5 Ways businesses can benefit from managed IT services

For many years, companies have used IT projects as a solution to address specific business needs. In today’s rapidly changing digital environment, successful businesses are leveraging their IT infrastructure more strategically to streamline operations and thrive in a digital world.

Technology has evolved from a business enabler to a critical driver of accelerating productivity and growth. Companies are also contending with cybersecurity risks as threats increase year over year. One in four (24%)* small business owners have reported an increase in cyberattack attempts against their company in the last two years.

Managing and maintaining your IT infrastructure requires extensive resources and a team of experts, especially for businesses that are evolving at a faster pace. Outsourcing the management and maintenance of IT to a trusted managed service partner can help streamline operations, improve efficiency, reduce burden on in-house IT teams and mitigate risk. 

Whether supplementing your current IT team or outsourcing entirely, this strategic service can bring significant benefits.

Benefits of managed IT services

Managed IT can help companies avoid extended system downtimes or service interruptions so they can address customers’ needs, while supporting their employees and operations. With ‌managed IT, companies get the expertise and security needed so they can focus on business priorities. Here are some of the key areas that can benefit from professional IT services.

1. Strong cybersecurity

Companies are facing more cyber threats than ever before, and the impact on small businesses in particular can be significant. Businesses can lose up to $500,000 CAD when hit by a cyberattack and others report a long-term impact on their operations and reputation, according to a survey by CFIB and Mastercard.*

It’s hard to keep up with security and ensure you’re protected as threats become more sophisticated. With managed IT services, a trusted partner can implement proven, layered security processes and solutions to keep your business safe and compliant with data protection laws and regulations. Working with a team that provides day-to-day management, support for urgent issues‌ and cloud computing can help protect your business and people.

Read the guide, Protecting against cyber threats to learn how to safeguard your customers, people and business.

2. ROI on technology investments

With managed IT services, companies can get the resources and expertise to maximize value from their technology investments. This includes maintaining peak performance of the hardware and software the business already owns, reducing or eliminating downtime ‌ and strategizing on the tools and services that help achieve business goals. This helps teams become more productive and efficient to support growth and expansion.

3. Strategic IT planning

Aligning technology to achieve growth objectives is key to any successful organization. Businesses that are the most financially successful* are more likely than others to anchor their technology infrastructure in strategic business priorities. For small and mid-sized businesses with fewer resources, this is critical to drive the effectiveness of IT projects.

With managed IT services, you have the expertise and specialization to help anticipate and plan for the needs of the business in the future. Moving from a reactive to a proactive approach will help address the needs of the business as they evolve without compromising on security, productivity and the return on technology investments.

4. Time savings with day-to-day management

Urgent IT issues may arise that can take time and resources away from your business. Your tech talent can stay focused on what they do best while outsourced IT experts manage employee onboarding, email password management, VPN connectivity, user permissions and more.

5. Added data protection

Power outages, fires, floods, pandemics and other unexpected events can disrupt your business at the most unexpected times. To get back up and running as quickly as possible, you need a rigorous, well-designed data backup and protection plan. The right managed IT partner can implement business recovery measures that protect your company against data loss, even if something happens to your physical IT equipment.

It’s increasingly important to have a secure and effective IT infrastructure as businesses leverage technology to support operations and gain a competitive edge. Companies that are succeeding in a competitive environment are more likely to have invested in modernizing and securing their IT foundation,* including their infrastructure, data and cybersecurity so they can deploy technology rapidly and effectively. 

TELUS Business can help you streamline critical and time-intensive responsibilities with Fully Managed IT, like monitoring, maintaining and securing your technology so you can focus on delivering value to support your bottom line. 

Connect with a managed IT specialist today to learn how TELUS Business can help with your evolving IT needs.

*CFIB, A majority of small businesses want to improve their cybersecurity within the next year

*McKinsey Digital, Five key questions to get a tech transformation right, 2023