Resilient technology is the foundation of a successful business, but managing that technology is no easy task. That’s why many organizations outsource their IT support. Outsourcing gives you access to proven experts with the knowledge to improve your data security, align your technology with your organization’s strategic goals, and ensure your users get the most from your software.
How We Define IT Services
IT services are the solutions that keep your technology running smoothly so you can sell products, provide customer service, and fulfill administrative duties more efficiently. It typically includes updating software, providing employee assistance when they have technical issues, installing cybersecurity controls, maintaining network uptime, and planning future technology initiatives.
Types of IT Support and Services
Your business is a multi-faceted operation composed of different functions (sales, marketing, finance, HR, etc.), and so is your IT infrastructure. And the type of IT support and services your business needs are based on your specific goals:
Help Desk Support
We’ve all been there — you try logging into an online account or software tool only to be denied access. That’s where help desk support steps in. They’re teams of technicians who can remotely access a computer, troubleshoot the issue, and guide you through a resolution process.
These services are generally break-fix solutions. In other words, technicians step in when issues arise, such as malfunctioning software or hardware, user account concerns, network connectivity problems, or out-of-date systems.
Managed IT Services
When you hire a third party (typically a managed service provider or MSP) to oversee your IT operations, you’re using managed IT services. These companies take the burden of IT management off your plate so you can focus on the core activities of your business, like tax preparation, litigation, design, wealth management, or manufacturing.
Managed IT providers handle both day-to-day technology challenges and long-term strategic planning. They provide capabilities like a help desk, networking monitoring and maintenance, cybersecurity management, cloud deployment, data backups, and general IT consulting to ensure your tech stack aligns with your business goals.
Co-Managed IT Services
What if you have existing internal IT staff and don’t need all the bells and whistles of a managed IT service? Co-managed IT may be a great option.
In these collaborative partnerships, your IT staff works alongside MSP teams, enhancing your organization’s technology and security capabilities based on your resource or personnel gaps.
For instance, while your internal IT staff might handle daily help desk support for users and cloud management, your co-managed IT provider could oversee your cybersecurity program and compliance requirements.
Network and Infrastructure Support
In today’s hyper-connected world, your applications are likely useless to you if your network is down or disconnected from other systems. That’s where network and infrastructure support comes in. With effective network and infrastructure support, you can ensure internet uptime and consistent communications and data flow between IT systems and applications.
For example, imagine your cloud-based CRM isn’t updating because your office internet is slow. In this case, you’d call networking technicians, and they’d diagnose the problem to fix any misconfigurations causing slow Internet. While your in-house team could manage this, you might prefer to have your supplemental team handle these kinds of issues, to free your own team for other projects. You can also get these services via MSPs, network specialists, cloud providers, and telecommunications companies like an internet provider.
Cybersecurity and Data Protection
Managed cybersecurity protects your network from data breaches and helps you comply with regulatory demands (think HIPAA, PCI, CMMC, and so on). It includes assessing risk, monitoring the network for potential threats, incident response and recovery planning, adopting controls that protect IT resources, and many other areas.
While an MSP can provide these services, you can also hire specialists like a managed security service provider (MSSP) or cybersecurity consultant.
Cloud Services and Remote IT Support
With work-from-home becoming more common, your organization needs a way to store and manage data users in an accessible way. And the cloud offers just that, with a managed cloud provider overseeing the environment.
Managed cloud providers set up servers, handle data migrations, manage cloud space and scalability, monitor the environment, and troubleshoot issues, ensuring your team can access IT resources easily.
Roles and Responsibilities of IT (Key Leaders and Practitioners)
Your business’ success relies on leaders providing a vision and practitioners executing it. And it’s not much different in the IT world. IT support and services come in two primary roles:
IT Technicians and Support Staff
The “boots on the ground” IT roles are usually specialists. Some of the most common include:
- Help desk technicians: Assists end users in resolving technical issues with their computers, software, or connectivity.
- Network administrators: Oversees IT infrastructure by deploying and maintaining routers, switches, firewalls, and other hardware to preserve network uptime and security.
- Systems administrator: Manages user accounts for software and online services, plus handles system and server updates for software products.
- IT support/operations specialist: Provides technical support, troubleshooting, installations, and user training to help employees operate their technology effectively.
- Security analyst: Monitors network activity for anomalies and potential threats, handles vulnerability and risk assessments, and deploys security measures that protect IT systems.
- Field technicians: Travels onsite to office locations to install and maintain network hardware and troubleshoot direct infrastructure issues.
Managerial Roles
Managerial roles take the lead in developing and executing your IT strategy. These include:
- Chief Information Officer (CIO): Sets up the technology strategy to align your organization’s IT infrastructure and capabilities with business goals. CIOs are also responsible for leading digital transformation and modernization efforts.
- IT managers/directors: Oversees day-to-day IT operations, develops governance policies, and leads technology initiatives to ensure teams have what they need for success.
- Chief Information Security Officer (CISO): Creates and manages cybersecurity programs to ensure the organization complies with regulatory demands and that IT resources are secure from cyber threats.
- Program/IT project manager: Handles special IT projects (like IT modernization or delivery of new technology) by coordinating between stakeholders and executing technology roadmaps.
