium-sized business. Xerox makes faster printers than this, but the consistent quality of colour and monoprints here is impressive, and its photocopying skills are among the best of any four-in-one we've tested. The intuitive touchscreen interface is another plus point that gives easy access to a wealth of features such as dual-sided scanning and a broad selection of security features. This feels like a premium product, and modular upgrades well support it.  

        Ricoh

        Ricoh has been a front-runner in commercial copy and print services for over 50 years. Their brand became an industry leader when they produced the fastest digital colour printer in 1990, at 15 pages per minute. Although they are a Tokyo based company, their headquarters is in the U.S. They service large and small businesses alike, but they are well-known as a leading manufacturer for large businesses.

        Kyocera

        Kyocera's most popular office products are multifunction, digital office copiers that allow printing, scanning, copying, and faxing all in one place. Businesses appreciate their products for their superior finishing features, such as creating professional reports and booklets.

        Toshiba

        Toshiba may not be the biggest copier company in the industry, but they produce reliable, innovative products consistently. Their E-Studio office equipment line has been a favourite among businesses for many years. Toshiba produces a wide variety of products, such as multifunction printers, wide-format printers, and digital signage.

        Dell

        Dell has been a leading name in office equipment for over 30 years. They offer a wide variety of office technology for businesses of all sizes. Their copiers range from desktop models to mid-size, to high-tech standing models. Dell is well-known for its innovative, advanced technological features, such as "smart" printing and high-quality graphics.

        Sharp

        Sharp has winning technology for commercial needs. They have award-winning digital copying and printing systems that can be customized to specific business needs. For instance, Sharp's OSA technology can be used to extract a company's document data. Their office equipment is high-tech, while still easy to use. They often have convenient touch screens and touch-of-a-button commands, such as editing and reordering pages.

        Will your company need to manage sensitive information?

        Access to the features of a photocopier should be controlled with PIN numbers or passwords. Also, ensure that the MFP only prints the required copies to ensure data security. And think about whether the USB port should be disabled to mitigate any risk.

        Does your business require remote printing?

        With the rise of BYOD (Bring Your Own Device), printing from mobile devices is fast and efficient. Look closely at the apps that will use the photocopier to ensure these connect securely. An MFP can be a cost-effective asset that a business can build its workflow around. 

        With digital copiers now coming with a number of configurations, it's critical to assess your business' needs and match them to the right one.

        Best Office Copier List Criteria

        The criteria listed below are certainly not the only factors to consider when purchasing an office machine. Your company may have unique needs that are not covered in this review, so it is important to consult an industry professional before making a final decision.

          • Reliability - each machine ran the recommended number of impressions listed by the manufacturer and was assessed based on the number of misfeeds that occurred during the test.

         

          • For instance, a machine claiming an average monthly duty cycle of 200,000 impressions/prints would be tested by running 200,000 sheets through the machine.

         

          • Image Quality - rates how well the copier performs in the areas of:

         

          • Colour Print Quality (business graphics and photographic images)

         

          • Black Print Quality (text, halftone range, halftone fill, line art, and solids)

         

          • Print Density (measures density of a printed image with blocks of all solid colours based on the average of two readings each for cyan, magenta, and yellow, and four different locations for black output)

         

          • Gamut Variance Readings (assesses the distance between colours)

         

          • Ease of Use - is the design and interface intuitive? This category is measured in the areas of print, scan, copy, job management, multitasking, and feedback.

         

          • Security - what features are included to secure data, including network user authentication, biometric, ID card, common access, and more.

         

          • Features - the variety of apps and tools included with the device, as well as other hardware features like additional memory and hard drive capacities. This category is broken down into three criteria: specifications, solutions, and environmental. 

        Pricing

        When it comes to pricing out a copier for your office, you need to consider what features you need. Though most MFCs function the same, there are many product lines with varying degrees of functionality. That level of stratification within the copier market means that prices can vary wildly from one machine to another. It's also important to keep in mind other, ongoing costs, including extended service and warranty plans.

        Through our information-gathering efforts, we found models that cost as low as $300 for the more budget offerings, while the more high-end machines ran as high as $50,000. While the machines on the higher end had significantly more complex feature sets with a focus on serving niche businesses, many manufacturers offer a lease option to ease the sticker shock.

        Ink, Toner and Paper Will Add to Operating Costs

        It makes sense that the initial cost of a copier is what commands your attention, but you also need to consider the overall operating costs. As a business owner, you will need to maintain paper and ink supplies regardless of whether the device uses inkjet cartridges or toner.

        Replacement ink cartridges come with high price tags, so replacing them on a scale will cost you. Toner tends to last longer but is largely used for monochrome printing only. Some copiers have built-in ink reservoirs that manufacturers say reduce ink costs since you only need to buy bottles of ink rather than replacement cartridges, and the ink lasts longer. Whether that's a feature you need will depend largely on how often you and your employees rely on the machine.

        Remember the Additional Costs

        Along with traditional operating costs associated with MFCs, consider the extra costs that come with operating such a machine. Sunk costs that come from poorly constructed or prohibitively slow machines take a toll on a business. It's for that reason that you want to avoid purchasing the cheapest machine; rather, go for the one that fits your budget and can provide the best functionality.

