Serviços Gerenciados X Outsourcing

The way in which the service market as a whole has been transforming and gradually taking on a format geared toward digital technologies is impressive, and has the potential to significantly change business models, bringing new ways of working and creating increasingly specialized services. As a way to keep an entire apparatus of machines, systems, and infrastructure running in the Technology sector, a new management model called Managed IT Services emerges. This approach is nothing more than the type of activity added to the main service in cases where the service is highly complex to manage and/or of great importance to the company's core business. Therefore, one might think it is a similar or identical alternative to hiring an Outsourcing service. Correct? Wrong. The traditional Outsourcing model actually gives way to this new outsourcing model, which is the case of managed services.

What differentiates Managed Services from Outsourcing?

See below some of the main differences between these two hiring formats, with a very clear comparison for proper understanding:

1. People management

- Outsourcing: the client's responsibility; it is as if the professional were one more employee in the IT area. The service provider is only responsible for managing the resource allocation contract; - Managed IT Services: management is shared, as the provider checks whether requirements are being met; takes responsibility for the routine (employees and resources) and operational management of the team, allowing the company to focus on more strategic matters and its core business

2. Hiring model

- Outsourcing: the company pays for the resource's idle time and for hours that may not always be used; - Managed IT Services: the client lists their demands and needs, the supplier determines who can best meet them with pay-as-you-go payment.

3. Posture and reaction

- Outsourcing: works with what is called break-fix; it is a service with a reactive posture, only dealing with problems when they arise; which can harm operations in active cases. - Managed IT Services: maintains a proactive posture, constantly monitors all IT assets, addressing failures and eliminating issues before they affect the company's productivity

4. Shared expertise

- Outsourcing: each professional has a specialty, with different needs; - Managed IT Services: hiring a team of experts, multiple service levels, and a shared support center for problem resolution

5. Continuous improvement

- Outsourcing: only performs the activities that were agreed upon, offering few or no insights for continuous improvement; - Managed IT Services: commits to continuous improvements throughout the contract and proposes improvements that may or may not be implemented, according to the client's interest.

6. Tools and monitoring

- Outsourcing: tools are not included; - Managed IT Services: 'tools' are part of the service provided and ensure the company receives assistance with the most appropriate tool for the solution

7. SLAs (Service Level Agreements)

- Outsourcing: does not use any type of specification of what will be delivered, beyond making people available for tasks. - Managed IT Services: are based on agreements that define the level of work quality that must be achieved, perfect for metrics and measurements

8. IT Manager

- Outsourcing: shared focus; the internal manager actively participates in the daily workflow to monitor service progress; - Managed IT Services: fully managed by the third-party, based on the commitment to what was contracted, the internal manager only delegates and supervises; allowing them to have enough time for more strategic activities. The differences are notable and come with a series of advantages when contracting through the managed services model; Besides being an interesting option for entrepreneurs who do not need to deal with overly bureaucratic or technical processes, it also allows for cost savings by reducing expenses associated with personnel and technological tools for the organization.

Advantages of Investing in Managed IT Services

Since managed services are recommended for companies with a significant need related to their IT infrastructure, we can list some advantages of investing in this type of contracting.

• Freeing up the internal IT team to focus on the company’s core business and activities that require greater strategic involvement;
• Technical improvement of the IT team due to hiring specialized professionals with market experience, without having to worry about training and qualifications;
• Operational flexibility by creating a more scalable IT team, thus reducing the risks of being left without support during critical times;
• Potential for cost reduction due to productivity gains and savings on hardware and software related to management.

In summary, investing in service levels based on a skilled team, with professionals prepared to carry out daily tasks when needed, is truly a way to ensure that the technological infrastructure can always be available according to the company's needs. Managed IT services are a good option for companies that use a technological infrastructure in much of their daily routines. When the entrepreneur can count on the support of a team committed to IT results in their activities, they and their team become more available for the most important aspects of their business. How about planning and implementing this type of strategic approach in your IT environment? Check out our pro managed services plans! Any questions? Get in touch with the ZAMAK team

Frequently asked questions

What sets Managed IT Services apart from traditional Outsourcing?

In Outsourcing, the provider is only responsible for managing the resource allocation contract, while the client handles the professional as if they were just another employee. Managed IT Services share that responsibility, with the provider taking charge of the team's daily operations so the company can focus on strategic matters.

Why are Managed IT Services considered proactive while Outsourcing is reactive?

Traditional Outsourcing follows a break-fix approach, only stepping in once a problem has already occurred, which can hurt operations. Managed IT Services continuously monitor every IT asset, addressing failures before they affect the company's productivity.

How does the payment model of Managed IT Services compare to Outsourcing?

With Outsourcing, companies pay for a resource's idle time and for hours that may go unused. Managed IT Services work on a pay-as-you-go basis, where the client lists its needs and the provider charges according to actual usage, cutting spending on idle capacity.