Why Do Business Opt for Managed Services?

Outsourced? Outsourcing is one of the most important methods for success in a company of any size. Knowing when to delegate your work to someone who is a real expert could put you ahead of the competition.

The size of the global market for outsourced services has grown considerably in recent years. More and more business owners are realizing the benefits of using Managed NOC Services rather than hiring an internal team.

If you're still wondering if you should outsource, the answer is probably "yes". This article can help you make the right decision while answering some of your questions about managed services.

1. Profitability

Profitability is the main reason for outsourcing cited by 57% of the entrepreneurs surveyed. By opting for expert-managed services, you can save money by hiring a variety of specialists. An internal team may seem like an excellent choice for some projects, but the costs are high.

If you need experts for a single project or on an "on demand" basis, the payment of monthly salaries is ineffective. In the meantime, a contract with managed services is much less expensive. You can choose different payment plans according to your needs.

2. Ability to focus on important points

Very often, small business employees have many responsibilities. This is often the case with IT problems. Since many people have at least some knowledge of computers, antivirus and software updates, business owners are looking to save money by hiring IT professionals.

As a result, workers whose primary responsibilities have nothing to do with the IT business end up focusing on something they know little about. Therefore, they fail to meet essential responsibilities in a timely manner.

Experts from PreciseIT, a Toronto-based IT company, say they often have to solve many problems caused by non-experts trying to replace an IT team.

Outsourcing services can help your employees focus on what they do best.

3. Capacity problems

Small business owners often try to save on rent by choosing to work in small offices. These facilities cannot accommodate large teams. Sometimes it is cheaper to outsource some of your responsibilities to other companies than to rent an office that can accommodate additional specialists.

Outsourcing can keep a small business afloat by reducing rental costs.

4. Better quality of service

Many companies need high quality advice, advice and support for some of their projects. If you feel that your internal team does not have the skills to do the above, the quality of your services may be affected.

By opting for managed NOC Services, you can get the necessary advice and improve the quality of your products. Since customer satisfaction is the key to the company's success, it is essential to do everything possible to achieve this goal, even if it means admitting that your employees lack certain skills and choosing to delegate some of their responsibilities.

Even if you have leading experts on your staff, they may not always have enough time to carry out important projects. Some of their responsibilities can be delegated to a managed service provider.

5. Business growth

When your business grows, you need new experts and more employees. Finding the right professionals to join your team can be difficult and time consuming. Meanwhile, waiting for the person to appear can mean delaying development efforts and damaging the quality of the service.

By opting for managed services, you can benefit from enough experts to run your business while looking for new team members.

6. 24 hour service

Companies that offer managed services, such as IT, often have 24-hour support options. Although it is necessary to pay high employee rates during off-peak hours, the rate is much lower if you choose managed services.

You can rest easy knowing that real experts are monitoring the work process 24/7. In the meantime, your budget is not affected.

Managed service providers help save considerable time

Help Desk

A help desk is the first point of contact for customers and employees. Customers need answers and the help desk is where they turn.

When employees need someone to fix printer problems, update their laptop security, or give them access to a new system, it's the rescue service. When customers cannot access their systems, need help with configuration, or encounter an error, the help desk usually receives a call.

Help Desk vs Service desk

People often use the terms help desk and service desk interchangeably, but the truth is that they both have different and important goals.

A help desk was born from computer-centric computing (mainframe), while a service center was born from computer-centric services. The main goal of a help desk is to solve problems, the main goal of a help desk is to serve its customers or users. The focus is on service delivery and the focus on the client on care services which is less focused on support services.

A help desk can be a good starting point for organizations looking to organize their approach to solving customer problems.

Help Desk Functions

A help desk must fulfill several functions:

Provide a single point of contact: Customers, internal or external, should always know where to go when they need help.

Answer the questions: Customers should be able to use self-service or contact a support representative when they need answers or step-by-step instructions.

Free time: A well-managed help desk centralizes knowledge and provides a workflow guide that helps solve customer problems faster and easier.

Measure customer satisfaction: Customers should always have a way to assess helpdesk and provide feedback to improve processes, knowledge bases and solutions.

7 Step Plan To Get Going With Networking

Summary:

When used wisely and appropriately, Networking is one of your most profitable business building tools. But don't approach it as a selling method. Networking is the process of building relationships in which you can help others achieve their goals, and they can help you achieve yours.

