What is IT Management and How Can it Benefit Your Organization?
by Mashum Mollah IT Services 17 January 2019
In a constantly connected world bounded by technology, consumers, as well as business owners, have been faced with no other choice than to become, at least in part, technologically savvy. And while this may be simple for some, many companies and business owners simply do not have the time or resources to manage their information technology (IT) throughout their organization on their own. This is where IT management offers support.
Many businesses feel that investing in IT means setting up own internal teams, investing in hardware and software and adding to the financial pressures of the company. However, in recent years, a new and dynamic solution has emerged to help businesses overcome this problem. Many companies have started using managed IT solutions to help them get the best of both worlds. Not only does it help them save costs, but also allows them to employ the best personnel for their company.
What is IT Management?
IT management is the process of overseeing information technology operations, as well as the associated resources within an organization. This includes everything from something as small as setting up a new employee with an email account, to something as large scale as implementing a technology infrastructure throughout the company.
The primary function of IT management in an organization is to generate value through the use of technology. That is, technology plays a pivotal role in improving the overall value chain of a company, especially when it comes to employee efficiency. In order to do this effectively, business strategies and technology must be aligned with each other throughout the organization.
Despite having a strong, singular focus on technology, effectively managed IT services in Toronto include many of the basic functions of common management, including staffing, organizing, and budgeting. IT managers should possess all of the typical qualities that you’d find in any line of management, including leadership abilities, strategic planning, and resource allocation.
IT management serves many technologically specific functions (aside from more traditional aspects). These include:
- Software Development
- Network Planning
- Technological Support
- Infrastructure Management
Benefits of IT Management in the Organization:
Time is money. There’s no telling how much time is wasted by a buggy email server or downed internet in the office.
IT management puts that time back in your wallet.
The primary benefit of IT management is that it ensures all technology resources and their associated employees are utilized properly. More specifically, in a manner that provides value for the organization.
While that may be the primary benefit of utilizing IT management, it’s far from the only one. Some additional benefits include:
- Optimizing resources and staffing
- Improving the business processes and communication throughout the organization
- Enforcing best practices throughout the company
Time is of the essence, particularly in larger companies. There simply isn’t enough time or resources to go around when it comes to educating, maintaining, and optimizing your technology resources. The advantages brought on by having internal or external IT management are too great for most companies to ignore, and chances are if you’re not utilizing it, your competitor probably is.
Managed IT Services:
Many companies will look to a third-party provider for all of their information technology needs. Managed IT services are provided by managed IT companies, typically delivered to the client for a monthly, bi-monthly, or annual fee. In this situation, the managed service provider assumes full responsibility for the functionality and optimization of the IT service and equipment.
Third-party managed IT companies can be as large as a national provider, such as Sirius Computer Solutions or PCM, or as small as a local organization. The correct choice will depend on each individual organization’s needs and goals, as well as the size of the company.
Obviously, putting IT management in the hands of a trusted contractor should add value in different ways to the organization. These technicians are specialists and are well versed when it comes to technology. Managed IT services come with a host of benefits for the customer, including:
- Predictable pricing for the customer
- The transferring of the IT burden within the company from the customer to the provider
- The ability for the customer to focus on more pressing, core business concerns rather than IT chores
Managed IT companies can provide a good number of beneficial services, all of which play a crucial role in the efficiency and value chain of the organization itself. Managed IT services are more than simply email management and computer repairs. Here are some examples of the services provided by a managed IT company:
- Remote monitoring and management of servers, desktops, and mobile devices
- Managed cybersecurity services, protection against fraud, malware, etc.
- Cloud services, including interaction with cloud-based web services
- Voice services, such as VoIP or IP services within a customer account
IT Support Services:
Technology is unpredictable. The unexpected WILL happen. Imagine working on a highly detailed business proposal when all of a sudden, your computer screen goes black. What do you do when you run into a technological problem you can’t solve yourself?
The most basic function of IT support services within an organization is to allow customers to use their technology without worrying about IT complexities, such as maintenance and network security. These are tasks that bog down the daily workflow and kill productivity!
IT support services can be provided in a number of ways. They can be external, as would be the case using managed IT companies, or they can be internal, which would be the situation if your organization has a dedicated IT team in house. In the case of an external IT support service, a service level agreement (SLA) will be provided by the managed IT company, outlining the services provided by them.
Most IT support services, whether they be internal or external, will provide the client with an accessible help desk. The help desk serves as the main liaison between the IT department or managed IT company, and the employee or customer. For example, many colleges leverage IT Service Management (ITSM) software from companies like TeamDynamix to provide a centralized help desk for students and other stakeholders at the college. In addition to a help desk, most IT support services will include:
- Real-time support through a live chat with a technician
- Remote access to desktops or laptops to solve problems virtually
- Field technicians to analyze issues in person
IT support, whether it’s external from managed IT companies, or internal from an in-house IT department is crucial to the efficiency and revenue of any organization. While smaller organizations may choose to field their IT issues themselves, without the assistance of some type of IT support, it typically costs them in the long run.
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