        Low-cost machines that seem inexpensive and appear like a benefit can cause problems later. Similarly, factors like copy speed can help or hinder worker productivity and collaboration from an operational perspective. Memory capacity is another factor since higher memory means the machine will be faster at processing each job.

        It's just practical business sense to conduct a cost-benefit analysis before committing to a specific copier. For a copier that will serve as the workhorse for many employees, speed may be the top deciding factor. For design-centric businesses, such as ad agencies or architectural firms, ink cost and image quality are more important. Or perhaps a colour copier won't fulfil your needs, in which case, you might need a wide-format printer.

        Contracts and Customer Service

        While you can buy a copier for your business outright, some models have rather large price tags. In those instances, it may be best to lease the machine and add its monthly cost as an operating expense. Known as "managed print" in the printing world, leasing has become a more popular option, since newer models with more advanced features frequently enter the market, pushing even modern machines closer to obsolescence.

        Capital leases allow you to claim the machine a business asset, and operating leases permit you to mark the machine as an operating expense. Managed print services generally bundle things like ink or toner, paper and maintenance, into a monthly cost. Most leasing agreements last between three and five years, which is just enough time to consider upgrading to a new machine if you need to.

        While leasing may be an attractive option, it comes with some downsides. You may not need to make a large down payment on the copier, but you will pay interest on it, which increases your overall costs.

        Conversely, you can keep the copier for as long as you want if you buy it outright, potentially resulting in overall savings, if you own it for a long time and don't feel the need to upgrade every few years. Buying outright also means you're not tied down to a multiyear contract, allowing you some more flexibility in your decision-making.

        The decision to purchase or lease a copier depends on your cash flow situation and which option benefits you the most in terms of maintenance and service, features, accessories, and supplies.

        Repair Costs

        Depending on how you obtain the machine, you may not have to worry about repair and maintenance costs at all. Most leases include some regular maintenance within their terms. In some cases, however, an additional extended warranty or service agreement will be offered for an added cost. What's covered under those plans can vary from one manufacturer to another, so you may be left holding the bag for any repair costs that fall outside of the agreement's terms.

        What are the benefits of managed print services?

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        What are the benefits of managed print services?

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          Managed Print Services - Why Businesses Need Them

          Managed Print Services (MPS) are becoming increasingly popular, especially in comparison to leasing or purchasing hardware outright. Rather than simply leasing hardware, an MPS vendor provides a full-service print contract, taking on responsibilities including network setup and management, software provision, and long-term print optimization across the organization.

          While MPS raises monthly costs over direct leasing on the surface, managed print services can offer numerous business benefits. With professional print-services rather than simply professional hardware, an organization can realize key changes in costs, print-production, information security, environmental footprint, and agility.

          Aside from your day-to-day business goals, have you ever considered learning about the benefits of managed print services, and how these services can help further the success of your company? You might be a little unfamiliar with managed print services, and the specific ways managed printing can help your business grow. If this is the case, you're in luck, and you've come to the right place!

          Let's start from scratch and first define what managed print services are. Managed print services (also known as MPS) are outsourcing services to help manage your print fleets, such as printers, copiers, and fax machines. Investing in managed print services is a further step you can take once you've successfully partnered with a business technology company.

          Running a successful business means that you need to prioritize your daily tasks to be able to reach your goals. Take one thing off your plate and hand over your print services to an expert. Even though worldwide business practices are becoming more and more digital every second, there is still a place paper and ink. Copying and printing aren't going away, so do you have a strategy to get it done quickly and effectively for your business?

          What are managed print services?

          Managed Print Services (MPS) are services offered to assist businesses by identifying their printing goals and defining a strategy to help them achieve their goals. Managed print services are a necessity to grow your business because you'll spend less time on management and less money printing overall. You might be thinking, "I'm a small business owner. I don't have the money to spend on managed print services. I'll do it myself!"

          This has the potential to hurt your business in the long run; you'll end up spending more money and time.

          Managed Print Services, commonly referred to as MPS, is a service offered by print providers to assist businesses with streamlining printer management and minimizing costs associated with printing. MPS came about because the majority of organizations do not define a print strategy, typically for two reasons:

            • It's time-consuming.

           

            • It falls low on the priority list.

           

          Because let's face it, businesses are busy, and there's always going to be something else that's more pressing than print strategy. But that doesn't mean it's not important. Not having a print strategy can cost businesses a lot of money, especially year over year. Print costs can take up anywhere between 1-10 per cent of an organization's total revenue.

          Managed Print Services is a way for businesses to outsource the day-to-day services for their print fleet, and it can be customized to meet specific needs.

          Business benefits of Managed Print Services

           

           

          Cut Your Costs

          Managed print services increase monthly costs over a simple lease. However, you receive a lot more for what you are paying. Rather than simply selling hardware, your MPS vendor will provide software, network management, IT support, printer supplies, ongoing print-network assessments and optimization, and hardware optimization and replacement.

          With everything included in one flat-rate monthly fee (although this varies), you receive a single, predictable rate for all printer costs. Over time, this can greatly reduce costs over purchasing and maintaining your printer hardware, especially as hardware gets older, requires replacing, or is replaced by your MPS to introduce newer and more efficient hardware.

          How does this work? Most printer costs relate to usage (paper, toner), maintenance and support (IT support, parts and repair, software issues), and replacing hardware. Over time, your printers will become costlier to repair with increasing frequency of required maintenance. MPS will ensure you replace hardware before it reaches this point, cutting total use and repair costs.

