Managed Services
Hi. This is Craig Sharp, and you're listening to another two minute podcast from Abussi, with more news and topical information about IT.
Let's start with a question. How much inconvenience would you suffer - and how much business would be at risk - if your system failed and you didn't have adequate back-up? Or if your security was breached? Or if your email went down, even for just a couple of days? And how much would it cost to put it right on an ad hoc, emergency basis?
Well, we've seen it happen far too often to companies who weren't protected - with disruption to the business, and disproportionate costs.
And that's why a managed services programme from Abussi can make so much sense.
Think about your car for a minute. Regular servicing and preventive maintenance keeps it running smoothly. You wouldn't wait for it to break down and leave you stranded. It's just the same with IT - only even more important.
So what are managed services? What do we actually do? Well each month, we examine and check every aspect of your network and system, including key areas such as security, back-up, usage levels and operational effectiveness.
You get clear and detailed reports of what we've tested, work completed and pending, and any potential problems that need attention before they become serious.
In addition, you get levels of support that normally only large companies enjoy. Unlimited telephone support, via a dedicated helpline. Unlimited remote monitoring and support - with links from your server to our dashboard control. And unlimited engineer support on site, if this becomes necessary.
So how much does it cost? Well, for a typical eight user system the monthly fee is around £400. Not bad for an insurance policy that buys you peace of mind, confidence in your IT operations and systems that are smooth-running and problem-free. And most importantly, it's an insurance policy that buys business uptime and continuity, which are very hard to regain quickly if serious IT problems occur. DTI statistics show that 70% of businesses don't trade again after a catastrophic IT failure including virus infection or hard disk failures on the server.
Some find it hard to believe we can be this proactive. Others struggle to change from the old break and fix way of doing things, or muddle through with the false economy of IT being done on a part time basis by an enthusiastic amateur.
But our clients who are using managed services know for themselves that it really is the way forward - taking away the burden of day-to-day IT management, and enabling them to really focus on running their business and improve strategic direction as they develop and grow.
Our next podcast in March will be looking at Vendor Management - and how our Managed Services program puts Abussi in the firing line, not you, by managing not just the IT systems but the technology that touches them. This can cover your telecommunications, both fixed and mobile, along with cabling, broadband, copiers and printers.
Meanwhile, enjoy your IT - and I look forward to talking to you again soon. Thanks for listening.
Our Managed Services contract We act as a single point of contact for vendor issues, managing all technology relationships and ensuring you focus on your business.
