IT Support and IT Managed Services for SMEs

Before digital technologies became an integral part of corporate life, battling IT woes with over-the-phone IT support was a natural thing to do. However, as business operations become increasingly reliant on IT systems, the market’s changing IT needs are evolving. Consequently, managed services have emerged as an alternative approach to address IT concerns. As an owner of a small-medium enterprise (SME) without the luxury of engaging both services, you may wonder how managed services differ from traditional IT support and which is a better choice. To clarify your doubts, this article breaks down the two forms of services.

What is IT Support and IT Managed Services

When determining whether traditional IT support or managed services are more suitable for your SME, it is crucial to understand what each service entails. By engaging traditional IT support, your business will gain access to a team of IT experts who provide assistance when an IT problem occurs. On the other hand, managed services involve monitoring your company’s IT systems continuously and scheduling regular upgrades and maintenance to avoid technical issues.

Differences Between IT Support and IT Managed Services 

IT support and managed services are both solutions to IT problems, but there are significant differences between them.

1. In-House vs Third-Party

Traditional IT support is typically provided by an in-house team. As in-house employees have a deeper understanding of your SME, they can design solutions that fit well in your organisation. Meanwhile, managed services are offered by a third-party service provider, who deploys a proactive monitoring system on your company’s premises. As these service providers are constantly exposed to diverse IT issues across different industries, they can better resolve complex challenges that an in-house team is less equipped to handle. By working with these service providers, you can be assured that any solution implemented is always up-to-date and in line with the latest IT best practices.

2. Preventive vs Reactive

Another major difference between IT support and managed services is their service model. For traditional IT support, a reactive approach is adopted where the support team only steps in to handle a concern when an alert is raised. In contrast, managed services providers proactively monitor your IT systems to pre-empt potential issues. Steps are also taken to avoid these problems, minimising disruptions to your operations. With downtime amounting to more than US$300,000/hour for 91% of the companies that responded to ITIC’s 2022 Global Server Hardware Security survey, managed services can help your SME avoid hefty costs.

3. Pricing Model

Besides the differences in how IT support and managed services manage technical issues, they also operate on distinct fee models:

  • In-house IT support: Overhead costs are incurred under this model. With the annual salary of an in-house IT support specialist averaging S$45,600, this may not always be ideal for SMEs, which often run on a tighter budget.
  • Outsourced IT support: Outsourcing IT support enables your SME to quickly increase or reduce your required assistance based on your needs and be charged accordingly. Fees for this approach are billed on a per-device, per-user, ad hoc or monitoring-only basis. Under a per-device and per-user plan, the costs can add up when your team expands. Meanwhile, services under the monitoring-only plan may be insufficient to meet your IT needs. In the case of an ad hoc plan, it can be a good option if you rarely require IT services. However, it may become costly when a serious technical issue occurs.
  • Managed services: Managed services typically charge a transparent, fixed monthly rate, enabling your business to predict your IT expenditures better.

Future-Proof Your IT Infrastructure with EZSVS’s Managed Services

In today’s business environment, efficiency and productivity are essential for success. To stay ahead of the competition, your SME will need an IT infrastructure that you can always rely on to help you keep pace with the ever-changing marketplace. This is where EZSVS comes in. As a leading IT service provider, we offer IT managed services and a diverse range of IT solutions, such as cloud and hardware maintenance services, to meet your varied needs. With a global presence in more than 60 countries, our rich expertise and experience enables us to quickly identify and manage your IT pain points with effective solutions. With EZSVS to take care of the technical details, you can focus on running your business, knowing that your IT infrastructure is in good hands. Reach out to us today to learn how you can leverage our managed services to prepare your organisation for the future.