Consumer expectations are on the rise. Users accustomed to 4G speeds when loading web pages won’t settle for double or triple the time on PCs, and customers expect mobile applications to offer the same experience as desktop-based versions. A reskin of existing content won’t fly with tech-savvy visitors.
As a result, many companies are spending big on IT staff, training and development to help their services and solutions “catch up” with digital expectation, deliver ideal end-user experience, and ultimately generate line of business (LoB) value. The problem? With technology professionals tasked to both improve UX and maintain current service levels in-house, companies often find themselves struggling to reach either goal. This ultimately leaves IT staff frustrated, users unsatisfied and C-suites looking for new ways to drive ROI. The solution? Managed services.
Oh Snap
Consider the massively popular social sharing app Snapchat; parent company Snap recently released its IPO and is now looking for ways to ensure current valuation meets investor expectation. Despite its huge following in the U.S., Snapchat discovered lower-than-expected rates of Android adoption in other countries owing to performance issues in the Android-native app. The result? An incoming redesign that should address user service issues and pave the way for increased adoption.
It’s a valuable message for companies of any type and industry: While existing IT may be “good enough” to supply staff needs and assist customers, the right technology investments can significantly increase overall satisfaction.
In-House Offerings Vs. Outsourced Expertise
For many organizations, the shortest path between existing infrastructure and new services is to build out technology in-house. While this may be viable for larger enterprises with substantial IT teams and enough budgetary headroom to invest in the finesse of local development or the brute force of large-scale hardware purchases, most companies can’t afford this kind of time and talent investment.
Another option? Turning to managed service experts that can supply specific, value-added offerings that address areas of concern or deliver necessary improvement. Key advantages here include the ability to tap years of industry experience and expertise; in addition to services and solutions ready to work right out of the box; and that don’t require local IT pros to manage security, upgrading and integration.
Areas Of Concern
While it’s one thing to consider spending on managed IT services, it’s another to make the move from existing methodology to new solutions. The ideal transition method? Design a service plan that fits your needs and budget, and clearly defines expected end goals.
For example, your company might be looking to improve tech support services, better handle incident management, or define new app testing environments. By identifying these areas of concern before partnering with any managed service provider, you ensure end goals take precedence over expenses and create a roadmap to service success.
The Column Technologies Advantage
At Column Technologies, our managed services provide a new way for companies to improve the service value of their BMC solution. Using a combination of remote administration and best practice methodology managed by a team of highly skilled ITSM experts, we’re able to deliver both short-term solutions and long-term gains.
We achieve this aim by offering a suite of core services combined with optional components to create a custom-built solution for your organization. For example, our core patch management services offer a better way to handle security and software upgrades. Our consistent, responsive service ensures that your applications are always up to date, giving your staff the time to focus on other, line-of-business efforts.
Also among our core services is performance tuning. As noted above, users are unforgiving when it comes to application performance, latency and usability. Core also includes 24/7 support — at Column Technologies, we recognize that your digital services need to work, when you need them to justify your investment. Our trained service personnel ensure that you always have access to the right support at the right time.
Our optional components, meanwhile, let you create the service package that best suits your current or predicted needs. Start with road mapping: Discover how to get from “here” to “there” as quickly and efficiently as possible using the right digital services. Dealing with big data? Consider our bulk data migration service to help streamline the process of moving critical information from local stacks to secure off-site storage solutions or into big data analytics environments. Our reporting services, meanwhile, provide needed visibility into your IT ecosystem to ensure you’re always in the know. Or, maybe you’ve opted to design and deploy an application in-house. Column Technologies testing services give you the arm’s-length insight you need into potential weaknesses and vulnerabilities to help safeguard both network infrastructure and critical data.
In addition, you choose the best deployment method for your needs. With our standard solution, you own and host the BMC application while Column Technologies provides remote support. In the SaaS solution, we own, host and remotely support the app — our hosted solution provides the middle ground of locally owned applications and Column Technologies provided support.
The “S” Word
Ultimately, service is about more than the digital partnerships you forge or the technologies we leverage to deliver consistent, reliable outcomes. Service is now a touchstone of end-user experience and staff satisfaction alike, a critical metric that can’t be ignored in favor of pure server performance or delicate data analytics.
Managed services offer a way to bridge the gap between growing expectations and the reality of day-to-day IT operations. While you can’t afford to ignore the value of service, you’re also constrained by limited time and tightening budgets to do more with less and deliver better results, more quickly. BMC services from Column Technologies give you the best of both worlds: The depth of technical expertise needed to enhance your IT posture and deliver enhanced service; and the cost-effective benefit of selective service deployment. Use what you need, when you need it, to maximize your service impact, and drive greater ROI.
Service drives value. For companies to succeed in a tech-first world, however, digital services must do more than maintain the status quo. Managed solutions from Column Technologies can help empower your IT initiatives and promote positive, value-driven change in your organization.