What Are Managed Services and How Can Missoula Organizations Benefit?

For most companies, it’s hard to keep up with the pace of modern technological innovations. New solutions come into the market every day that offer opportunities to gain further efficiencies from existing processes. Although companies may keep up with the trends and products, they don’t always have the freedom to implement initiatives due to constrained budgets and a lack of in-house expertise.

Managed services circumvent these issues by providing companies with an outsourcing option for critical processes and functions at a consistent price point. With the advancement of cloud-based solutions, managing the core functions of an office remotely and in real-time is possible, efficient, and cost-effective.

What Are Managed Services?

The managed services model is where external service providers take care of a core function for a set price, freeing up the company’s resources to focus on their business-specific competencies.

Traditionally, companies IT and digital infrastructure require in-house resources (sometimes entire departments) to ensure the equipment remained operational. This model wasn’t sustainable as technology improved too quickly, and purchasing new hardware was cyclical and expensive. Whenever companies did source new technology, employees needed training to implement the applications or equipment locally.

Luckily, the current service-based model eliminates much of these old problems. With a service provider, companies have access to the latest hardware, software, technical expertise, and full-time customer support. Managed services bundle solutions into a complete service, allowing companies to grow and scale quickly, without necessarily requiring massive CAPEX allocations. Managed Services Providers (in case you were wondering what an MSP is) group their solutions into three core functions.

Managed Print Services

In the past, business copiers and printers were a pain point in every office. Once an organization bought a new device (such as a Toshiba MFP), the value started deprecating immediately while within a few years, the features were outdated. If the company didn’t regularly maintain and service the Toshiba copier, it would be prone to breakdowns, reducing the entire office’s productivity.

With managed print services for small business (or large), the hardware, servicing, and resupply of multifunction printers (MFPs) is the responsibility of an external company. They monitor the device remotely and ship new supplies as required. Additionally, they carry out regular maintenance and services according to the manufacturer’s recommended duty cycles, ensuring equipment operates reliably.

Using outsourced Managed Print Services enables businesses to regain control of all their printing and copying activities at a consistent price. As the service provider monitors the entire fleet of devices from a central print server, usage statistics and trends give insights into employee behavior and highlight any process deficiencies. The MPS model ultimately provides a sustainable printing option for modern businesses.

Managed Network Services

Managed Network Services covers a broad range of solutions and services regarding the IT infrastructure deployed at a company. For most organizations, the Information Technology departments and equipment remains an expensive support overhead. As the equipment and expertise needed to support them don’t come cheap, IT-related expenditure is rarely a priority. While this makes sense, it does lead to outdated pieces of equipment that compromise the office’s productivity.

With a Managed Network Service provider, the organization has access to cloud storage, new hardware, virtualization technology, disaster recovery, and business continuity solutions. Once again, as the service comes at a set price, the budget is consistent and predictable, while the organization doesn’t suffer any lag from legacy systems and processes.

Document Management and Managed Software Services

As more and more information becomes digital, document management solutions leverage advanced workflow engines to manage, route, and store data within the organization. The software integrates across all devices and workstations, includes advanced Optical Character Recognition (OCR) technology to speed up the data capturing process, and centralizes the control of the entire company workflow.

While a completely paperless office isn’t possible, with current document and content management solutions, companies can drastically reduce their physical document footprint. The improved process oversight and performance indicators allow companies to track efficiencies and locate issues in the information flow during processing. Electronic Document Management Systems (EDMS) also reduces the cost of regulatory compliance while strengthening information security.

The Benefits of the Managed Services Model

There are many benefits to moving towards a managed services model. Companies get access to the latest technology and expertise, improve oversight and control, reduce CAPEX, and can confidently set budgets accordingly. All these lead to increased productivity and efficiency within the workplace.

As technology is changing how people interact and conduct business, enabling an office to leverage all of the above ensures, companies are free to scale efficiently. It also frees up staff to focus on mission-critical tasks and duties.

Kelley Create – Your Managed Services Experts

As an expert and trusted managed services provider in Missoula County, Kelley Create leverages over 40 years of industry experience to deliver the best productivity solutions to their customers. Kelley Create maintains partnerships with the best software and hardware manufacturers, giving customers access to the latest technology and technical skills.