Managed IT Service, Does it make sense in today’s economy?

Many businesses are feeling the economic effects of a shrinking IT budget. The question to ask is, “Does a Managed Services approach make sense for my company?” We at Cornerstone IT believe the answer is yes. But first, what are Managed Services? Managed Services offer fixed budget options for managing your IT related expenses. Rather than incurring ad-hoc, capital expenses when your computers, servers or networks go awry, managed services allows you to have a fixed line-item operating expense. In turn, this allows you to accurately budget your IT expenditures.

Second, when you pay time and material, the expenses are usually higher in the end analysis. More time is spent trying to isolate the issues rather than proactively resolving them. Managed services, which usually includes some form of network monitoring, allows the IT service provider to address issues before they become major break-fix items for your business. These issues will create down time for your network, lost productivity for your employees, and customers not being serviced effectively. In this economy, customer service is crucial and effective IT solutions are what drive the business forward.

Lastly, companies are looking to extend the life and usefulness of the equipment they already have. Managed Services seeks to maximize the value of the investment already made. The goal is to spend your money on improvements where they will have the greatest effect.

IT service providers are looking to form long-term, strategic partnerships with businesses so that we all weather the current economic storm.