          MPS also reduces costs by optimizing your printer network to ensure that hardware and software meet the needs of the teams using it. With no one over or under-equipped, you won't be paying for hardware you don't need, losing money to lost productivity, or investing in hardware that isn't meeting your needs. It might seem like a good idea in the short term to keep your current printers, but when they break down, you're left with a hefty bill to repair or replace them. And how about when you run out of toner right at the most inopportune moment and can't wait for it to go on sale?

          With managed print services, you don't need to worry about these expenses. With a predictable monthly fee, you'll get all of your bulky, outdated printers replaced with faster devices. Imagine having a multi-functional printer with all the necessary functions built-in and having your managed print service maintain it so that you can get down to work.

          Optimize Your Printing

          Managed print service is, as it sounds, well managed. One key aspect of MPS is ongoing management and optimization, which begins during the initial takeover. An MPS vendor will conduct a print-needs assessment across your organization to determine what is needed and where. This allows the vendor to supply print solutions, including printers, scanners, servers, and software that meet the needs of individual departments. Non-efficient or under-performing solutions will be removed and replaced, allowing for increased productivity and performance.

          Print assessment to meet needs also allows an MPS to install printers on an as-needed basis. Here, departments with high-quality or high-volume print needs can install to those needs so graphics departments can print banners, posters, and ads while giving other departments simpler and more needs-appropriate solutions.

          Ongoing optimization means that your hardware will be updated as needs change. If you previously outsourced professional printing and chose to move it in-house, those printers could be supplied. If you switch a department to all-digital, high-quality graphic printers could be removed to reduce total costs.

          This ongoing optimization will work to reduce total costs, but the largest impact is an effect on productivity. If printers always meet office needs, individuals will always have what they need to perform their work, which will boost results.

          Improve Information Security

          Printers often have huge security risks, which can be massive problems in areas where trade or business secrets are printed and handled, where sensitive data is handled, and in industries requiring compliance. While information security is difficult to install and manage over the long-term yourself, it's included as part of MPS.

          Managed Print Services include printer software and servers based on needs assessment. Here, your provider will also assess security and provide access management according to your needs. This could include a printer-queue, individual user accounts, print-history, and printer logins for users. This reduces instances of sensitive documents left in print trays, enables tracking to see who prints what, and prevents individuals from simply accessing and printing whatever is in the queue. In combination with information about printer security, these steps will greatly improve information security.

          Consider that next time you're standing at the copier. With managed print services, you and your team will be able to cut this waiting time in half because your MPS experts will be monitoring your printing systems and making sure they are up to date before problems can arise. This means the responsibility of dealing with malfunctions, changing cartridges, and adding paper is taken off you, giving you more production time.

          Reduce Your Environmental Footprint

          While reducing environmental footprint is often a secondary concern for businesses, it is an important one, especially as regulation enforces a reduced carbon footprint. MPS can play a valuable role in keeping hardware up-to-date, reducing instances of having too many printers, reducing waste, and reducing instances where high-end or high-volume printers are used in situations where they are not needed. With ongoing optimization, reducing the environmental footprint of hardware is a process that will continue to positively impact your business for the duration of your MPS project.

          MPS also works to reduce print waste through a combination of print management, education, and user access. For example, with strong printer software solutions in place and user access management, individuals can see how much they're printing (as can their managers). Online backups and print-history mean users won't have to print backup copies of documents until they're needed.

          Print management software also allows you to take steps to greatly reduce the number of printed pages, using tactics such as double-sided printing, reducing margins, and automatically removing instances of ads and banners in internet articles and papers. Most print management software also tracks total usage, giving each person a better idea of how much they are printing and why. This will reduce total print volume over time, with many organizations seeing as much as a 4.75% decrease in used printer paper by simply decreasing margin size.

          Want to help save the planet? Working with a managed print service provider is a great place to start. You'd be amazed at how much paper, toner, and electricity is wasted on outdated systems. You could be banking significant savings on your paper costs by switching to a high-performance duplex printer. When creating your custom service agreement for your managed print services, your provider will assess all of the ways you can minimize waste and reduce your footprint.

          Are you looking to make a positive impact on the environment? A managed print services program may help you go greener without making a huge impact on your bottom line.

          First, think of the major negative impact that your print fleet has on the environment: waste. Reducing waste, whether paper or toner, can help reduce your environmental footprint. A well-structured MPS program can help you monitor your usage and help manage your printing workflows to reduce wasteful printing.

          If you're wondering what to do with your empty toner cartridges, don't throw them out! There are toner cartridge recycling programs that can keep that extra plastic out of the landfill. A thorough MPS provider will be able to make toner recycling easy and efficient for your team.

          Another great way to make a positive impact on the environment through your printing through programs like PrintReleaf. For every 8,333 pages you print, they'll plant a tree to help sustain and grow the global forestry system. 

          Increase Agility

          An MPS takes over your print services to provide a managed solution that meets your needs throughout the process. This will improve organizational agility by allowing you to meet print needs without increasing investment, supplying print-hardware and software on an as-needed basis to teams including those with high-volume, high-quality or even special needs.

