8 Biggest Challenges Faced by Managed Service Providers
Expansion is inevitable after the inception of an idea. As global businesses start to grow, so do their technology needs. It is almost impossible for a company to thrive without the support of technology. Years ago, where a professional email address, a few computers and a small tech team would suffice, things have changed drastically. There has been huge demand for managed IT support services in the recent years and it is likely to grow exponentially in the years. The global managed services market is likely to reach $356.24 by 2025.
Technology has transformed the way business functions, so much so, that it is important to invest in the right technology and not just any technology. Therefore, choosing managed IT support is important to implement the best ways possible to ensure there are no discrepancies and delayed performance. Efficiency is a major factor that determines how the business is performing and it may be achieved when the technology is effectively managed.
It can be quite overwhelming for the business to figure out all the technology needs and manage it at the same time. This is where a managed service provider gains importance. Different organizations have different IT needs and a managed IT services provider ensures that the different time consuming and specific services may be outsourced to the MSPs service center or a third-party data center.
The managed it support services provides services that include network, application, infrastructure and security. There are managed IT solutions that ensure to provide services from other types of providers. From remotely managing a customer`s IT infrastructure or end-users’ systems to supporting efficient output. In order to streamline the technology services and optimize busines revenue, it is important to rely on managed IT services by a reliable provider.
A Peek into the History of MSP
The emergence of Application Service Providers offered remote application hosting services. It first paved the way for cloud computing that had the ability to remotely support companies’ IT infrastructure. During its inception, MSP supported remote management monitoring of servers and networks and with time they expanded their scope in order to give their services an edge in a highly competitive domain. IT managed services companies have come a long way since they made their foray into the world of business.
As the MSPs evolved, they added specializations in specific segments including data storage. They are now used extensively in vertical markets including financial services, healthcare, banking and the managing sector. Some Managed Service Providers focus on specific segments like data storage, and may also consider specific vertical markets like legal, financial services, healthcare and manufacturing. Did you know that managed security service providers offer specialized services that include remote firewall administration and other security as a service offering? Managed print services ensure that the task of maintaining printers and more is managed effectively.
Why you should Choose Managed Service Providers
The term, managed services, refers to a robust business practise of outsourcing business administration and management responsibilities to a third party so as to focus on core business competencies. More business groups today are opting for managed IT support to ensure the smooth functioning of the various processes and to reduce the overall costs.
The definition however is not specific to IT as the managed services may describe a host of services like supply chain management, marketing strategies and more. Most companies find their IT to be reactive and not proactive.
Despite the wide range of options available, managed IT services is one of the most commonly used managed services that will help in reducing costs and augmenting cash flow. It is important to choose the right partner for managed services as technology and the allied services have come a long way.
Here are Top 8 Challenges of Managed Service Providers
The extraordinary changes and advancements in technology and growing awareness about business related cybersecurity has impacted the ease with which managed service providers function. The development in technology is often a double-edged sword.
On one end MSPs have a plethora of opportunities and on the other, the expectations are also higher. Businesses expect nothing but the most advanced services that can add value to their line of business, streamline operations and help them excel through effective business management.
Maintaining margins: The exponential growth in technology ensures that that there is room for development. With the growth in technology, the competition is also on a rise and Managed IT Service Providers will have to work diligently to maintain margins amidst the increasing prices.
Dynamic Cyber Threats: Managing cyber threats is one of the bigger challenges that businesses face and when MSPs try to provide the best services, they often face tough challenges through the mounting cyber security concerns.
Cloud adoption: The rapid changes in cloud adoption ensures that MSPs have huge challenges to face. The everchanging trends require quick measures that may add versatility to the services offered by Managed Service Providers. They need to adapt to the new changes while providing value addition to customers. Additional training may also be required.
Changing customer expectation: The ever-changing customer behaviour and customer expectation have changed the way the cloud-based solutions work. Managed Service Providers are thus under pressure to give the best services. Customers are better versed with digital and cloud-based solutions. This may impact managed service providers to come up with ways to provide the best-in-class services.
Changed buying behaviour: The advancement in technology has resulted in many customers being aware of the digitized technologies that have impacted their buying patterns. They often analyse and add value to their offerings to guarantee that customers get the best services.
Crowded cloud marketplace: The rise in challenges and the changing face of cloud technologies makes it difficult for MSPs to outshine. This ensures MSP to strive to offer technological excellence through the various services ensuring that their services stand out.
Quality services in a budget: One of the biggest challenges for MSPs is to provide quality services within stipulated time and to maintain robust work relationships with clients and customers that are demanding. MSPs will have to manage many internal systems to provide the best in class services.