Article Body:

Whether you are an introvert or an extrovert, feel like you have the gift of a chat, or just don't know how to speak, network skills are very important to the success of your business. There is a notion in business that I think most of us subscribe to and that says "if everything else is the same, people will do business and refer businesses to those they know, love, and trust." And the key to all of this is obviously being able to develop relationships.

Think of Networking as the culture of beneficial relationships for all. To be a win-win, there must be GIVE and take (note the emphasis on giving). Networking should not be seen as an "event" in which you are going to sell your business. When an effective network is established, the parties involved actively share Marketing Ideas, information, resources, etc.

Ok, so you know you should be online because it is one of the most profitable lead generation activities when used intelligently, appropriately and professionally. But, that may seem easier said than done. Here is a seven-step plan to really start networking for your business.

1. Check with various groups to find the best chemistry and perceived value. Most groups will allow you to visit at least a few times before registering. Go ask to find out why others have joined and what value they derive from their membership.

Resist the urge to join the Chamber of Commerce simply because everyone tells you this is what you should do. If this is not where your target group is, you may be wasting a lot of time (and money).

I'm not telling you not to join the Chamber. Be clear about what you would like to get from this group or from any other group. If it's about finding leads or referrals, you need to establish a network where these resources can be found.

2. When you find a group or two, join and attend as many meetings as you can. Don't go once or twice expecting things to happen, and then if they don't go. Establishing mutually beneficial and win-win relationships will take time.

The contacts you make must constantly see your face and listen to your message. Continuous contact with others over time will open opportunities for you to delve deeper and learn about the thoughts, ideas, and skills of others regarding their respective businesses.

Knowledge, love, and trust generally only occur over time. Being regular and persistent will pay off.

3. Get involved - be visible. Do everything possible to become more visible within the organization. Volunteer to help with meetings, serve on committees, or become a leader or board member.

Getting involved does a few things for you and your business. First, you will have more opportunities to make connections and learn about some of the contacts you have made. Second, the more visibility you have in the group, the less you will have to work to establish new connections. Instead, as new people join the group, they will probably be looking for you because they see you as a leader in the organization.

4. Keep your contact circles informed. Don't assume that meeting someone once a month (or even once a week) will either do business with you or send it to you. You must tell them what happens when you are not in this particular group to inform and educate them.

Send them invitations to your events or open houses. Send them emails or letters to share good news or success stories, especially anything about them or those on your contact networks. If you think you have valuable ideas, information, and resources to share with others, doesn't that make sense?

5. Work to provide references and share valuable information. That's right, you must be ready to give before you arrive. This means that you have to know the other members and what gives them good prospects. What kind of information could you access that might be useful to them?

Initially, you may think that you don't have much value to share with others (apart from your business and what it provides). Part of the key to being good at giving is not making assumptions. For example, don't assume that a basic resource (for example, a website) you know is familiar to someone you could talk to simply because you are "the expert" in that area. Be prepared to ask them if they know the resource and if not they are ready to share.

Do you want to improve to give references? Here's a simple question to ask someone you connect with. "How will I know when I find a very good prospect for you?"

Just because you're ready to explore the gift will increase your knowledge, appreciation, and confidence factor.

6. Focus on quality, not quantity, quantity, quantity. It is not necessarily the quantity of connections that you make, but the quality of which you make. Are these mutually beneficial relationships mutually beneficial?

Quality connections will be identifiable as all parties involved will actively share ideas, information and resources. Yes, it is true that you must spend time and effort getting to know other people and what is important to them. But you must also be clear and actively think about the information or resources you need and need.

Staying in touch and following fewer quality relationships will generally be much more productive than trying to follow up with more superficial contacts.

7. Be persistent, but be patient. The goal of a networking event should not necessarily be to leave with prospects every time you go out, but to come out with excellent relationships. Networking generally takes time to develop and nurture relationships.

Don't approach networking as a scary proposition or a necessary evil to be in business with. Release the pressure and really focus on how you could connect with someone you know. Focus on them first and find ways to help them. As it becomes a connector, you're finally ready to reap what you sow.

What is the Difference between an IT Service Desk and a Helpdesk or Call Centre?

