With today’s high costs and tight margins, it is now more important than ever to make sure your business has the right Phoenix IT support provider.
You certainly do not want to overpay for unnecessary network support services, but you also do not want to fall into the trap of choosing the least expensive option and then paying overinflated add-on costs when you need extra help.
Like Goldilocks, you should be able to find the IT services mix that is “just right” for your needs. But that can be a much harder task than it seems.
Understanding Your IT Services Options
You have probably already noticed that every Managed Services Provider (MSP) here in Phoenix offers a different blend of services. Therefore, if you want to find that “just right” mix, your first step should be to determine which services your company needs.
To help, here is a breakdown of typical IT services. As you read through this list, mark down which services are necessary for your company, considering your current in-house IT expertise.
Standard IT Services
All reputable MSPs will offer a standard blend of IT services, including:
- Proactive 24/7 monitoring for your company’s full IT setup
- Applying security patches and performing software updates, quickly
- Reporting on IT activity within your network
This standard services package is often a good fit for small companies with less than a handful of devices and no strict cybersecurity mandates. It is also fitting for organizations that already employ a full-time IT person on staff but want to offload a few of the more tedious tasks from their in-house person’s plate.
Important to note: Many providers 100% automate their monitoring with no human involvement, apply patches and updates at inconvenient times, and offer reporting only in “geekspeak.” Make sure you find out about a provider’s methods before you sign on the dotted line.
Expert IT Services
It is rare for small to midsized businesses here in Phoenix to employ a full-time, in-house IT person. That is why most local companies require additional outsourced expert IT support that goes beyond the basics.
Consider whether your organization will need expert tech services such as:
- Standard business hours remote helpdesk support and troubleshooting from a friendly, knowledgeable tech expert
- Business continuity and disaster recovery services that help you return to work quickly after a cyberattack, fire, or other disaster
- Asset management that helps you keep track of all company-owned tech devices year after year
- License management for your organization’s specialized software or licensing and permissions configuration for your Microsoft 365 setup
- Content filtering that prevents known malware and virus-filled material from entering your site or remote devices
- Remote device monitoring (often called “EDR”), which helps ensure good cybersecurity practices for your WFH or on-the-go employees
Often, these expert services are the “just right” fit for local business leaders who are highly familiar with their technology options and have a clear tech strategy in place already. This is also a good fit for leaders who are comfortable performing their own hands-on repairs.
Important to note: Hands-on services and after-hours / weekend support are typically not included as expert services. For those, you will probably need to work with a specialized Phoenix IT support provider.
Specialized IT Services
It is an unavoidable fact that running a business here in Phoenix requires you to use and know about a surprising amount of technology. If you do not consider yourself to be a tech-savvy individual, you can either hire a full-time IT person in house or you can work with an outsourced MSP that provides specialized IT services. In most cases, the outsourced IT support will be the most cost-effective option, considering local wage expectations.
Specialized services include:
- Hands-on repair for servers, devices, or other technology
- After-hours and weekend emergency IT support from a friendly, knowledgeable expert
- Business Technology Reviews (BTRs) or Virtual CIO Services (vCIO), which provide strategic tech planning that reduce your expenses over time
- Hardware and license research and procurement advisement
- Managed Detection and Response (MDR), in which real humans proactively monitor your IT environment from a 24/7-staffed Security Operations Center (SOC)
- Vendor management services in which your MSP will directly handle issues with your software vendors, so you do not have to act as the middleman
These services are usually the “just right” fit for business leaders who do not want to have to become tech experts simply to run a company. This is because specialized IT services providers handle your on-site repairs for you and help you craft a smart, forward-looking IT strategy that leads your business into the future without costly missteps.
Important to note: Since the natural inclination is to “trust the experts” when you hire a specialized IT company, it is important for you to perform your due diligence and ensure that the expert you are hiring is actually recognized as a leader in the tech industry.
Looking for Specialized Phoenix IT Support Services? Consider SWK Technologies.
As you have probably already seen, it can be quite difficult to find a local IT support specialist with the resources and specialized skill set to deliver expert hands-on services, strategic business technology planning, and after-hours / weekend support – in addition to the expert and standard services you expect from an outsourced IT professional.
It is even more difficult to find an award-winning provider, yet SWK Technologies is right here in Phoenix and is recognized by the leading IT organizations including CRN MSP 500, CRN Solution Provider 500, Channel Futures MSP 501, and ChannelE2E Top 100 Vertical Market MSPs.
If you are in need of that “just right” blend of expert and specialized IT services from a Phoenix IT support provider, we invite you to contact SWK Technologies. Discover what it is like to work with one of the leading MSP practices in the U.S. – conveniently located right here in your back yard.