A managed services provider is a company that specializes in remotely managing and anticipating needs for a customer’s IT infrastructure. Many businesses choose to partner with a managed services provider to meet these business needs because it’s a cost-effective, hassle-free way to manage IT. Whether you’re a brand new business who has never set up IT infrastructure or an established business with existing IT solutions, you need someone to manage your technology so that you can focus on running and growing your business.
Rather than hiring full or part-time staff to manage and support certain aspects of your business, it’s often more cost-effective to select a service provider who has experience and expertise in that field, plus the staff to manage it. For example, hiring an in-house IT support manager involves paying their salary and benefits, and means they are available to you within regular business hours. You risk critical downtime when they are off the clock, or the possibility that they will be unavailable if they fall ill or quit unexpectedly.
Some managed services providers also cover multiple services, such as combining IT services with print management. Beyond the old “two birds, one stone” philosophy, there are many reasons to select a service provider who can manage both IT and print together.
Here’s what to consider when selecting a managed services provider:
Bundle IT and print services together
Simply put, combining your IT and print services can help make your office far more secure. Did you know that hackers frequently access business networks via their printer? CyberNews, a cyber security blog, recently ran an experiment where they attempted to hack 50,000 printers to raise awareness about printer cybersecurity. The scary results? They successfully hacked 28,000 of them. That’s over 56%. Yikes!
By having IT professionals also manage your print services, your printers will provide the same level of security that you would expect from all other technology. It’s our core belief that technology should never stand in the way of you and your employees getting the job done. Unifying your print and IT support can make your business significantly more secure, reducing the possibility of a back-and-forth conversation loop between your IT team and print providers in the unfortunate event of a security breach.
Consider fast response times to alleviate worry
When a tech emergency arises, the last thing you want to experience is a busy signal from your IT or printer support provider. Before committing to a provider, ask them about their emergency response services. With 24/7 remote monitoring for emergencies and an industry-leading response time rate of 2.8 hours, we pride ourselves on alleviating stress and keeping our customers safe and calm during emergencies and urgent requests.
Look for local service providers
In today’s cloud-based world, most IT concerns can and should be managed remotely. But there are still some tech support issues where you’ll be grateful to have a friendly face show up at your office to save the day. At Com Pro, we live and work in BC. Should you partner with us and need onsite support, we’ll be there—fast, friendly, and ready to fix it.
Satisfy your accountant with packaged services that save money
Take the hassle out of budgeting by selecting a provider that has monthly or annual packages. Sure, a-la-carte can seem appealing at times, but a full-service plan will cover any and all issues that potentially arise, all within one simple bill. Don’t get caught trying to slip a massive IT bill past your CFO if you experience an unexpected security breach. Your accounting team (and your pursestrings) will thank you for a reliable monthly expense.
Sustainable providers uphold your global sustainability values
Being more environmentally conscious has been top of mind for businesses across all industries in recent years. We believe in keeping our services as environmentally conscious as possible by refurbishing print and office equipment to reduce landfill waste, sourcing energy efficient equipment, and partnering with organizations that are committed to sustainability. We donate a portion of print proceeds to reforestation projects around the world in partnership with PrintReleaf.
At ComPro, IT and print are our jam. We’re a team of computer geeks and passionate printers, and it’s our pleasure and pride to keep our customers safe. Download our PDF on packaged services to learn how you can strengthen your security by combining print and IT-managed services.