Companies often use the terms "call centre", "Service Desk Help Desk" interchangeably, which can be confusing. ITIL treats call centres and helpdesks as limited types of services, offering only part of what a helpdesk offers. With ITIL taking a service-focused perspective and focusing on IT, it makes sense. For many companies, the ITIL definition does not correspond to operational practices, which makes the distinction much more complicated. Here are explanations of the helpdesk and contact centre features to help you contrast with an IT service centre.

Help Desk

A help desk is a resource intended to provide the customer or internal user with information and assistance relating to a company's processes, products, and services. The purpose of a help desk is to provide a centralized resource for answering questions, solving problems and facilitating solutions to known problems. Common examples of Small Business Help Desk services include: technical support centres, product/warranty support functions, charity offices and facility service centres. Helpdesk support can be provided through a variety of channels, including physical locations, toll-free numbers, websites, instant messaging and email.

Call centre

A call centre or contact centre is a central point for managing contacts and customer interactions. Office responsible for handling a large number of requests, usually over the phone (but may also include letters, faxes, social media, instant messages or email). Incoming call centres are often used for activities such as product support, customer service, order processing, and 24/7 telephone service. Outgoing call centres are used for activities such as telemarketing, debt collection, and market research. A company can have multiple call centers that support different parts of business operations (including IT) and can be managed internally or through a third-party agency.

As you can see, there are many overlaps between the definitions of helpdesks, call centers and IT departments. The distinction between them really focuses on the scope of what the function covers and how they are structured:

A helpdesk focuses on providing "help" and "fix" assistance. Helpdesks do not necessarily have to focus on IT and can be used to manage exceptions to normal operations that take place within the company. These can be physical locations that interact directly with in-person applicants or remote/virtual locations that use technologies such as telephone, email, chat and other technologies to facilitate virtual engagement.

Call centers are the largest in the area of ​​issues addressed, including technical and non-technical topics. Call centers do not interact personally with applicants and always involve a sort of intermediate technology to facilitate involvement.

IT support centers focus only on the care of IT services, but manage both responsive "help" services and routine tasks such as resource provisioning, access management, etc. IT service desks can be physical locations that users can visit in person or remote operations such as a call center. Those familiar with ITIL can say that the help desk is tactical while the help desk is strategic: this can vary from one organization to another.

What does IT help desk do?

The main role of an IT the service center is to act as the main contact point for monitoring / owning incidents, answering user requests/questions and providing communication the channel between other service management functions and the service community. users. In addition to these essential functions, the service center often plays an active role in acquiring change requests, managing third party support contracts, managing software licenses, and managing problems.

In some organizations, the service desk is integrated with other business processes such as:

• Employee integration
• Integration of the acquisition
• Management of data access
• Integration and disconnection of suppliers/partners
• Management of reports and metrics
• Business continuity management
• Infrastructure / services monitoring

What is the Difference between Help Desk and Desktop Support?

On the off chance that you are searching for a re-appropriated IT bolster organization for your little or medium-sized venture (SME), in your hunt you may have discovered a progression of terms that you have most likely known about yet which n are not so much certain about their significance accurately. 

The following is a rundown of the most normally utilized terms in the IT administrations industry for oversaw IT: 

Remember that not all specialist co-ops will utilize words in a similar way, so when you get a statement, ensure you comprehend what's incorporated. 

Break-Fix is ​​simply that when something breaks, a free IT bolster organization would be contracted to fix or supplant it inside a concurred time. (The new part will most likely not be remembered for the cost of the administration.) This administration doesn't screen, oversee or keep up your frameworks, so when something breaks, you should call your IT master to fix it. 

The Help Desk is the focal contact point (inner or outer) to bring in the event of issues. The experts would decide the reason for the issue and report it to the fitting group. 

Desktop Support is expected for end clients and office hardware and incorporates constrained and restricted specialized guidance and help, for the most part given Remote Help Desk Support, to oversee and investigate programming issues on the personal computer. a client and corporate systems, telephones and printers. 

IT Support is a conventional term that alludes to specialized help with arranging, designing and keeping up equipment and programming IT frameworks and frameworks more in server rooms than on personal computers. 

Managed Services, for the most part, alludes to specialized help for servers, load adjusting, facilitating, firewalls, and so on .; however in all actuality any assistance can be overseen or completely supervised, simply determine the expansion of the administration that you ought to hope to get. Overseen administration is a progressively proactive way to deal with IT support, as frameworks will be observed and supervised remotely by the supervised specialist co-op. It is imperative to comprehend which administration is overseen and which is just an answer so that there are no mistaken assumptions later on. It is normally equipment just bundle and will probably exclude routine assignments, for example, including new clients and employing the work area, except if it is written in the agreement. 

