Managed IT Services – CRI Advantage

1. MANAGED IT SERVICE PROVIDER LETS DISCUSS THE FIVE PILLARS OF FINDING THE RIGHT MANAGED IT SERVICE PROVIDER

2. KEY TAKEAWAYS: What is Managed IT Services Who is Managed IT Services Provider Five pillars of finding the right managed it service provider Trusted Managed Service Provider Contact CRI Advantage

3. WHAT IS MANAGED IT SERVICES What are managed IT services? They’re the key to helping your clients grow and scale their businesses. More specifically, however, they’re information technology tasks handled by a third-party vendor. Small to medium businesses can leverage these services on a subscription basis to elevate their companies to the same level as the industry giants in their field at a fraction of the cost. From computers and phones to networks and passwords, many tech systems keep small-medium businesses (SMBs) running and their data safe. But many SMBs don’t have the time, talent, or money to handle these systems in-house. That’s where managed IT services come in.

4. WHO IS MANAGED IT SERVICES PROVIDER An organization responsible for managing and delivering services to another organization as per their requirement is called a managed service provider (MSP). The services provided by an MSP typically are ongoing and remote. Traditionally, an MSP was used to manage or deliver information technology (IT) services like infrastructure, security, networking and applications. But a modern-day managed service provider may also manage an organization’s other business needs, such as staffing, payroll, customer engagement and vendor management.

5. THE FIVE PILLARS OF FINDING THE RIGHT MANAGED SERVICE PROVIDER There are several things to consider when looking for the right IT managed service provider to help guide you on your IT transformation journey.

6. PILLAR #1: RECOGNIZED PARTNER PILLAR #2: PROVIDE END- USER TRAINING If you are integrating a new system (e.g., ServiceNow, Zendesk, Jira, etc.) into your business, ensure your managed service provider is a recognized partner. That’s one of the best indicators of success – all major platforms have partner programs, so your search for one might as well start there. Finding an IT managed service provider that is recognized by the ITSM you are implementing ensures they are experienced and will deliver a service of a high standard. Here’s an example – you are a mid-sized business, investing your hard-earned capital in implementing a new, more modern, and streamlined help desk to boost productivity and enable your team to focus on their core business objectives while keeping end-users satisfied. You contact a managed service provider that will implement the help desk platform – all good, right? But what good is a platform if your team isn’t trained to use it? The best IT managed service providers ensure the integrity of the system they implemented, as well as the training of your staff.

7. PILLAR #3: PROVIDE POST- IMPLEMENTATION SUPPORT PILLAR #4: SUPPORT INTEGRATIONS Every IT change, whether it’s big or small, goes through three main stages – development, testing, and production. However, there is a fourth crucial stage that is oftentimes overlooked – post-production. Issues arise, and additional changes require further implementation even when the implementations and integrations are complete and have gone live, so when assessing your future IT managed service provider, make sure they will support you in this final stage. Third-party applications are an integral part of any business, however not all IT managed service providers offer integrations. When looking for your ideal implementation partner, ensure they will help you integrate your third-party applications into a unified and easy-to-manage system that will be your single source of truth for your IT operations.

8. PILLAR #5: HAVE EXPERIENCE WITH YOUR INDUSTRY AND SCALE Some managed service providers are better suited for large-scale organizations, whereas others are more geared toward the needs of small to middle-sized businesses. If you are the former, the choice is easy – you can always turn to big names with experience in complex implementations, such as Deloitte or IBM. However, if you fall in the latter category, we’d advise you to look for a smaller, reputable name with a proven track record. Working with smaller or middle-sized businesses. Preferably within your industry.

9. A TRUSTED MANAGED IT SERVICE PROVIDER If you are struggling to find a trusted partner to manage your IT help desk consider CRI Advantage. CRI Advantage is an industry-leading IT services provider with over 33 years of experience serving federal, state, and local government agencies and commercial clients. With a standing army of 100+ industry-leading professional consultants and CISSP-certified security engineers, CRI Advantage covers the entire spectrum of IT managed services – from cybersecurity and IT staffing to managed help desk, and more. A Premier ServiceNow and a Shared Assessment Member, CRI Advantage is among the most prominent managed service providers for SMEs in the United States.

10. CONTACT US EMAIL ADDRESS info@criadvantage.com For all service inquires, contact us: WEBSITE www.criadvantage.com