Technology is at the heart of almost every modern business. From internet connectivity and networks to voice and security, organisations rely on an increasingly complex ICT environment to keep their people connected and their operations running.

But managing all of this internally can quickly become complicated.

That is where managed services come in.

What are managed services?

Managed services allow a business to outsource the ongoing management and support of specific technology services to an experienced managed services provider (MSP).

Instead of dealing with multiple suppliers or waiting for something to go wrong before calling for support, businesses can work with a technology partner that understands their ICT environment and provides ongoing management, support and expertise.

Depending on your business requirements, managed services can include:

• Business connectivity
• Network infrastructure
• VoIP and cloud telephony
• Cyber security
• Technical support
• Monitoring and maintenance
• Hardware and related ICT infrastructure

The goal is simple: reduce the complexity of managing business technology while keeping your organisation connected, secure and productive.

Why are businesses moving towards managed services?

Technology has become more important to business operations, but it has also become more interconnected.

Your internet connection affects access to cloud applications. Your network connects employees and devices. Your communication platforms keep customers and teams connected, while your security solutions help protect the entire environment.

When these technologies are managed by several different providers, identifying and resolving problems can become frustrating.

A managed services approach brings more of these responsibilities together.

Rather than your team spending valuable time coordinating suppliers and troubleshooting technical issues, you have a technology partner that can take responsibility for the services it manages.

This can provide several important benefits.

Less pressure on your internal team

Your employees should be focused on running and growing the business, not spending hours resolving connectivity, networking or communication problems.

Managed services give your organisation access to dedicated technical expertise without requiring every capability to be maintained internally.

Greater simplicity and accountability

When several providers are involved, a simple technical problem can turn into a series of support calls.

Is it the internet connection? The network? The telephone system? The hardware?

Working with a managed services provider across multiple areas of your ICT environment can simplify support and provide a clearer point of accountability.

Access to specialist expertise

Technology changes quickly, and maintaining expertise across connectivity, networking, communications and cyber security can be challenging.

A managed services partnership gives your business access to broader technical knowledge and experience when you need it.

More than just outsourced IT support

Managed services should not simply mean having someone to call when something breaks.

A good managed services provider takes a broader view of your technology environment, understanding how the different components work together and helping ensure that your ICT infrastructure supports the needs of your business.

That is an important distinction.

The objective is not simply to fix technology. It is to create an ICT environment that helps your organisation operate effectively today and adapt as its requirements change.

Why Converged Group?

For almost 20 years, Converged Group has been helping South African businesses stay connected, communicate and operate through integrated ICT solutions.

Our capabilities extend across business connectivity, networking, VoIP, cloud telephony, cyber security and technical support.

This means our customers can work with a proudly South African technology partner that understands how the different parts of their ICT environment work together.

Instead of managing connectivity through one supplier, communications through another and networking or security through someone else, Converged Group can help bring these technologies together as part of a more connected ICT strategy.

Most importantly, we start with the business.

Every organisation has different users, locations, applications, infrastructure and operational requirements. The right managed services solution should therefore be built around what your business actually needs, rather than forcing your organisation into a predefined technology package.

One partner. A more connected business.

Technology should make doing business easier, not more complicated.

With the right managed services partner, your organisation can reduce ICT complexity, access specialist expertise and spend less time managing technology and multiple service providers.

Looking for a managed services partner in South Africa?

Talk to Converged Group about your current ICT environment and discover how we can help your business stay connected, secure and ready for what comes next.