Fully-Managed Services is indistinguishable from the overseen administration, yet it would likewise incorporate day by day activities, for example, including new clients, erasing old ones and evolving passwords. 

This rundown isn't comprehensive and just incorporates terms identified with re-appropriated IT support. In the event that you trust you have lost a few terms if it's not too much trouble let us know in the remarks. 

If it's not too much trouble remember that despite the fact that these conditions are acknowledged by the business, all in all, a few providers may utilize them all the more uninhibitedly. At the point when you get a statement from IT Front Desk Services or a supervised administration organization, ensure you realize which administrations are incorporated. A few organizations are known to offer a fixed administration while considering it as a supervised administration. On the off chance that the value demonstrated appears to be unrealistic, it most likely is.

How Much Does a New Wifi Network Cost?

Are you planning a new wireless network for your company and wondering how much your new WiFi network will cost? Or do you have an existing Wi-Fi network that is too slow, too unreliable or insecure?

If you feel a little overwhelmed by the whole process and don't know where to start, you are not alone.

In a digital world, your company's success depends largely on its ability to adapt the technology it needs to be competitive. When so many end-users connect to your WiFi with their smartphones, tablets or laptops, you don't want all your business applications to run on a slow, fragile and clumsy wireless network infrastructure.

But unless you're a professional looking for and buying a wireless network, you may not even know the right questions to ask. And the technology changes so quickly; what you knew a year or two ago may not be relevant.

Also, as corporate wireless has evolved, being a generalist in IT or a computer network won't cut it. Too many stakes.

And of course, no the company can afford to write a blank check for WiFi, initially or continuously.

What is the right answer for your situation? How do you determine WiFi Installation Cost? What should you look for in an economic quote?

In this blog post, you will learn about WiFi planning, how the WiFi design process works and the budget for WiFi as a service for your new WiFi network.

Wifi Planning

Before going too far, find out what's going on in WiFi planning best practices. And just as important, remember that finding and buying a business-class Wi-Fi network is very different from installing an access point in your home.

What should you think to prepare for success with your new wireless network?

Check out each of these seven areas to make sure your WiFi quote is truly complete:

Radio Frequency (RF) Planning and Design - Unlike traditional computer networks that use twisted pairs and fiber optic cables, WiFi networks operate on radio frequencies. Since RF is invisible to the naked eye, make sure that the company you are considering is familiar with predictive RF design, surveys on wireless sites, wireless engineering, performance reviews, performance monitoring and systems management.

Coverage vs. capacity: your WiFi planning should also consider the effectiveness of your 

wireless coverage and how this approach to managed WiFi will meet the end-users' capacity needs, both now and at least in the intermediate future, in the next 24-36 months.

Access Points - Think about a big city with major crossroads and traffic lights and how they keep traffic flowing without too many accidents. With this analogy, you begin to approximate the importance of access points. But how many PAs do you need? What type of related equipment is required? And where should all this be installed to make sure your WiFi is as fast, reliable and secure as it is needed?

Network infrastructure - Yes, the access points are the building blocks of WiFi. But your access points are almost worthless without a solid underlying network infrastructure. Controllers, switches, firewalls and power supplies must be addressed in the same type of conversation.

Scalability: your business can have 50 end-users in one place. And each has two devices. How will your WiFi evolve if you reach 150 end-users in the same place, add 30 guest users per day and each user now carries three devices? Good question, right?

Security: Is the Internet becoming more secure with each passing month? Almost. And there is a good reason why cybersecurity experts demand such high starting salaries. There are not enough of them and the training is long and expensive. If your IT team doesn't have advanced Wi-Fi security skills, it's best to find someone who falls under your managed WiFI agreement.

System Management - Travel. Adds. Changes. Integration of new users. If any of these make you look like a dot between a deer in the headlights and a cold sweat, be sure to consider your system management needs in your overall WiFi budget.

Managed IOT Services

The Internet of Things is here to stay and is growing at an amazing rate. From smart homes to smart cities, IoT is changing the way we live and transforming industries a little more every day.

