Every business today utilizes technology for a variety of purposes, including streamlining workflows, facilitating communication with stakeholders, and launching marketing campaigns. But while large corporations usually have an internal department that manages, maintains, and monitors their IT, small- and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) may not enjoy the same privileges due to limited resources. This is where managed IT services providers (MSP) in Toronto can help.
MSPs are third-party organizations that businesses can partner with to handle tech-related concerns such as management, monitoring, upgrades, security, and more. Typically, MSPs are paid a flat monthly fee to provide a suite of IT services to businesses and serve as their external IT department.
However, every business has unique needs. For instance, a manufacturing company operates differently from a healthcare practice and would therefore have technology requirements or priorities particular to its industry. For that reason, it’s worth asking how MSPs cope with the diversity and specificity of their clients’ IT needs. Do they adjust their service offerings per client? Or do they provide all-inclusive plans and packages, where a client pays for a bundle of services and gets access to those services whenever they need to, and with the option of scaling up or down as necessary?
How Do MSPs Manage when One Size Does Not Fit All?
While there are MSPs that serve industry-specific businesses, most MSPs offer basic universal or standard services that every modern organization needs. These core services include the following.
Managed IT Services
Managed IT services come with a plethora of benefits including ongoing IT support, scaling the level of support up or down based on your changing business needs, uninterrupted 24/7 network monitoring, cost savings, additional support for existing IT departments, and so much more. You choose the level of service that’s appropriate for your business and budget, so that you can better manage your expenditures while getting the cybersecurity you need.
Network Monitoring
Network monitoring entails keeping a close eye on all network activity, connectivity, the Wi-Fi environment, and other IT infrastructure at all times. Proactive network monitoring enables MSPs to prepare for and react quickly to perceived or actual cybersecurity threats or data breaches. Furthermore, necessary security and authentication changes can be made according to specific needs.
IT Support Services
IT support services include basic practices performed by an MSP such as monitoring, patching, installing system updates, and email administration. Managed IT services for businesses provide a wide range of technical support solutions that can be customized according to your specific industry standards.
Tier 2 or Tier 3 Support
Tier 2 or tier 3 support is a system that involves escalating service tickets to an MSP when the problem can’t be solved by your internal IT department. In-house IT departments often lack the funding, technical tools, and resources to handle more in-depth requirements or provide the right solutions. That’s where outsourced managed IT services can step in and provide additional support as needed.
Managed Cloud Services
This entails cloud-related services such as hosting, patching, advanced security options, and 24/7 monitoring. Managed cloud service providers also closely assess your service requirements and make custom solution recommendations based on their experience and your security needs.
Backup and IT Disaster Recovery Services
Backup and IT disaster recovery services maintain business continuity during times of trouble such as attempted data security breaches, natural disasters that impact network stability, and other causes.
Why Choose XBASE Technologies as a Preferred Managed Cloud Services Provider in Toronto
MSPs address critical technology needs, so it will be in an SMB’s best interest to avail of a provider’s full lineup of offerings and services. After all, MSPs offer quite a number of benefits like improved workflow efficiency, IT infrastructure security, and easier compliance, all at a reasonable price point. Typically, it’s the larger companies that require more flexible options. But because these organizations usually have an internal IT department, subscribing to the full range of MSP services can be redundant for them.
In case a client does want their services customized, MSPs can offer them a certain level of flexibility. For instance, at XBASE Technologies, we tailor our solutions according to each client’s requirements. We don’t entertain an all-in proposition if it’s not right for the client. If you only need server support, then we’ll be happy to provide it to you. If you need backup and recovery assistance, we’ll lend you a hand. If you need a service desk, we can set it up right away. But of course, many IT systems and processes are interconnected, and doing one thing may also require doing another, so be sure to consult with your MSP to avoid gaps in security, monitoring, and overall support.
The bottom line is that not only can we adapt our services to fit your current needs, but we can also continue to adapt over the lifetime of our partnership. If your circumstances change—say, you hire more employees, open new locations, or decide to explore more advanced cloud solutions—we can adjust our services accordingly. As your local MSP partner, we’ve made it our mission to grow alongside your business.
The best customer-MSP relationships are regarded as partnerships. If you choose to have an MSP like XBASE manage only certain aspects of your IT environment rather than its entirety, it signifies a shared responsibility. Top-tier MSPs like XBASE will establish a runbook and change management policies and procedures to always keep your team informed and involved in the performance and support of your environment.
For over 33 years, we have been helping businesses in the Greater Toronto Area overcome digital hurdles and make the best of their IT investments. We make sure that you have confidence in your IT infrastructure, so you can focus your efforts and resources into running your business. Be Exponentially Better™ with XBASE. Call us at 647-697-7710 or send us a message today.