          At the same time, MPS frees other departments up to focus on value-added tasks. An estimated 40% of all IT help-desk calls are printer related, and IT teams often don't have the resources or printer expertise to handle those requests internally. When hardware breaks, tickets still have to go to an external repair organization. MPS internalizes everything, setting up a print-help line which can automatically schedule printer repair and maintenance through the vendor, reducing third-party involvement. This means printers are fixed more quickly while freeing IT up for more value-added tasks such as infrastructure management.

          MPS has a lot to offer for most businesses, but the end-results and actual value will depend on your current print-hardware, total needs, and total internal business structure. The best way to find out if MPS can offer value to your organization is by conducting a needs analysis or having an MPS vendor perform one for you.

          Increase Your Device Uptime

          Your operation needs to have functioning tools and equipment. Stopping to fix something takes away from the resources you need to stay on task and keep productive.

          An MPS provider should be keenly aware of this and do everything they can to maximize your print environment and make sure your equipment isn't down. A proactive service team that performs preventative maintenance can help increase the life of your entire print fleet. 

          A truly outstanding MPS offering may also include "hot swap" backup printers at your location, to have an option on deck in case a crucial piece of equipment were to break unexpectedly. They should be able to loan your devices as well if the repairs are going to take any length of time.

          Know You're Covered

          An obvious benefit of a managed program is removing the fear of the unknown.

          If you're managing your own devices, there are a lot of unknown variables that can leave you scratching your head:

            • Will your toner quality stays the same, and will your supplier continue to stock it?

           

            • Will you be able to Google how to fix that printer when it breaks?

           

            • Will there be parts available for that model? How long will they stay available?

           

            • How much will it cost to call in someone to fix that printer when it breaks? With a managed print services plan, that fear is removed. You can rest easy knowing that service, parts, and even toner are all covered under the terms of your agreement.

           

           

          Increase team productivity

          Consider that next time you're standing at the copier. With managed print services, you and your team will be able to cut this waiting time in half because your MPS experts will be monitoring your printing systems and making sure they are up to date before problems can arise. This means the responsibility of dealing with malfunctions, changing cartridges, and adding paper is taken off you, giving you more production time.

          Free Up Cash Flow

          You want to manage your fleet of printers effectively. You don't want to spend an arm and a leg to do it.

          If you're tempted to drop a significant amount of cash on a new fleet of brand-new printers, with the aim of reducing your long-term costs, you may want to take a look at a managed print approach before you do. Many times, a managed print provider is able to take over your print fleet as it sits and still helps control your costs without that huge upfront investment. If you do need new devices, a robust managed print provider can lease those depreciating assets to you at a reasonable monthly cost.

          Aside from the investment of devices, consider your maintenance and supply expenses. Are you likely to throw out a printer and replace it? Think of the reduced expense if a service call can resolve the issue. Like to keep backup toner on the shelf? When your MPS provider covers supplies, your money isn't tied up in those supplies. Keep your cash ready to make investments in other more crucial areas of your operation.

          In most contexts, taking a managed approach to your print environment is a great way to remove the burden of desktop printer maintenance from IT's desk, while helping to control the costs of your fleet's supplies over time. Suppose you're considering whether or not managed print services are right for your organization. In that case, it's important to start with the most important step: establishing the baseline of what printers you have in your fleet, how much you're using them, and how much it costs to do so.

          Choosing a Managed Print Services Provider for Value and Service

          While the potential cost savings are enough to get you interested in managed print services, choosing a provider requires looking at more than just your print budget. Place priority on local providers that can quickly and professionally respond to service calls and that offer the following elements.

          What are Managed IT Services?

          Posted on by Oak & Bluebird
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          What are Managed IT Services?

          Ever wondered what Managed IT Services are?

          Managed IT services allow businesses to delegate their IT operations to an expert third-party organization that specializes in handling responsibilities. These third-party organizations, known as Managed Service Providers (MSPs), are responsible for the entirety or portions of a business' IT systems, as agreed upon in a Service Level Agreement (SLA). The client typically procures IT equipment and depending on the SLA. Managed Service Providers may provide round-the-clock monitoring, issue resolution and reporting, and more.

          According to the SLA, managed service providers charge a flat fee for delivery of their services over a set period of time. The SLA defines precisely what services will be furnished and the degree they will be offered, as well as metrics for measuring the success of these services.

          Cloud computing has allowed managed IT services to expand beyond the regions and borders that would constrain the average break/fix IT through the adoption of Software as a Service (SaaS) technologies, as well as Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) and Platform as a Service(PaaS) also. These capabilities allow managed IT services to scale at a rate dramatically larger and faster than in-house IT operation or break/fix providers.

          Managed services has become a popular buzzword in business environments. However, with the myriad new features and benefits, it offers over traditional break-fix repair, many are still unclear about what managed services encompasses. In its most simple definition, managed services gives a 3rd party service provider complete responsibility for any aspect of your company, and is often related to IT support.

          In this technology-focused age, businesses can live or die by the quality of their IT infrastructure. Entire companies are run electronically nowadays, and few wouldn't suffer immense losses if their IT network encountered a major issue. With managed services in IT, business owners no longer have to worry about data loss or computer problems; these are handled by experts and relieve owners to worry about what really matters to them - running the business.

          Read on to receive answers to all your questions about managed IT support, and learn why this new method is quickly taking over from the break-fix model of old.

