The Denver Business Owner’s Guide to Managed IT Services
In today’s fast-paced business world, technology is no longer a luxury. But for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs), managing IT can seem like an impossible task. That’s where Managed IT Services come in. But what exactly is included with Managed IT Services?
What is Managed IT?
Before we explore the services included, it’s crucial to understand what Managed IT is. The best way to do that is to imagine an IT crisis under the alternative method, a break/fix approach.
Consider the following example:
Your network goes down. All business activities grind to a halt, so you call your local break/fix IT service. Then the waiting begins. Eventually, you’re back up and running, but your productivity has taken a hit, and you’re left with the nagging feeling that this could happen again. When it does, it will be more of the same: React, wait, worry.
If you think this sounds like a bad way to approach IT, you’re right. A break/fix approach leaves businesses vulnerable by forcing them to reach, but Managed IT shifts the focus to prevention.
When SMBs think of IT, Managed IT should be the first thing that comes to mind. Think of it as an extension of your business—a full-service IT department that proactively prevents issues and outages. Of course, technology isn’t perfect, and issues still arise. However, with Managed IT, monitoring often means that your Managed Service Provider (MSP) knows about the problem as soon as it happens, drastically reducing downtime.
What’s Included with Managed IT Services?
Essentially, you gain an IT department at a fraction of the price, providing peace of mind and the freedom to run your business without the burden of IT. In a more literal sense, an MSP provides key services, including:
- IT Strategy & Budgeting
- Cybersecurity
- IT Compliance
- Technical Support
- IT Infrastructure Support
IT Strategy & Budgeting
A strong IT strategy goes beyond hardware and data management. It’s about creating a roadmap that supports business growth. Without a thorough plan, businesses risk inefficiencies and missed opportunities. Managed IT begins by aligning IT with business goals and creating a strategic plan that supports your company’s vision.
The strategic plan includes conducting comprehensive IT assessments to evaluate existing infrastructure, identify gaps, and align IT with long-term goals. This holistic approach extends to concentrated budget planning and cost forecasting, helping businesses plan for expenses and avoid financial surprises. Crucially, it also includes thoroughly evaluating your cybersecurity posture, identifying vulnerabilities, and implementing security measures to mitigate risk.
IT Strategy and Budgeting Services Include:
- Comprehensive IT Assessments: Identify gaps to align IT with business goals
- Budget Planning & Cost Forecasting: Plan expenses and avoid financial surprises
- Cybersecurity Posture Improvement: Assess and fix vulnerabilities while mitigating risks
Cybersecurity
In today’s digital landscape, cyber threats are constantly evolving. A single security measure is no longer sufficient. A layered security approach is essential to protect your networks, devices, and data. This strategy ensures that if one layer of defense is breached, others remain in place to prevent a complete security compromise.
A Managed IT provider implements a comprehensive, layered security approach, including perimeter defenses like firewalls and email security, as well as device-level protection through endpoint security and privilege management.
Cybersecurity Services Include:
- Email Security: Encryption, phishing protection, and spam filtering to prevent breaches
- Infrastructure & Network Security: Proactive monitoring, firewalls, and system hardening to ensure data integrity
- Threat Mitigation & Endpoint Security: Active protection against cyberattacks, malware, and unauthorized access
- Privilege Management: Controlling high-access accounts to reduce security risks
IT Compliance
Staying compliant with industry-specific regulations is crucial. Managed IT ensures regulatory alignment, whether it’s PCI-DSS for payment security or HIPAA for healthcare data protection. By focusing on compliance, businesses reduce risk, avoiding fines, legal issues, and reputational damage. They also align with best practices like NIST CFS to strengthen overall security posture.
IT Compliance Services Include:
- Regulatory Alignment: Meet industry standards to avoid penalties and fines
- Risk Reduction: Minimize data breaches and legal penalties
- Security Framework Implementation: Strengthen security with industry best practices
Technical Support
In any business, technical glitches and disruptions can lead to significant downtime and lost productivity. That’s why reliable technical support is crucial. A Managed Service Provider (MSP) offers comprehensive technical support to ensure your IT systems run smoothly, minimizing disruptions and allowing your team to focus on core business activities.
Help Desk Support
When minor issues arise, such as password resets, account lockouts, or quick troubleshooting, a responsive help desk is essential. An MSP provides a dedicated help desk with experienced technicians who can quickly resolve these common problems. A local team of skilled technicians, trained in IT and customer service, provides real-time assistance and a positive support experience.
Help Desk Services Include:
- Rapid Incident Resolution: Quickly fix common IT problems
- Local Support Team: Real-time Denver-based assistance
- Customer-Focused Service: Skilled, positive support experience
Desktop Support
Maintaining functional and up-to-date desktops is vital for employee productivity. An MSP’s desktop support services include comprehensive hardware and software maintenance to keep your systems running smoothly. They also handle seamless device setup for new employees through efficient onboarding and asset management. Proactive system updates and security patches are applied to prevent vulnerabilities and ensure optimal performance.
Desktop Support Services Include:
- Hardware & Software Maintenance: Keep systems running smoothly
- Onboarding & Asset Management: Efficient device setup for new employees
- System Updates & Security Patches: Prevent vulnerabilities and ensure performance
IT Infrastructure Support
Your IT infrastructure must be scalable and reliable. Managed IT ensures scalability and reliability, allowing your IT infrastructure to grow alongside business needs. Proactive maintenance is a key component, with continuous monitoring and maintenance to prevent issues. We implement disaster recovery and backup solutions to prevent data loss through redundancy and contingency planning. Network support manages physical and cloud-based networks to ensure connectivity and uptime.
IT Infrastructure Support Services Include:
- Proactive Maintenance: Prevent disruptions with constant monitoring
- Disaster Recovery & Backup Solutions: Protect data and ensure business continuity
- Network Support: Ensure seamless connectivity and performance
Focus on Your Business, Not Your IT Systems
Managing IT can be a major headache for SMBs. It’s time-consuming, expensive, and requires specialized expertise. Managed IT services remove these burdens, providing a team of experts with diverse skill sets, a preventative approach to save on downtime, and the ability to minimize downtime and maximize efficiency.
Why Choose Aspire?
At Aspire Technology Solutions, we understand the unique IT challenges SMBs face. With our local team, proven track record, and client-focused approach, we’re dedicated to helping you achieve your business goals. It’s time to stop reacting to IT issues and start preventing them.
Ready to take the next step? Schedule a consultation today!
