Businesses have to juggle myriad priorities and daily demands. Acquiring and retaining customers; avoiding inefficiency; consistently delivering outstanding customer service; managing costs; hiring team members; meeting regulations; keeping current with industry trends. Phew, it’s a wonder how they have time for their web infrastructure!
Technology is something that no company can survive and thrive without in the modern world. It helps streamline processes, improve productivity, and maintain a competitive edge. Technology does come with its share of challenges, especially as the world rapidly changes.
That’s where Managed Dedicated Hosting (MDH) comes in. Defined as dedicated and unique support delivered according to a clearly outlined service-level agreement (SLA) over a fixed period of time for a consistent cost on a dedicated server, managed dedicated hosting is now the safest bet for ambitious companies, who need the very best for their online presence.
We have brought together the biggest reasons for choosing Managed Dedicated Hosting to help you decide if it’s right for you:
Predictable costs. MDH converts variable IT costs tied to the break-fix or reactive mode of support into the stable costs of proactive support. This allows business owners to budget effectively and pay for what they need on a set schedule, rather than getting hit with unexpected bills when problems arise.
Legitimate training. On top of hiring and training IT staff, the cost of ongoing education and certification can be surprisingly costly. What’s more, if you’re not well versed in the IT world, how can you ensure an IT employee is actually qualified? Don’t let undertrained tech “experts” trick you into thinking they can solve all of your problems. It’s always better to choose a trusted and long-standing specialist.
Real-world experience. And while certifications are important, so is experience. Leading managed service providers encounter very few problems they haven’t seen before, while an in-house IT employee often remains narrowly focused on a small set of problems. You’d rather an experienced doctor solve your physical ailments, right? The same goes for an IT support team.
A safe bet. Since market trends, government regulations, financial conditions, and technologies all change quickly, every business investment carries a certain amount of risk. Working with a trusted MDH provider that can assume and manage risk for you is a major advantage that comes with specific industry knowledge and many years of experience.
A real competitive edge. Most small to medium-sized businesses can’t afford to match the strong in-house support services that larger companies enjoy. Working with an MDH provider gives small companies enterprise-level solutions by providing the kind of access and expertise that large companies enjoy. Managed cost structures and economies of scale like that can give your company a major advantage.
Compliance that counts. Is your firewall capable of fending off attacks? Do you audit your workstations and servers regularly? Has your company implemented SCA security standards and worked to maintain those standards? Small to medium-sized businesses have more ways than ever to handle commerce via things like credit and debit cards, e-commerce, wire transfers, and more. But with this increased transaction sphere comes a stronger need for due diligence. Employing an MHD provider allows your business to minimize the risks associated with maintaining client data and other sensitive information, the misuse of which can cause serious harm to your business. This is especially important now in the era of GDPR and the data privacy rights of customers.
Classic Scenarios
“Can you sort this for us?” Relying on a non-IT employee to handle day-to-day IT problems? You’re not alone. They never asked for the role — it just evolved in their direction. But the impact asking them to fix urgent IT issues is not often calculated; nor is the likelihood that a lack of formal IT knowledge can lead to expensive repair bills in the future. Thinking of preventative measures to avoid catastrophe is crucial. This is where WHD providers come in.
“Everyone has got a guy.” Some smaller companies attempt to solve their IT problems by engaging an experienced technical support specialist on a part-time, hourly rate basis. Yet the “I got a guy” guy may have many part-time clients to make a decent living, and they may not always be available when a business owner absolutely needs him. In this scenario, the company does get a more technically competent solution, yet they are also at the mercy of an independent operator with competing demands for their time and attention. A fixed SLA with a dedicated WHD provider is an elegant and simple solution.
“Get in the Geek Squad!” If the “I got a guy” guy plays truant when needed, chaos may ensue. Business owners then have no option but to Google for help, often settling on the first company that responds to the immediate need. Such companies often lack the skills to support complex networks or understand a business’ specific needs. A solid partnership with a WHD provider grants you on-demand support from a company who knows you and, more importantly, you can trust!
“Quickly! Hire an IT person.” When immediate availability becomes an issue, a smaller business owner may finally decide to hire an in-house IT rep to respond to user issues. The new hire is so often immediately handed a long list of issues to resolve. Unfortunately, for both the internal IT rep and the company, the list never gets shorter and the internal IT support is forever stuck in “reaction” mode, responding to the most severe problem and seldom getting ahead. Working in partnership with a trusted provider outsources the monitoring, oversight, and support of your infrastructure, allowing your IT team to address that long long list!
Managed Dedicated Hosting: Cost-to-Suit, High Value Added
Proactive approach = resolution before crisis may even arise. Monitor, maintain, upgrade – these identify problems before they rear their head. Thanks to this, everyone rests easier knowing that resolution occurs before even the smallest issues turn into emergencies.
Uniform application of the optimal resource. The lowest-cost, most highly accredited resources are applied to recognised issues first, while bigger problems are escalated to higher-skilled resources in a fluid and seamless manner, ensuring that resolutions are quickly achieved.
Rapid response, regardless of priority. With multiple levels of on-site and remote support available, problems can be addressed simultaneously rather than in sequential order. The proactive approach also ensures the highest standard in responsiveness: resolving issues while they’re still disguised and before they’re detected by the end user. The immediate impact is improved productivity and a fully protected reputation; the longer-term impact is a more tech-literate team that’s better able to leverage the company’s technology investment.
The Final Word
None of the issues faced by businesses – relentless competition, technological complexity, the never-ending need to do more with less – are going to disappear. So, the value of a high-quality, cost-to-suit solution to these issues will only grow. That’s why NxTcoms has spent years tailoring a variety of managed services that boost security, efficiency, and productivity for our partners.
Proactive managed support takes the complexity out of web infrastructure by providing comprehensive support at one price with no surprises. Crucial to business owners.
The break/fix approach to online infrastructure will only serve to create a point of failure for businesses. Furthermore, it can easily damage the relationship between technicians and the businesses they serve. Many businesses feel vulnerable when they don’t understand their technicians’ jargon-heavy language, heavy workload, and unpredictable costs. Meanwhile, technicians feel overworked and under appreciated, locked in a loop of repetitive, high-stress tasks as they run from one crisis to the next, unable to work on more satisfying projects that could offer lasting value to the business.
Only a radical change in web infrastructure support philosophy and delivery can make the break/fix model obsolete and deliver greater efficiency and productivity to companies at a predictable price point. Technology is integral to the success of any and all businesses, and NxTcoms understands that.
Liam McGrath
Co-founder @ NxTcoms
