Managed service providers or self-service hosting is a great option for businesses that have limited IT resources but need to maintain a high level of website performance and security. Managed services allow users of an Exchange Server to focus on their core business functions rather than trying to maintain an in-house IT department. The self-service hosting service gives the organization total control over the entire IT platform, including server management, software updates and security, recovery and integration options, management of virtualization, desktop management, e-mail administration, hardware upgrades, customizations and much more. This gives companies the ability to better concentrate on their core business functions rather than being bogged down with managing the complex IT tasks that usually consume too much time and resources. Managed service providers offer several options for businesses looking to implement managed services on their Exchange Server.

A managed services provider offers several unique benefits over having its own in-house techs. First, the costs of managing the server are significantly less.

Since the self-service option only involves taking care of basic hardware and software configurations, there is no need for an IT professional. The client company simply pays for what it needs to have done, which saves money on training expenses. As a result, techs don’t have to be on staff for the duration of the contract. There is also no need to provide them with training on specific technologies as most client companies already have their existing techs skilled in those areas.

Second, managed services providers can provide a greater degree of remote assistance for your company. Since they are paid by the hour, they can perform upgrades, backups, repairs and diagnostics remotely. There are a variety of tools available for remote support services, which can include installation of applications, recovery management, monitoring, recovery planning and more. These tools are typically part of the business operations team that works onsite, but can be provided to clients on a pay-as-you-go basis, eliminating the cost of additional staffing. This is especially helpful to smaller businesses that don’t have a lot of money to invest in onsite computer repair personnel or technicians.

Lastly, managed services contracts allow a business owner to provide their computer system with the level of support required by their own employees.

Since professionals use the software programs and hardware they are familiar with, they often anticipate problems much more readily than a regular employee would. When a technician is called out to a client’s location, it usually takes them a minimum of thirty minutes to resolve a problem related to that client’s computer system. This amount of time is typically far less than what it would take an employee to resolve the same problem, since an employee typically has at least some training and experience with computer system software programs and hardware. The added benefit of using a managed service provider means that when an employee returns from vacation, their computer remains in the hands of a professional for that period of time, allowing them to get back to work quickly and efficiently.

In addition to having managed services contracts with providers, businesses can also utilize other tools and software programs to help them assess their IT needs. One such tool is data analytics, which provides businesses with an insight into exactly what hardware and software they have on-hand that they may need to replace, add, or upgrade in order to stay competitive in the marketplace. Data analytics also gives businesses a bird’s eye view of their entire IT portfolio, allowing them to see at a glance how everything fits together and if they need to make any changes. By utilizing these tools and software programs, an entrepreneur can quickly and easily assess the state of their entire network and software environment.

By outsourcing their network administration tasks to a managed service provider, a business owner saves both money and time. Typically, computer system technicians are paid by the hour, which means that every hour that they spend on the phone with a client is an additional hour they are not making working on the company’s network. On top of this, the majority of techs start their day in the office, which means that they must stay late after the office closes to complete night shifts, which eats into their time. Outsourcing saves time, energy, and money for an entrepreneur because the techs can complete their jobs from their home offices, meaning that hours they spend on the phone are not spent traveling to and from their office.

Because they are able to reduce their overall costs by using a managed services provider, entrepreneurs are able to pay less towards their Computer Services contracts. For example, an individual or small business may find that it is more cost effective to outsource their network administration to a computer service provider instead of hiring a full-time in-house network administrator. This saves the entrepreneur both time and money. If they were to hire a full-time in-house network admin, they would have to factor in their salary, benefits, taxes, as well as other areas into their annual budget, which means that the savings gained by outsourcing might be a bit difficult to break into the corporate budget.

An added benefit to entrepreneurs is that some managed service providers offer data analytics to their clients in order to help them monitor their business.

• This means that they will be able to see what areas their network administration is causing trouble in, which allows them to make quick changes, which makes the overall cost of their operations more effective.
• If they notice that their servers are slowing down, or that there are security problems in the data centers, they are able to quickly look at the information they have and make the necessary changes to improve their services.
• They are able to also send detailed reports to their clients in order to give them accurate insight into their operations, so that they can see immediate and long-term benefits.