Benefits of Investing in IT Support Services
Investing in professional IT support puts your business on a fast track to success. Here’s how:
Improved Operational Efficiency
Solid IT support removes productivity roadblocks. For example, if a server, application, or network goes offline, employees can’t get anything done—they cannot access files, collaborate, or engage with customers. But with professional IT support, you can call someone immediately, quickly getting things back up and running.
IT service providers can also enhance your internal team’s capabilities. Outsourced IT professionals can, allowing you to focus on promoting your brand, selling more, and delivering compelling customer experiences.
Enhanced Data Security and Compliance
IT support and services providers use best-in-class technology — and this brings the biggest benefits to your cybersecurity, where they use top-of-the-line network monitoring, threat detection, and security automation solutions to protect your valuable IT resources.
You also get access to experts with real-world experience in securing complex networks, responding to cyber threats, and recovering from an incident in the worst-case scenario.
Some providers even specialize in industries like healthcare, finance, legal, manufacturing, or others that are loaded with rigorous compliance standards for security. The right IT service provider will know precisely what you need to meet your regulatory requirements.
Cost Savings and ROI
Creating an in-house IT support team is expensive. Between hiring expert personnel, purchasing IT monitoring systems, and assembling network hardware, the costs can put a big dent in your bottom line. Outsourcing any function, including IT, is usually more cost-friendly since the provider already has all the necessary resources (and expertise) to provide the service at scale.
You also get a better return on your technology investments. For example, if you keep having issues with your network or devices, lost productivity from downtime could cost you in the long run. Partnering with an IT support provider maximized the value of your technology stack. Your provider can quickly fix issues, so you don’t have to pay unexpected maintenance and replacement costs.
IT Service Examples by Industry
Every industry varies in its tech stack, compliance demands, and scope of operation — and IT support providers have adjusted to these differences. Here’s how IT service providers support different industries:
Architecture
Architectural firms regularly collaborate with suppliers and contractors to execute building projects, and they need a robust, reliable network to keep the projects on time and on budget.
IT service providers allow these firms to maintain system uptime to constantly access design drawings, proposals, and other vital data while communicating with stakeholders. Service providers can also manage cloud solutions so architecture companies can easily add users and storage as they grow.
Architectural IT service in action: See how Xantrion helped an architecture and design firm quickly scale its technology without any operational disruption.
Accounting
Whether making bookkeeping entries, filing tax returns online, or talking on the phone with clients, accounting firms need a strong IT foundation to achieve success. They’re also heavily targeted by cybersecurity threats — making robust cybersecurity another priority.
IT service providers help accountants overcome system connectivity and accessibility challenges with help desk support. Service providers also develop security programs so they can keep sensitive client information safe.
Accounting IT service in action: Learn how one accounting firm worked with Xantrion to improve network performance and resolve IT issues faster.
Life Sciences
Life sciences businesses like healthcare or pharmaceutical companies face many IT challenges. First, they fall under HIPAA, so they must deploy controls to secure patient and other health-related data. And because they’re involved in clinical research, keeping data secure and alteration-free is critical.
IT service providers create compliant security programs to protect sensitive information and help life sciences manage their data systems for reliable access and uptime.
Life Sciences IT service in action: Check out how one pharmaceutical company successfully split data systems and users (without interruption) after undergoing a corporate restructure.
Finance
Compliance is a massive hurdle for financial services. For example, the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (GLBA) and Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) requirements prioritize robust security practices if you’re a wealth manager, advisor, brokerage, or bank.
IT service providers can handle the burden of cybersecurity management, setting up controls and documentation to meet the requirements.
Finance IT in action: Learn how one wealth management firm worked with Xantrion to enhance its security posture by discovering and patching vulnerabilities. Get the full story here.
Legal
Law firms often grow quickly and expand their operations across various locations. As a result, it’s tricky to create and manage an IT infrastructure that ensures client data, court documents, contract templates, and other legal resources are available (and secure) for each location.
IT support providers help law firms scale their tech stack accordingly. They can also provide security controls and governance policies to standardize security across each location.
Legal IT service in action: See how one law firm centralized its security governance and became more insurable with Xantrion.
Choosing the Right IT Provider for Your Business
Whether you’re choosing a provider for the first time or switching to a new MSP, it’s not a decision you should take lightly. Ask providers these questions before making a purchase decision:
- Are you fully certified in SOC-2, or are others required if you’re accessing our company’s information systems?
- What specific IT services do you offer? Are you an all-in-one provider?
- Do you specialize and have experience in [insert your industry/compliance requirements]?
- Do you practice what you preach? Do you adopt security controls that you recommend, and do you undergo annual pen-testing by a third party?
- Do you offer any warranties or guarantees on cybersecurity, IT system uptime, or network performance?
- What’s your typical resolution time for handling issues?
- Do you outsource any of your services to a third party? If so, which ones, and how do you manage quality and security?
- What does an engagement look like with you? Do you provide regular reports and meetings? What about strategic advice on improving our technology capabilities?
Ready to Strengthen Your IT Foundation? We Can Help.
The right IT service provider can take your business to the next level. And with Xantion Managed IT services, we can proactively protect your business from cyber threats and system downtime — allowing you to focus on innovation.
Contact us today to learn how we’ve helped companies augment their lean IT resources to achieve accelerated digital transformation, robust cybersecurity, and regulatory compliance.
