Turn to Flat Rate, Managed IT Services to Deal with Tighter Technology Budgets

Posted by Kevin | August 19, 2010

Today’s financial environment has caused most small businesses to find how to operate in a more lean and efficient model. Many managing successful organizations in today’s market have found that the only strategy to maintain a healthy margin or keep profitable is to increase efficiency and lower costs versus higher prices. Efficiency in business can involve various business aspects from process to spending.

Reviewing your costs is always a wise decision. Removing extra expenditures or finding lower cost service plans for phone or Internet are great starting points, but typically there is only so much a business can do here to trim those costs. That’s the reason one of the best ways to save money is to increase the productivity or effectiveness of your workforce.

The technology that powers your business should be delivering one of three factors at the very least – increasing revenue, increasing efficiency, or decreasing cost. If there are elements of your technology solution that are not rendering one of these 3 elements then you should look at how necessary those elements are. More than likely, you are throwing away money. What complicates matters even more is the fact that the age of your technology solution doesn’t care about a bad economy or how much you need to “delay” spending on It due to a downturn in business. Purchasing computers, servers, and networks can be an intimidating process, but when not properly planned, you might as well throw money down the drain.

The managed services model is becoming a popular alternative for small businesses looking to control technology costs as it delivers predictable, budgeted, flat-rate services that were once only on the market on a variable time and material basis. Managed IT services can give a business every aspect of the IT solution and management process without the worry of unexpected costs and can make it possible for a organization to maintain control over IT spending.

Normally a company has to deal with IT-related expenditures such as:

i. Support of the staff and business for technology problems that arise

ii. New and upgraded hardware

iii. Software and licensing

iv. Peripherals such as printers and scanners

v. Phone systems

vi. Service contracts with vendors like your phone or Internet company

vii. Backup and disaster recovery

viii. Compliancy issues

Every one of these can attribute to a rising and variable cost in the business which, when not managed properly, can lead to a lot of wasted spending. When you look at an example such as a managed services program, all of these separate line items are boiled down to one set, monthly investment to the business with no limitations. Since there are no limitations, it is incumbent upon the managed service provider (MSP) to give the business a clean running operation and reduce the amount of problems that can come up. There are no hourly rates, no trip charges, and no surprise costs.

Perhaps it is time for your business to upgrade its entire computer network. As the decision maker or person accountable taking the lead on this initiative, you could definitely get most computer technology firms to quote a project like this. Most likely this will result in a large project and large capital expense without even including any tech support after the installation.

How does a managed IT service provider handle this in a different way? With managed IT, one modest fixed monthly investment that includes all of your hardware and can be written off at the end of the year as an operational expense if you so choose. The best part? This includes all support, training, and monitoring after the installation – therefore, keeping your staff efficient and trained on all the latest technology and there is help available if questions or problems occur.

Managed IT services offers businesses fixed technology costs, increased efficiency and a new technology environment. Flat rate Ohio and Michigan IT services are a simple yet powerful way to advance the backbone of your company into a lean and efficient machine.

1 Comment so far

1. by Eric Myers

   On August 31, 2010 at 3:13 am

   Ive been using a telephone answering service for years. Not only have they helped me save money, they have also helped me grow my business. Its great to know that there is always a professional, human voice on the line to help customers when i am out conducting business or just living my life. Great article. Thanks.

One Response to “Turn to Flat Rate, Managed IT Services to Deal with Tighter Technology Budgets”