Echo Managed Services Picked PR Agency One to Aid Business Growth!

Engaging more than 650 people and with a turnover of above £30m in the last year, Echo is consistently growing with full strength.

PR Agency One, a consumer and B2B PR consultancy has been chosen by the Echo Managed Services so it can strengthen its brand awareness while exploring and penetrating into new markets, thus improving the overall online visibility.

Echo is a renowned name in the UK that works with all kind of businesses whether related to regulated or non-regulated industries. It provides outsourced multi-channel contact centre services, revenue management solutions and an end to end debt recovery services. It also offers the UK’s leading water market billing and client information software.

Echo Managed Services has employed more than 650 people while it had a turnover of above £30m in the last year. This has shown how Echo is constantly growing with its full strength.

Managing Director of PR Agency One, James Crawford stated that there is no doubt that Echo Managed Services is in a period of growth. They are excited to work with the business like Echo as its booked agency by choice. James informed that for the next 12 months, their job is to improve the market share of the business (Echo) by building a trustworthy and reliable voice while aiding it in breaking into new sectors.

James further narrated that their dedicated and experienced team will work hard to create a good reputation of Echo, improve brand awareness and help the Echo in gaining the vital links for its website that will, in turn, aid in increasing its online visibility.

Source: http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/business/media/pr-agency-one-appointed-echo-10858501

Can Mid-Market Businesses be benefitted from Bimodal IT Success via Managed Services?

IT experts are bustling about understanding the newly invented term by Gartner “bimodal IT”. It is a technique of delivering services in a way that allow the IT teams to rip their emphasis into two distinct, clear and logical models that are stability and agility. The second one involves day to day IT operations that are vital and meant for the security and reliability for an IT environment related to an organisation. The previous one is focused on innovation to let the IT teams to research and identify the new techniques of utilising the technology in order to meet the rapid changing demands of the business.

As per the information provided by the Gartner, around 45 percent of the CIOs use bimodal IT service management strategies and this percentage can increase to 75 percent by 2017 where the companies will execute the bimodal IT strategies.

Bimodal IT and Managed Services

It has been observed that some companies prefer to outsource essential IT functions like helpdesk so to let the IT group to play an all-inclusive role in the business. There is no doubt that the nature of IT sourcing has changed. Gartner is of the view that smaller IT suppliers will be capable enough to respond to the demands quickly and providing faster solutions by using the cloud capabilities.

Image Credit - IT-Regie

Outsourcing the IT functions to managed services provider enable the internal staff to invest time in IT innovation so to assist the business in remaining active and responsive in the competitive marketplace. In order to have a successful relationship with the IT managed service provider so that the business’s future progress does not detract, the companies should ask the following questions from the managed services provider:

Do MSPs Can Assist in Current and Future IT Needs?

Managed service providers must have experience of providing assistance in the particular functions that are going to be outsourced. For instance, if the services are being offered in the helpdesk, then IT support services provider should have engineers that are capable enough to repair equipment including new technologies.

To What Extent, the Support Can Be Offered?

We know that IT issues can disrupt the IT teams from new projects, so the companies should contract with the MSPs as to how much they will promise to resolve the IT issues. Usually, MSPs provide varying degrees of assistance, like 24/7, remote or on-site support. In the case, if a package in terms of budget and support coverage do not meet the needs of an organisation, the companies can ask for the customised solutions.

Source: http://www.itproportal.com/2016/02/02/can-managed-services-be-the-key-to-bimodal-it-success-for-mid-market-businesses/

Alstom Will Be Provided Developed IT Infrastructure from HCL!

On Monday, January 25, 2016, a new IT infrastructure deal has been signed between the HCL technologies and the French multinational firm Alstom. Throughout the France and Benelux, the engagement of the Alstom would be the HCL’s largest infrastructure services engagement as narrated by the Corporate Vice President of the HCL Technologies Ashish Gupta. According to this agreement, the HCL Technologies will influence and control its IT infrastructure support services capabilities in order to deliver the workplace engineering services, roll out PC as a Service (PCaaS) to 30, 000 clients across the world and allow the local client support services all over 360 locations in 62 countries.

Image Credit - PeopleofBoston

Furthermore, multilingual global service desk offers will be given to the Alstom in 11 languages that will be established by the HCL in which more than 50 percent of the French-speaking users will be involved. HCL has three global delivery centres that are situated in the Brazil, India and Poland while the services will be offered by controlling these centres. Being a part of the partnership, HCL will also establish the Services Integration and Management (SIAM) as an organisational function with a concept that will allow the Alstom to accomplish the multi-sourcing service integration.