          History of Managed IT Services 

          At the outset of enterprise computing, information technology services and management was on a break/fix basis, meaning that computer systems were only managed by an expert when they did not work, necessitating a technician to fix it. This technician may also have been the person who built and/or installed the computer system, due to the proliferation of small IT shops that specialized in this small-scale client services at the time.

          However, as time progressed computer manufacturing grew to large scale, leaving the small IT dealer to focus less on manufacturing and more on break/fix. This system was time-consuming, labour intensive, costly and reactive. It did not allow the technician room to grow their business or take on new clients without massive investments in labour and infrastructure.

          As computing devices increased yearly, the divide between break/fix technicians and the number of computers they could reasonably service under the break/fix model grew wider and wider. Managed IT services emerged in the early years of the millennium to meet this need, shifting far from the break/fix model.

          Managed IT services heralded a proactive approach to IT, attempting to conduct maintenance, upgrades, system monitoring and issue resolution on a routine basis, with the goal of preventing problems before they started. Automation, increased Internet capabilities and cloud computing allowed for monitoring and issue resolution to be provided remotely, enabling more efficient processes and a consolidation of resources.

          Efficiency, consolidated resources and client satisfaction, coupled with fixed rates, the ability to offer greater service offerings and take on a larger clientele led to managed IT services becoming the industry-standard approach to managing computer systems large and small for SMBs.

          Understanding the how and why behind the development of managed services allows a clearer picture of its usefulness. Computer systems make immense strides year after year, but the tools to service the changing systems have had trouble catching up. 

          Companies who helped small service networks in the past have been hindered by the lack of tools to help with problems. Networks used to be developed as simple systems, usually built and serviced by a self-taught technician. Maintenance was break-fix only, meaning when something went wrong, the company called, and hopefully, the technician would come and fix it.

          As time went on, the most advanced support people developed procedures to periodically come on-site to do a review of the infrastructure, looking for hints of issues before they snowballed into huge problems. The trouble was, however, that the service technicians could only see what was happening on the day they were there. If something happened in the future, they would never know about it unless informed by the customer and then it was back to the break-fix method.

          Along with this troubleshooting inefficiency, backup problems and other errors continued to occur. The only professional test of backup systems happened on the check-up visit, which frequently resulted in days or more of missed backups.

          This system was also prone to human error, with the technician trying to be accommodating and frequently having to spend his time correcting end-user symptoms and not being able to address the real issues. This inefficiency created a constant uphill battle for technicians, who were consistently trying to put out fires as more rapidly occurred.

          Benefits of Managed IT Services

          Through outsourcing managed IT services, SMBs are able to reap the benefits of receiving IT support at a significantly reduced cost in comparison to creating a comparable team in-house. Additionally, MSPs can also offer a wealth of experience from actively managing multiple client accounts that in-house teams would not collectively have.

          Additionally, by using an MSP organization are able to forecast their monthly, quarterly, and yearly expenditure on IT, and are freed from having to focus on this area of operational readiness. This allows SMBs to focus on growing their business without worrying about day-to-day IT issues or requirements.

          Another benefit to managed IT services is a greater opportunity for security expertise and successfully enacted security policies. MSPs work with standards such as PCI compliance day in, day out, and should be able to steer your organization within the parameters and regulations it needs to adhere to. For some organizations, especially in finance, healthcare, educations, and other industries, this type of regulatory compliance is mandatory for the IT portion of their business, and requires the expertise and experience that a managed service provider can offer. MSPs can mitigate risk in this way while assuring that the experts in charge of your IT operations are always up to date on the latest information, technologies and processes that will keep your infrastructure working efficiently and successfully into the future.

          Managed services also create a change in the overall philosophy of the way a business deals with its technology. Break-fix repair relies on waiting until servers, desktops, or other critical devices fail, then rushing to fix them as the company bleeds profit. A business operating under managed services, however, focuses on prevention rather than reaction, monitoring and resolving issues before they disrupt employees, management, and clients.

            • Freed-up resources and a renewed emphasis on core business - Both business owners and internal IT staff would much rather focus on revenue enhancing tasks like product development or the creation of cutting-edge applications/services. This is one reason routine monitoring and maintenance tasks are often neglected by an internal IT person or team, which always proves to be detrimental much later. Often misportrayed as a "threat" to an internal IT person or staff, MSPs can instead relieve internal staff of mundane network operations maintenance, repetitious monitoring of server and storage infrastructure, and day-to-day operations and help desk duties.

           

            • A true partner sharing risks and responsibilities - The goal of an MSP is to deliver on contracted services, measure, report, analyze and optimize IT service operations, and truly become an irreplaceable catalyst for business growth. Managed Service Providers not only assume leadership roles, they enable risk reduction, enhance efficiency and change the culture by introducing internal IT operations to new technologies and processes.

           

            • Access to expertise, best practices, and world-class tools and technologies - MSPs have experience with a variety of businesses and organizations. Managed Service Providers can keep your business relevant and on track with continually evolving technology, support, and productivity demands. Let's face it; no small or medium-sized business can afford to fall behind with technology trends in today's business world.

           

            • The benefit of a full-time fully staffed IT department at a fraction of the cost - Most small business owners live and die by proactive management. They just haven't had the budget, resources or access to on-demand expertise to be proactive with information technology management. A Managed Service Provider gives business owners and overwhelmed internal IT staff affordable server and computer support, remote monitoring of critical network components like servers and firewalls, data backup and disaster recovery, network security, custom software solutions, and technology evaluation and planning.