Managing multiple accounts and cloud billing: It is a challenge to maintain multiple accounts and provide uninterrupted services while staying relevant. MSPs face these challenges, more so, in recent times as businesses have been opting for multi-cloud solutions and services. Transparency plays a crucial role and effective customer co-ordination guarantees seamless performances. Yet another challenge is to tackle the variation in the charges visible on a cloud service console and that on the MSP invoicing.
Pricing Models: Sometimes, freezing the right pricing services or building the right pricing models that drive maximum revenue is a huge challenge faced by MSPs. It can be tricky if all the parameters are not considered and the prices should align with the real market-value, giving importance for thorough research and higher deliverables.
In addition to the above, MSPs also face the challenge of managing customer`s application and cloud principles as there are several parameters to consider before migrating to a cloud application. Leading MSPs may overcome these challenges by understanding customers and their changing technology needs. They should lay emphasis on the visualization of the cloud solutions and decide on the most optimal cloud buying decisions.
As a leading Managed Service provider, a thorough introspection of the skills and competencies can add value to the services you deliver. It will not only give your services an edge but will ensure that the response time and the resolution time can be better managed. Once the Managed IT solutions providers determine the areas that need improvement, they stand a chance to gain more and excel through better services, enhanced client retention and higher turn overs. A better managed automation, better analytics and enhanced security offerings are requisites to maintain a steady flow of resources.
Since pricing is an important strategy to overcome losses, the Managed IT solutions providers provide detailed pricing with strategy and costs and total operating expenses to arrive at a detailed breakdown of the costs. This supports accurate ROI analysis and helps prospects and clients determine the type of managed services offered and if the services align with the prices charged. The competition is stiff and there are brands that deliver the best services through suitable platform. But as a business client, how to zero in on the most efficient MSP? Choosing the right partner for Managed IT support services is crucial for business.
Here is a look at the basic features that will help evaluate the best suited managed service provider for your business:
Technology has come a long way and most internal IT departments are unable to keep up with the fast pace of innovation which has resulted in the rising popularity of MSP. Before understanding what good MSP for business is, it is important to understand the different types of MSP. They may be categorised as Managed Cloud Infrastructure, Managed Networks and Infrastructure, Managed Support Services, Managed Print Services, Managed Software as a Service (SaaS), Managed Wireless and Mobile Computing, and Managed Communication Services to list a few.
The increase in demand is majorly attributed to small and medium-sized businesses who invest in latest technologies in a bid to sustain a continued growth. The MSP is thus a boon for middle and enterprise level organizations adding to the increasing popularity of MSPs in a dynamic world of businesses.
Steps That Help Zero-In on The Most Suitable MSP For Your Business:
Know your core objectives: The IT needs grow with time and as the business grows. Often you will find your business at a standstill in terms of effective IT management. At times like these, it is important to assign the additional responsibilities to Managed Service Providers as it frees up the employees helping them focus on the core business competencies by offering flexible solutions. A flexible service model will add momentum to your business and helps to focus better on the core business competencies.
Gain technology expertise: The changing technology is indeed important to stay ahead of the competition and to provide robust solutions to major business challenges. It therefore makes perfect business sense to get expertise in technology trends and make the best decisions to support your business. As all problems do not have the same solution, you may solve some issues by recruiting a new team, or train to upgrade the knowledge pool. Employee training will add value and minimize the costs of hiring a new team.
Maintain Costs: Keeping costs low is important to maintain the cash flow. Training the existing team, enhancing the resource base by choosing MSPs that offer hybrid model of onshore and offshore resources, will augment the resource base.
Flexibility in scaling up and down: The different technology needs which evolve over time and in systems like Dynamics 365 are highly scalable. However, it may not be the same in all the other cases. Therefore, flexibility in scaling gains prominence. So, choose MSP that offers advanced and flexible services like reporting, release management and proactive monitoring.
Data and technology fuel the growth of modern business and with technology undergoing steady evolution, partnering with a managed service provider is integral for business. Availing the services provided by a known MSP provider can add momentum to your business while reducing costs and helping you stay relevant.
Why Choose getSmartcoders For Optimized Performance
Managed services ensure effective management of a range of processes and IT functions to improve operations and minimize expenses. As a leading provider of Managed IT services, getSmartcoders offers great value to business by identifying the scope for improvement and technological advancements. It categorizes the challenges and strives to offer the best solution through diligent services, 24×7 availability and a dedicated team of coders.
At getSmartcoders, the team offers unmatched quality of services and IT solutions that will help smoothen the challenges in different processes thorough domain expertise. We also provide seamless results through a consistently evolving process for effective IT solutions management. The dedicated team has skills that augment operating system maintenance, change management, virtualization, network management, cross-platform integration, and security to list a few.
As one of the leading IT managed services companies, we ensure that our clients receive best-in-class services. We achieve that by employing sophisticated technologies. The reliable global service delivery models, training programs and certifications ensure that you get the finest services while staying compliant and relevant in a highly competitive technology-driven business landscape.