Managed Services
Hidden Fees Can Cost You Dearly
Technology
needs are one part of your business where you can achieve cost
certainty, while at the same time getting the highest levels of
service and risk management. Relax, it’s not a myth, it’s managed
services. The trouble is, if you’re not careful in selecting the
right managed services plan — and partner — you could wind up
battling with something that was more than you bargained for.
Typically, business leaders purchase IT products on a transactional
basis, deploy them on-site and manage them with an internal IT staff
that handles break/fix repairs, routine upgrades and any number of
unforeseen challenges that can cause technology to go down and
destroy budget projections. The costs associated with this model are
inherently unpredictable, for a variety of reasons: servers die and
need to be replaced unexpectedly; viruses infect systems; help-desk
headcount requirements increase; and so on.
The question that you need to answer is this: why do you buy
technology resources and services in the first place? If the reason
you buy technology is to help you run your business more
effectively, then the fact that IT often introduces its own cost and
operational uncertainties essentially defeats the purpose for those
products. Which leads to a truly frustrating choice: would you
prefer IT that always works or IT that always stays within budget?
The good news is that with our managed services model, you can have
both — because pricing is pre-determined as part of a long-term
contract that includes precise commitments to costs and to service
levels. There are no surprises. Our model is about providing
top-notch IT services so you can focus on your core business without
distraction.
No Horsing Around
Subscription-based pricing is not "one size fits all." We will consult with you to establish a plan that works best for your business, based on whatever unique combination of resources and needs you have in your technology operations. Options include a flat monthly rate based on the number of users in your organization, the number of devices, the number of domain structures, or even the number of business applications inside your organization. For example, in some businesses, employee headcount far exceeds the number of technology devices (PCs, servers, routers, etc.) needed to operate the business. In this case, the per-device pricing model would be the right choice. Other companies are running advanced IT services with a much greater reliance on device infrastructure and virtually all employees use technology devices to do their jobs — which would make the per-user pricing model more effective. Whatever the configuration, pricing would be customized to fit best with your particular business dynamics.
Managing Risk
Many of us carry medical insurance not so much to offset the
expenses of doctor’s visits or minor procedures, but rather to guard
against catastrophic loss in the instance of a major accident,
surgery or a chronic illness requiring long-term care. Such events
can wipe you out financially or at the very least derail your
expenses in a given year.
The same is true for the technology that helps run your
organization.
One of the greatest benefits of the flat-fee pricing model and
long-term contract is that it protects you against any major
technology crisis that could otherwise require you to dig deep into
your pockets unexpectedly. With our pricing model, your monthly rate
stays the same, even in the event of an IT emergency that may
require a significantly higher-than-normal number of support hours.
That’s the beauty of the managed services model: predictability and
risk management.
And if we, as your provider, can build certainty into both your
costs and our own, we can more effectively create advanced
technology services that support the growing needs of your core
business while staying true to your financial requirements. Now
that’s a gift horse you’ll appreciate!