           

            • Managed service providers can decrease the overall IT support costs by as much as 30% to 50% - Rather than being stressed about technology, business owners can instead get back to focusing on growing their business. All while enjoying the benefits of highly-trained IT experts boosting their network's reliability and performance.

           

           

          Why Are Managed IT Services Important?

           

            • It aligns the outcomes of the organisation. An IT company is incentivised to do a very good job; they want to minimise problems for your organisation because they have KPIs directly linked to the efficiency of your IT.

           

            • IT experts give you peace of mind. You're not an IT expert. Managed service providers take care of your IT, so you can focus on running your business.

           

            • Proactive support. Managed services offer proactive support. So instead of your IT firm constantly fixing problems, they will actually try to identify problems before they happen, keeping your systems up and your problems down.

           

            • Strategic IT planning. What IT systems do you need in 12 or 24 months' time? Managed services help you think ahead and give you advice on what you need to be planning from an IT department. This links to proactive support and ensures that your IT infrastructure and software is upgraded and updated to minimise risks such as downtime, viruses and crashes.

           

            • Complete outsourced IT. Managed services give you access to a complete IT department. You don't just get day-to-day IT support; you also get an IT manager and a virtual CIO so you can think strategically about how IT fits into your organisation.

           

           

          Challenges of Managed IT Services

          Here are some challenges that you need to be aware of when looking to move to a managed services arrangement.

            • Holding providers accountable. The reason you go with managed services is that you want to improve your operational efficiency and remove the number of IT problems or roadblocks that affect your team. You need to hold providers accountable and make sure they are delivering these improvements. Most providers will offer effective reporting so you can see exactly how much work they are doing for you and how much improvement in efficiency and productivity they are providing.

           

            • Getting strategic IT planning. As part of a managed service contract, you should be given some strategic IT planning. You might struggle to see the benefits of a managed services contract if you don't get this component. Make sure that your IT firm is proactively planning for the next 12 or 24 months and that it has strategies in place to improve IT infrastructure and upgrade software.

           

            • Finding a provider with a good track record. You need to check the track record of your provider before engaging in a contract. They should be able to demonstrate a track record on delivering proactive service and measurable outcomes. Check references before you commit, and ask what clients they have, and if they have experience dealing with companies similar to yours.

           

           

          Which Type Of Maintenance Do You Have?

          If you answer "no" to any of the following questions, then you are utilizing a break-fix methodology to maintain your network and may benefit from a managed service provider without costing you any more.

            • Do you find out immediately if your data back-up fails to run?

           

            • Do you know which equipment on your network is aging and might need replacing in the next six months?

           

            • Do you know if your server and all of your desktops have the latest antivirus updates installed and are functioning correctly?

           

            • Do you know if the latest security patches have been installed on your network?

           

            • Do you know who the heaviest internet users are and whether they are downloading large files which can slow down the network, or accessing inappropriate web sites?

           

            • Do you know which PCs are running out of memory, affecting user performance?

           

            • Do you have one number to call for all of your technology service requirements?

           

            • Do you hear from your computer guys before there is a noticeable problem affecting your technology?

           

           

          High Availability, Efficiency and Productivity

          For an IT Service, the saying "time is money" always applies. For optimal company performance, constant availability of mission-critical IT services is the top priority for many organizations. While assessing the true cost of downtime is hard, it is always recommended to take proactive steps to avoid it completely. At worst, the reputational risk could be a factor when the outage comes to the attention of those outside the company potentially eroding public trust. Clients experience better performance with minimal downtime when using a managed service. Many times, mission-critical applications involve multiple technologies and require them to be fully operational and integrated to achieve the IT service expected. All component applications must be available together for the IT service to function seamlessly for internal end-users. An MSP can ensure maximum uptime and minimal service interruptions.

          Organizations that attempt to implement and support all IT services in-house usually have a much higher research and development cost as well as longer timelines to deploy -costs may also be passed on to the organizations wishing to consume these services. The MSP is highly efficient in delivering IT services in a way that keeps costs low and the time to deploy short while providing a high-quality service to the business.

          Future-Proofing IT Services

          IT departments will always have funding, technical, security, and operational challenges. As you look for strategies to minimize spend, I have seen many organizations effectively utilize AMS to achieve the full benefit of seamless service integration with less worry over resource constraints. MSP's will always have their staff trained on upcoming and new releases as well as new technologies with the ability to lock-in costs for a multi-year period. By creating more predictability, your business will reduce operational risk and challenges and minimize service disruption.

          Managed Service Providers bring not only practical delivery of a predictable service model and cost to quickly and effectively deliver new IT service to an enterprise, but also enhance the stability and peace of mind for IT and business leaders alike.

          The task of delivering new business services to the enterprise while keeping costs controlled is a difficult task in the modern business environment. A managed service is a great strategy to help your IT organization be highly resilient, and cost predictable, fiscal year to fiscal year. MSPs complement and do not replace existing staff but rather free those valuable resources to lead and deliver on the strategic IT programs necessary to advance business goals. In larger organizations, an MSP will help your resources to focus on more strategic projects. You can rest assured that your company is minimizing the risks associated with maintaining client data and sensitive competitive information and more with today's managed service offerings.

