Why More Organizations Are Using Managed Services to Address Pandemic-Related Challenges
According to a new report from Research Dive, the global managed services market is expected to see a compound annual growth rate of more than 11 percent through 2027. That’s significant given the current economic uncertainty. Although many organizations are curtailing technology spending, they view managed services as an increasingly important part of their IT operations.
The reasons are clear. The COVID-19 pandemic and work-from-home models have made it difficult for in-house staff to manage the extended IT environment. Managed services providers are needed now more than ever to secure these extended environments, ensuring that critical IT resources are available and performing optimally. The Research Dive report finds that the data center and IT infrastructure segment of the managed services market will see the highest market value.
Additionally, the explosion of new devices, locations and services has made the IT environment more complex and dynamic than ever. Many organizations are in uncharted territory and need the expertise of a trusted partner who can guide them through the design, implementation, security challenges and support of business-enabling technologies.
Defining ‘Managed Services’
The term “managed services” means different things to different people — from end-user support to fully outsourced IT infrastructure management and everything in between. At SageNet, we view managed services as a turnkey solution that incorporates all the expertise needed to operate that solution throughout its lifecycle.
In the pandemic context, that’s especially powerful. Organizations in a variety of industries are having to rapidly and repeatedly retool their operations to enable popup locations, contactless transactions and more in order to meet government mandates and satisfy consumer demand for a healthy and safe experience. Changes in consumer behavior are expected to persist long after the pandemic has abated, requiring long-term restructuring of operational models.
In order to adapt to this “new normal,” organizations must embrace technology to become more agile and flexible. Best-in-class managed services providers (MSPs) bring to bear a suite of solutions that can help meet today’s challenges and ensure that organizations are well-positioned for the post-pandemic rebound.
The ROI Benefits of Managed Services
Because managed services look beyond the initial implementation to maintenance, management and security, they help overcome many of the issues that can prevent organizations from realizing the expected return on investment – while minimizing risk. All too often, IT initiatives stall in the proof-of-concept phase because the organization lacks the resources for a broader rollout and long-term operation and support of the technology assets.
Worse, IT solutions are sometimes purchased and never installed at all. One study found that 93 percent of organizations have at least some “shelfware” — software that’s unused or severely underutilized. It’s unknown how many organizations have brand new hardware that’s sitting idle somewhere.
By wrapping expert services around a solution, the MSP oversees the rollout and operation from end to end. In addition to ensuring successful deployment, the MSP monitors and manages the solution to optimize performance and prevent service outages and downtime. The MSP works in concert with the organization’s in-house IT team to take on responsibilities that make the most sense for the business.
SageNet has decades of experience in the delivery of fully managed network services that connect multisite enterprises and ensure network access for a wide range of users and devices. We have the ability to integrate business-enabling technologies, including digital signage, Internet of Things analytics and more, with cybersecurity as a core component of everything we do.
Let us show you how SageNet’s managed services can help you address today’s pandemic-related challenges and prepare for the future.
