24/7 IT support by your MSP is not an option but a must
If you are a business, looking to streamline your operations and to benefit from cost savings - while enhancing your functional efficiency at the same time - the option to engage a Managed Services Provider (MSP) must, surely, have come up for your consideration. It seems everywhere one looks, Managed Service Providers in the UAE are stepping in to augment the core strengths of enterprises, by taking on the critical but tedious IT tasks associated with the everyday working of a modern business. However, there are some critical things for business to consider in choosing the right Managed Services Company in Dubai, as in any other part of the world.
One of the most crucial aspects of a contract with a Managed Services Provider is whether or not their services are available 24/7, all 365 days of the year. After all, the benefits of substituting an in-house department with the services of an external entity cannot simply be driven by reduced costs, they must also be gained without losing the advantages of a legacy system. While advantages gained through optimizing returns on investment and the outsourcing of specialized functions does indeed increase the viability of most businesses manifold, it cannot be an effective strategy without round-the-clock support that reduces the threat of downtime and operational disruptions.
A state-of-the-art and best-in-class Managed Services Provider in Dubai must commit to providing a round- the-clock service that includes the ability to monitor, diagnose and troubleshoot issues as they arise - without such concerns being deferred to a specific period of the week being identified as “working hours”. Given the availability of Managed Service Providers in the UAE who conform to the highest standards of uninterrupted service, it is incumbent upon enterprises to partner with such service providers, rather than expose themselves to unnecessary risks in order to cut costs. While it may superficially appear that the viability of a business model is largely predicated by cost considerations, the losses and damage that can result from delays in service far outweigh such benefits and expose the enterprise to avoidable and grave risks.
Several Managed Service Providers in Dubai and the UAE have realized that, the presence of innumerable multinational businesses in the location they are servicing, comes with the presupposition and expectation of the highest standards of service, available anywhere in the world. An inherent and inevitable benchmarking of Managed Service Providers in the UAE, against the best practices in the world, therefore, means that there is now no shortage of such services in the UAE market. It is advisable that any business, opting for a Managed Services company in Dubai and the UAE, consider such a standard of service par for course, rather than a premium service. A slightly higher ongoing cost that still retains advantages over legacy systems - is a small price to pay for the peace of mind from being assured of a constant and uninterrupted service that manages the Cloud and IT infrastructure of a business. Note: By Sachin Bhardwaj is Director, Marketing & Business Development eHostingDataFort