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How To Choose the Best Life Sciences Managed Service Provider

Life sciences companies must focus their energies on research and development and not be distracted by other business needs such as complex IT services. You deal daily with the intricacies of your industry and bringing breakthroughs in science to the general public. Your IT needs are many, but you may not be able to adequately deal with them in-house without allocating it a chunk of your budget that is best used elsewhere. Life sciences companies should consider outsourcing their IT needs to an expert life sciences managed service provider. Doing so offers you a number of advantages that will enhance the productivity of your company.

Look Toward Outsourcing Your IT

Many companies simply cannot afford the cost of maintaining a full IT staff. IT employees must have a high level of training and update their education continually. When you outsource your IT needs, you have access to a bigger talent pool, one full of the specialists that you need. You get advanced service while lowering your IT budget, and you can feel certain that you’re getting the best service possible. The significant funds you save can better be used for R&D.

Increased Cybersecurity

Cybersecurity threats have mushroomed in recent years, and hackers have grown more sophisticated and effective. So have the number of cybersecurity companies in San Diego. Your in-house IT department may be able to deal with basic security issues but be at a loss when faced with ransomware and especially damaging viruses. A managed IT company trains its employees to meet the dangers of the latest cyber threats at a level your company cannot manage. The cost of cyber attacks can be astronomical, and the life sciences industry is a favored target. Valuable industry secrets are a strong lure for hackers and scammers, so you need the best protection available.

24-Hour Protection

Your company can experience IT difficulties at any time of the day or night. In fact, if something is going to go wrong, it will probably happen at 3 am. By the time you discover the issue the next day, you may have lost valuable data as well as hours of time. A managed IT company will monitor your company’s IT status and take immediate action if there is an outage, cyber attack or other issues. They will limit your company’s downtime, which can save you hundreds of thousands of dollars. And you’ll be able to sleep better at night knowing that you are protected.

Cloud Computing

A managed IT services company offers you cloud computing, so a break-in or natural disaster will not be catastrophic for your research and client data. Even a devastating flood will not completely close down your business. You can simply have employees use laptops off-site to gain access to their files, which are safely kept online. While you might lose computers, you will not lose expensive servers or be forced to shut down for days or even weeks.

Software as a Service

Your company will also benefit from Software as a Service (SaaS). Instead of purchasing individual licenses for software and installing them on each office computer, a managed IT company will offer SaaS. You are then charged on a subscription basis, paying monthly for the software you need. A managed IT company will help guide you toward the best programs and make certain that your business stays up-to-date by offering you the latest software.

Your employees save time and effort with this arrangement. The software is already configured and can be easily installed from the cloud. The IT company will arrange for automatic upgrades as well. If you are currently managing your software in-house, you know how frustrating and time-consuming that process can be. Outsourcing your IT also frees you from a number of other software worries.

Faster Troubleshooting

A managed IT company has the resources to develop a sophisticated ticketing system and highly trained customer service crew so that your employees do not have to wait endlessly for help. Many companies who try and keep their IT in-house are stretched thin and don’t have the personnel to deal with the many issues that can arise in your business each day. The life sciences industry, in particular, cannot afford delays during their complex processes.

Outsourcing your IT means that problems will be prioritized and help quickly dispatched. Problems are less likely to fall between the cracks because you will be working with an extensive team with the time to devote to your critical issues.

Life Sciences Companies and centrexIT

For many companies, outsourcing their IT department makes a great deal of sense. Your company will benefit financially and be better able to keep up a high level of productivity. The life sciences industry is a demanding one, and you need to focus on the research and development aspect of your business. Maintaining your servers, software and security is time-consuming and difficult unless you outsource those tasks to the experts.

You can find the IT knowledge that you need at centrexIT. Our experts offer you a true IT partnership while delivering the latest in security measures and cloud operations technology. The work you do is too important to leave your data to anyone except the experts. For more information, log into the website and take our free assessment.
Education

10 Questions To Ask When Selecting A New IT Services Provider

Most small and mid-size companies need outside tech help in order to be successful. Maintaining your own full-service IT staff is expense and often not practical. Still, in today’s business world, no company can function without professional, cutting-edge IT services. That means you must find the right IT services provider to keep your company competitive. You need to be cautious and well-informed before you sign on with a new company. Before entering into a contract, ask their representative the following essential questions.

1. Can I visit your facility?

The answer to this question should be an enthusiastic “Yes!” A professional, up-to-date IT service provider will be happy to introduce you to their staff and show you their facilities. You should view the servers and other tech hardware for yourself. While you may not understand how everything works, you will be able to judge how well the facility is maintained and how helpful the employees and management are. You will also gain insight into their work culture. You’ll want to join forces with a happy workplace.

2. Do you work with any other companies in my vertical?

When you work in a vertical market like banking, insurance, or educational software, you need an IT services company that knows your business. An IT company with no experience in your industry will be less effective in recommending the right software and in helping you comply with federal and state regulations.

3. What is the first thing you’ll do after taking over our account?

An IT company shouldn’t offer solutions until they understand your company’s needs and problems. In fact, they should offer you a free assessment before you even sign up with their company so that they can present you with an informed strategy. Once your sign on, the staff should address whichever issues you both agree is the most pressing.

4. Do you have any examples of how you document a network?

While all IT service providers will provide network documentation, some do it better than others. You should ask to see how they map the network, keep records of past problems, and maintain software information, etc. Without proper documentation, your IT provider will stumble when trying to address any network issues.

5. Who will I work with if we sign up with you?

Although you should be happy with the entire IT services team, you will need a solid connection with a specific point person who makes your business a priority and who works well with your staff. Don’t sign the agreement until you know who your representative will be and you’ve had a chance to interview them.

6. How will you report to me on our account?

Your IT company should employ a variety of communication methods, including video calls, IMs, formal reports, and in-person meetings when necessary. The best companies will modify their methods to suit your needs. Tell them how you wish to receive information and see if they are willing to adapt.

7. What does your response time and service level agreement (SLA) look like?

You should ask to see an example of their SLA so you will know what level of service you can expect. A detailed SLA explains how service will be measured and how violations of the SLA will be addressed. If it doesn’t look good on paper, the actual service will be lacking.
The SLA will spell out response time, which should be measured in minutes. No business can afford to wait long for service. Even a short period of downtime can cost companies millions of dollars every year. If the IT company won’t provide reasonable guarantees, their response time may hurt your company.

8. How long have you been around?

Startup companies can be excellent service providers, but their record of success is inevitably short. A company with years of experience should have a proven and lengthy track record and clients willing to offer good reviews. Don’t bet your company’s success on a company with little experience.

9. What are your core values?

IT providers should have and demonstrate core values just as any other business should. They must be proactive and make the customer’s needs their own. If an IT services company can’t quickly articulate their core values, look elsewhere.

10. What do you understand about my business?

An IT company should specialize in research, so they should be able to expertly discuss both your industry and your specific business. Before you sign an agreement, the company should do an assessment of your needs and explain how they will address them. If the IT company does not demonstrate this knowledge, they are not the team for you.

Finding the right IT services provider takes a little time and digging. Don’t hesitate to sit down with their team and go over these ten questions and more if you need additional answers. You need to understand their strategy, their services, and their values before you enter into a contract. In business today, nothing is more important to your success than expert tech help, so give your search the time and attention that it needs.