February 9, 2017
As a technology provider, we have to change our business model constantly to stay relevant and deliver value to our clients. That means being willing to update the products and services we sell and how we sell them.
We were among the first in the industry more than a decade ago to implement Managed Print Services. Our MPS goes beyond selling printers to helping organizations right size their environments, streamline support, track usage and even get toner delivered automatically before it runs out. The managed model continues to grow and develop in the industry.
Right alongside that growth in full-service managed services sprung a desire for more à la carte options that allow clients to pick and choose from a menu of services.
Here’s a look at a few of the à la carte options that we are providing this year based on feedback we’ve received:
- Managed WAN: The growth of technology in the workplace has led many organizations to outsource the management of their IT infrastructure. Marco developed Data Collection Appliances (DCAs) that enable our support teams to proactively monitor and manage individual components in a client’s IT environment. This includes managing firewalls and routers to ensure reliable WAN (Wide Area Network) connectivity. Unlike traditional managed network services where most calls are from end users, these alerts come from the equipment, and many times are remediated by intelligent back-end systems.
- Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS): This once was a term that needed a long explanation. It felt complicated and even convoluted. Now it has become more commonplace and leaders are comfortable ordering it online like they would a laptop. Marco is making it possible to buy a server or more storage space with a click.
- Backup as a Service (BaaS): As organizations, we’re processing more information and data in an hour than we did in days even five years ago. The Internet of Things (IoT) has created a highly active, constantly communicating network of information. The loss of even an hour of data could hurt an organization. More real-time back-up services are needed – and they cannot be missed. Through Backup as a Service, leaders receive peace of mind that their data is not only backed up, but also securely stored.
- Disaster Recovery as a Service (DRaaS): Disaster recovery plans once were most common along the coasts or in areas where severe weather could take down an operation. Now the greatest threats are not just weather related. Increasingly sophisticated hackers have put every organization at risk. A disaster recovery plan has become essential, no matter your size, location or function. So, we’ve made that service easily accessible as an à la carte option.
The launch of à la carte IT reflects a heightened maturity in the industry. In the past, there was not a common understanding of what the products and services were. So even if they were on a menu, consumers wouldn’t select them. Now the terms are becoming more mainstream and more leaders have the aptitude and skills to implement the baseline IT services.
What’s an à la carte service you’d like to see? Comment below or share it on our Facebook page.