          As you embark on investing in a new application, consider taking advantage of various managed service offerings to stay on top of IT business needs and minimize unsystematic risks.

          How Much Does It Cost To Rent A Copier?

          Posted on by Oak & Bluebird
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            Wondering if you should rent or buy your business photocopier?

            Are you in the market for a new business office copier? If so, are you wondering if you should buy a copier outright? Or are you considering leasing options on this valuable and often expensive piece of office equipment? Choosing the right office equipment is a big decision. There are so many brands, technologies, and features to choose from. 

            Once you have settled on the product that best fits your needs, there is still one major decision left to make: should you buy or lease your office equipment? The question is one that seems to come up time and time again when there is a significant business decision to be made. You may have also considered the pros and cons of buying and leasing your office space.

            Since not all companies are the same, there is no single right answer.

            It's impossible to say that buying is always right or leasing is still correct. However, there are some essential questions to ask yourself before coming to a final decision about whether buying vs leasing a copier is best for your business.

            It's a question that seems pretty straight forward. How much does it cost to lease a copier? You type it into a search engine looking for an answer, and you discover that very few places seem to want to answer your question fully. If you haven't purchased one before or it's been a few years since your last purchase, things have changed. Canon, Xerox, HP, all make great machines!

            You look to the right of the results page and see some machines listed at different prices, but if you're like me, you start to ask important questions like: "If my machine breaks down, who's going to fix it?" and "What does that cost?"

            Today, you're in luck. I'm going to break down all of the price considerations needed to make an informed decision so that when you reach out to make a purchase or ask for a quote, you don't experience sticker shock.

            Leasing or purchasing a copier can be affordable if you know what you're doing.

             

            What Should I Consider When Purchasing a Copier?

            A lot has changed in two years. Prices for office copiers have changed a bit, as well.

            If you haven't purchased one before or it's been a few years since your last purchase, things have changed. So, why is it so difficult to get straightforward answers on copier cost questions?

            Because the answer to the question depends on a variety of factors, you might think copiers haven't changed a whole lot over the years. Still, the reality is that the manufacturers make significant improvements, often.

            Copier Considerations

            Consider a car purchase. When you purchase a car, you weigh a variety of factors:

              • Price
              • Make and Model
              • Features
              • New vs. Used
              • Maintenance Costs

            As you can imagine, the considerations for your copier are very similar. After all, there's a big price difference between the Kia Sorento and the Mercedes-Benz GLS.

            There's also a big difference in the features and service you receive with each, as well.

            But not everyone needs a brand new high-end SUV, and likewise, not everyone needs a high-end copier. Your budget is the most important consideration, but making sure your machine does what you need it to do also has to be a top priority.

            There's no point in purchasing a copier that can't complete the necessary functions required of your business.

            Let's breakdown the costs associated with the following considerations:

              • Equipment/Hardware
              • Features
              • Black and White vs Color Copies
              • Service

            Businesses can choose from a vast range of photocopiers, with a huge price range to match. Basic photocopiers can… well, photocopy, and that's pretty much it. You could pick one of these up for around £100. Then you have machines that can print hundreds of pages a minute, bind documents automatically, wash your tea mug. Okay, that last one is not strictly true (yet). They're significantly more expensive but will add a lot of value to the right business.

            It all boils down to this: what do you need, and how much could you, and indeed should you, pay for your photocopier? Read on to find out, or simply fill in this short form now to request quotes tailored to your business needs.

            Copier Cost Considerations

            The following numbers are total costs for individuals wishing to purchase a machine outright and do not include higher-end production printers. Prices may vary between vendors; however, this guide can serve as a typical range.

            The price of renting a photocopier largely depends on the volume of copies required rather than the length of time the copier is needed. By calculating how many documents you need to make each month, you can determine the volume of photocopier required and the approximate rental cost of this.

            The copier you choose will depend on the needs of your business, as mentioned earlier, you can choose from low, medium or high volume models depending on how many copies you need to make. The price of the individual photocopier will rely on its functionality and abilities - the higher volume models tend to be able to handle over 40,000 copies per month and often come with advanced or optional features such as automatic stapling, stacking and binding.

            Your hardware (what model of copier you choose) is very important to consider. Ensuring that your copier will be able to keep up with the demand you place on it is as important a consideration as the overall price.

            Why?

            Because if your machine can only handle 100,000 impressions (pages) before service, but you need to run 500,000 images every month, you may spend more money on servicing the machine than the upgraded model would have cost you.

            A combination of copier model upgrades and/or additional units can be the solution to a volume problem. Convenience often factors into the equation here, but finding an appropriate balance will best serve the needs of your budget.

            OK, you've picked the machine(s) that can handle the monthly volume your office requires. Now what?

            Making copies is excellent, but most offices require more than essential copy functions. There's a reason copiers are now technically referred to as multi-function printers, and it's because they offer so much more than a single part to users.

            Copiers can send emails, scan documents directly to shared folders and edit documents now from their displays. Some can even intuitively sort individual receipts checked during the same job, and all offer significant upgrades to their security.

