Executive Summary
- From SaaS to PaaS to DaaS, the “as a service” trend has taken the world of technology by storm – but is ‘IT support as a service’, also known as ITaaS, next?
- Similar in concept to outsourced or remote IT support, the ‘as a service’ model allows SMEs to enjoy the full benefits of an in-house IT team without many of the costs associated.
- In this article, we explain what IT support as a service (ITaaS) is, how it works, and why it might be the best choice for UK-based SMEs in 2022 as we all bounce back from the global pandemic.
Introduction
When it comes to business models, the internet pretty much changed everything.
From e-commerce to same-day deliveries and sponsored results, the way we do business has exploded in recent decades.
One particular model which is taking the B2B space by storm is the “as a service” model. We’ve covered these acronyms in depth before, so today we’re focusing on a relatively new one: IT support as a Service, or IT as a Service.
Could ITaaS be the answer for your business in a post-pandemic world?
What is IT as a Service (ITaaS)?
The ‘as a Service’ label that we see so frequently, including in the context of IT as a Service (ITaaS) is a bit of a misnomer – because it’s a model which has existed for decades.
Simply put, ITaaS is a business model whereby IT services are delivered by a third-party and paid for on a contractual basis – usually monthly. Similar to other ‘as a Service’ business models, like SaaS or PaaS, the customer subscribing to the service will pay a monthly fee in exchange for core IT support services.
An ITaaS business is essentially the same as a Managed Service Provider, or MSP, and can provide various services including:
- Day-to-day systems monitoring
- Patch and update management
- Troubleshooting and problem resolution
- New user setup and configuration
- Backup and disaster recovery
- IT strategy and consultancy
Of course, the specific IT support services each ITaaS business delivers will differ, but that gives you a general idea. And, wouldn’t you know it, our IT support agreements at Get Support offer all of the above (and more).
The benefits of IT support as a Service
If you’d like a more fully fledged explanation of why IT support as a Service could be the right choice for your business, you can check out our Frequently Asked Questions.
But the high-level benefits are fairly easy to sum up, so let’s give it a shot:
- Distributed IT support across a growing team of experts. When you rely on an in-house team for IT services (or even just a single person), those individuals become the bottleneck. With an ITaaS provider, who may have many dedicated agents available anytime, you don’t need to rely on a core team and can feel confident your IT problems will be solved faster.
- Remote patching for hands-free updates. Whether you’re managing a fleet of desktops or laptops, keeping everything updated – from operating system to software like Microsoft 365 – can be a tall order. An MSP or ITaaS provider can provide remote patch management that gives you the peace of mind to know all updates will be delivered seamlessly over the air. That’s a big plus for your cyber security measures.
- Workstation and server monitoring anywhere in the country. Staying reactive (or proactive) to potential IT problems is what makes the difference between good IT support and great IT support. When you’re managing many different workstations and a couple of on-premises servers, staying on top of the status of these machines can be stressful. With an ITaaS provider, they’ll do all of the monitoring for you – keeping an eye on the status of your computer fleet and servers, then reacting to potential risks and issues before they strike.
- Regular, predictable costs with no hidden nasties. The ITaaS or MSP model means that you’ll always know how much your IT support will cost you. Even if big expenditures crop up – like new hardware – any MSP worth their salt will advise you well in advance and help you make an informed choice.
Why ITaaS might be the new normal in a post-pandemic world
One other key consideration about the IT support as a Service business model, especially in 2022 and beyond, is the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
SMEs in the UK have had to make significant changes over the last two years as we’ve all adapted to a new way of working – and much of it has been focused on doing our jobs remotely.
Because of this, and because around a quarter of UK workers are still working from home in some capacity, the idea of a remote IT support service has become much more appealing. Along with the benefits we’ve covered above, the remote nature of IT support like this means that neither your employees nor your IT support staff need to be in the same physical location. Your business benefits because IT support can be delivered almost instantly over the internet and you don’t have to account for the overheads associated with employing a full IT support team in house.
Want an “IT support as a Service” provider you can trust?
Another huge aspect of hiring an IT support as a Service or ITaaS provider is trust. As a business owner, you’re entrusting one of your most precious assets – your data and your digital infrastructure – to a third-party. For that reason, you want to be sure you trust them implicitly.
At Get Support, we’ve spent three decades building an unsurpassed level of trust with clients of all sizes up and down the UK. So, if you’d like to discover an IT as a Service company who’s been there and done that – it’s time to call Get Support.
To speak with our team of IT support experts now, just call us on 01865 594 000 or simply fill in the form below and we’ll get back to you ASAP.