Organizations are now using IoT to gain a competitive advantage in the market. Innovative and disruptive business models and differentiated customer experiences are now easily accessible thanks to IoT.

To take full advantage of the commercial benefits of IoT technology, organizations must understand that the huge amounts of data they will collect must be Managed Support Services in a specialized and simplified way; otherwise, it will not be of any use. The demand for IoT products is increasing, which means that The amount of data produced will increase at an exponential rate.

Hardly any current IT infrastructure is designed to handle this flood of data. Instead of fighting for the upgrade at the risk of falling behind, let the experience of the IOT Managed Service managers manage the details.

Industrial IoT Solutions

The industrial services of ExterNetworks allow organizations to implement intelligent factory technology and stay on the cutting edge. We work with leading solution providers to provide businesses with autonomous systems that integrate seamlessly into legacy protocols such as:

• MODBUS
• BACnet
• SNMP

This means that factories don't have to worry about lost productivity or knowledge. Our IIoT services allow administrators to adopt automation to your business needs with options for:

• Remote monitoring
• Real-time analysis
• Immediate feedback
• Diagnosis and correction
• Inventory management

Smart retail

Retailers can keep track of everything from pedestrian traffic to inventory to customer experience to better understand how to influence consumer behavior and increase brand loyalty.

The addition of practicality and the monitoring of essential data points in real-time can give your shop the push it needs to remain relevant and competitive in today's field of IoT purchases.

Connected Buildings 

Smart buildings open up a new world of infrastructural potential for commercial and residential spaces. Operational technology leaders can use a single scanning platform to monitor and control multiple buildings individually.

• Save energy
• Increase efficiency
• Increase security
• Increase your productivity
• Improve occupant comfort
• Keep the number of occupants updated

Live software support

Live or OTA firmware updates can save your organization time, money and headaches. Our OTA updates can reach businesses with the most restrictive bandwidth and memory limits.

Our OTA software support can drastically reduce response times while simultaneously improving product quality and user experience. This service can help reduce the high after-sales service costs and strengthens the brand guarantee.

IoT security

The current state of hyperconnectivity brings its own unique set of network devices, capabilities and protocols, which can lead to complex security problems. The ExterNetworks the team is familiar with all the most advanced security and operational technologies, including modern identity management and advanced encryption techniques to help you create a connected and secure system.

NOC Technician Jobs: Salary and Career Facts

Find out what it takes to become a NOC Technician. Find out about education and certification requirements, activities and salary information to find out if this is the career for you. Schools offering diplomas on the net can also be found in these popular choices.

What is a NOC Technician?

Network Operations Center (NOC) technicians help computer users to troubleshoot problems with the operation of a computer network. These technicians ensure that IT operators on a given network can do their job with the least amount of problems and can be very practical in customer service and technical support. Their work may also involve training new users in case of software installation or system updates.

What will I do as a NOC Technician?

Your job as a NOC technician is to provide assistance to computer users within a specific network. You can solve problems, provide solutions, and help users understand the system. By working with engineers and other network professionals, you also solve network problems and make sure the network is working properly.

Additional tasks may include answering support calls or email and helping computer users identify their problems. You can also test and collect data to identify the problem. As you work to find a solution, record what you do and document problems.

Your work may also include assisting users when a new system is installed. In this situation, you help users learn how to use the new system, answer user questions and monitor the system for problems. You can also do routine checks to make sure everything is working properly.

How do I prepare for this job?

Formal education is not always required by employers, but you may want to consider completing a computer science curriculum or related computer field to acquire the necessary knowledge and skills. Experience and knowledge may be more important than training for employers, according to several Monster.com job openings in March 2015.

Employers may wish that you have a few years of experience working with computers, networks, and troubleshooting. You can also demonstrate your knowledge through certification. Certification is available from various software vendors and can usually be obtained by passing a knowledge or skill test.

For example, Cisco offers a joint certification for NOC Jobs. Cisco offers several levels of certification, including associated level certification options for those who are just entering the field (www.cisco.com). Cisco options include Cisco Certified Networking Technician (CCENT) and Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA). These certifications allow you to show your skills in network security, troubleshooting, installation, and network operations.

What can I earn?

The 10th to 90th percentiles of NOC technicians made between $ 36,000 and $ 70,000 in November 2019. Hourly rates reported by PayScale.com ranged from $ 14 to $ 29.