             

            Features that you should consider include:

              • Finishers: staplers or corner folders; a necessity for most offices that do not come standard on machines
              • Hole Punch: most are available in single or triple whole punches depending on what is required by the user
              • Letter Folding: the ability to fold letters/documents, increasing efficiency in your office by not wasting time on simple manual labour
              • Booklet Making: a combination of various features that allow small booklets to be created through folding, hole punch, and stapling features
              • Faxing: older technology that is still commonly used by firms transmitting a great deal of sensitive information (ex: hospitals, law office, CPA's, etc.)
              • Large Capacity Paper Tray: increases the standard capacity of the tray to allow for more reams of paper to be loaded, increasing office efficiency
              • Document Feeder: a necessity for most copier users, document feeders can be configured to include single pass and reversing options
              • Fiery: an essential add-on for organizations in need of the highest level of colour matching available for their print media
              • Card Readers allows for security cards to be implemented for users to gain access to a machine, incredibly helpful in situations where security must be higher, or department spending is more closely tracked.
              • Follow-Me-Printing: the ability to create a print job from a desktop computer or smartphone and release the job from any machine connected within an organization's network
              • Software Upgrades: this may include popular software like e-Copy, Uniflow and Drive, Infodynamics

             

            Should You Buy Office Equipment?

            First, let's consider the benefits and drawbacks of buying office equipment. This equipment will be an essential part of your operation, so it's necessary to make the right decision for your particular organization.

            One of the main benefits of buying is ownership. Once you have paid for the equipment, you are the owner of that equipment, and that means the decisions are entirely up to you. If you want to make customizations or changes to the equipment, then you can make that call.

            By owning the equipment, you are free to sell it whenever you want. This allows you to recoup some of the original cost which you can put toward new, upgraded office equipment. Purchasing costs can often also be claimed on your taxes, but you should consult an accountant to see if the tax benefit will be worth it for your business.

            Of course, some reasons for buying your office equipment may not be the right decision.

            The upfront cost of buying is higher. Leasing allows you to spread out smaller payments over time which may be more budget or cash flow friendly for companies with slim budgets. There are often financing options for businesses that choose to buy, but the interest costs may not be something your business is willing to take on.

            Standard maintenance is something that should be always be considered over and above the original purchase cost. A manufacturer's warranty may cover faulty parts, but they may also require you to take the device to a regional facility or even send the equipment back for those repairs. 

            There are many moving parts in a copier or printer, and they will require regular servicing and maintenance beyond the occasional replacement of a broken part. Will you pay for this servicing on a time and materials basis or will you purchase a service contract? Many buyers choose the predictability of a service contract, but in either case, this is a cost you should budget for.

            Finally, if technology changes and renders your equipment severely outdated, you may be stuck with equipment that cannot be resold or repurposed. This isn't likely to happen quickly but should be a consideration if you plan to keep your gear for a number of years.

            Business Tax Benefits

            Leasing equipment instead of buying has distinct tax advantages. When leasing, the payments are considered to be a pre-tax business expense which means each time you make a payment; you can deduct the entire payment. However, when you purchase the equipment, you can only deduct the machine's depreciation value. Usually, that would be 40% of the buying price in the first year, followed by 25% in the remaining years.

            Should You Lease Office Equipment?

            Choosing to lease office equipment has its own advantages and drawbacks for your business.

            One of the main reasons to consider leasing is the upfront cost, or rather, lack thereof. Instead of having to put down a large lump sum, you can spread out payments over several years. If managing cash flow is a concern for your business, this may be the best solution to get new equipment without having to make significant changes in the budget. The lower payments of leasing may open up more options for higher-end equipment that is merely unaffordable when paying the entire cost upfront. If you want the newest technology working for you, then leasing could be the best way to achieve that within your budget.

             

            Finally, the equipment belongs to the leasing company. Depending on how you look at things, this could also be a disadvantage. You cannot sell the equipment to recoup costs, but you again don't run the risk of being stuck with equipment after the lease term.

            If you plan on regularly upgrading your device, then leasing will be the right solution for you. Dealers are often willing to help you roll your lease over into a new contract for a new device before your current term is finished.

            Lease agreements typically require the purchase of a regular maintenance service contract for the device. Often, the dealer will help you save a few dollars by bundling this into the total price of the copier or printer. The peace of mind and billing predictability of a service contract is valuable for almost any organization. With all of those benefits in mind, it's time to look at the cons of choosing to lease your office equipment.

            While your monthly payments may be less when choosing to lease, over time, the total cost may actually be higher than buying. Plus, at the end of the agreement, there is no property left. It would be best if you also were careful about the lease terms you agree to and what your options will be at lease expiry. Choose a reputable company with flexible agreements and a record of exemplary service; otherwise, you may be stuck in a lease that only serves to frustrate you.

             

            Why Leasing Your Copier is a great idea

            • The ability to upgrade allows for more flexibility when your business grows, and your copier no longer fits your needs. 

            • Initial upfront costs are less expensive. Which means you can keep more money in your business when first starting out. 

            • Equipment stays up-to-date and can be exchanged if old equipment needs upgrading. Plus, it has the added benefit of no additional out of pocket expenses. 

            • Many companies have the option to buy out your device at the end of your lease, often at reasonable market value. 

            • Add more features to your copier that you may not have been able to afford if you purchased the copier outright, such as the copier doubling as a printer, scanner and fax machine that allows you to email and scan multiple documents. 

            • Service contracts and maintenance are built it. If there are ever any issues with the copier, you can place a call for easy upkeep and repairs. 

            • Leasing has the added tax benefit of being an expense, whereas if you were to purchase the copier outright, it would be a depreciable asset.