As per the statement of the Alstom CIO, Christine Heckmann, they wanted continuous and smooth IT operations and it was their priority. Alstom needed an IT Partner that could easily define, develop and implement the roadmap involving the IT transformation for the following five years and HCL has been proved a right partner for them.

Source: http://www.moneycontrol.com/news/business/hcl-to-develop-it-infrastructure-for-alstom_5153901.html

How Managed Service Providers Can Streamline Operations

There is no doubt that in this technological era, the networks have become multifaceted, complex and sometimes inflexible. To deal with these issues, technologies like NFV, SDN and open source projects have helped a great deal in this respect.

Cisco senior manager, Wayne Cullen, who is a service provider architecture, stated that a single network is insufficient. Mutually, they have the potential to bring the automation and self-service, lower operational costs and simplified processes. This also enables the expert personnel to free them for innovations by relieving themselves from the important low-value tasks.

The question arises that how the simpler operations can transmute your today’s business? Cullen disclosed that there are three ideas that can be considered in the current scenario which are as follows:

Take Into Account the Technologies That Improve Dexterity: Planning and automation strategies are required that could integrate SDN, NFV and other various technologies into the current networks so it can allow you to reposition and gauge the elements of the software rather than the hardware.

With the above strategies, the adjustments can be made in hours or days instead of the weeks or months. This will assist in driving down the cost and getting you ready as what next could be done.

Image Credit - Trustwave

Use Openness to Hasten Innovation: To get the advantages of the open partnerships, services and collaborations, there is a need to progress to a more flexible infrastructure that has a lower cost. The software defined network has the capability to integrate new services around numerous vendor technologies, as described by Cullen. To maintain the services framework so they can be vibrant, lucrative and speedy, there is a need to retain the developmental model and APIs simpler and open.

Promote New Business Models: In the case, you have a fast and dexterous network, more competitive pricing options and modifications as per the changing market conditions can be offered. The new market segments that were not practicable due to the cost, size and location can, later on, enable us to reach there. According to Cullen, it is necessary to know the means by which the clients can be pleased and where exactly the value can be added.

To gain success means to understand the connectivity that is changing the behaviours at a faster rate than before. Furthermore, the ability to accustom new behaviours can play an important role in success.

Cullen finally concluded that if steps are taken to enhance dexterity along with working on the SDN or NFV strategies so there can be an open working with the partners, the organisation can gain a powerful position in terms of profit.

For more details on solutions for service providers, go to http://www.cisco.com/web/EMEAR/offers/sp04/simplifying-operations/index.html.

This article was published in partnership with NetPartnering.

Source: http://mybroadband.co.za/news/industrynews/153295-3-ways-service-providers-can-simplify-operations.html

Managed Service Providers – Getting a Boost from Security Products!

A continuing overall growth has been observed in the managed service companies particularly the ones that are providing the security services, as revealed by the IT management specialist Kaseya according to the new survey.

The data has been gathered from the Kaseya’s Global Pricing survey in which 400 managed service providers across 30 countries were scrutinised that offer the exceptional visibility in IT services to the customers. The result which has been concluded is that most of the MSPs have gone through more than 20 percent growth over the last three years.

As per the results, the high growth managed service solution providers offer more evolving services than the ones that are facing the lower growth counter parts. This may involve hosting services and cloud monitoring for the clients owning the equipment. One of the most important thing that has been observed is that the high growth MSPs offer an effective portfolio of services such as the desktop and server management, cloud, backup and recovery services.

Image Credit - Aditya Techno Solutions

Increased security risks will be the top demand of the customers in the year 2016. Security is always considered as the high rated services that usually gets the competitive advantage in all age times.

Kaseya’s SVP and GM of MSPs, Miguel Lopez narrated that Kaseya is in the privileged position because it is the vendor that delivers IT security, management and automation technology to MSPs and this is what separates it from the crowd of managed services provider. For every successful MSP, clients’ concern is their top priority, so they design bolder strategies for this purpose. Their client success model is based on the year over year growth instead of the business’s sales, and this is what successful MSPs always do for their clients.

Besides this, around 85 percent of the high growth MSPs deliver hosting services to the clients owning the equipment while around three quarters of the high growth MSPs deliver desktop security services.

Source: http://www.itproportal.com/2016/01/21/security-products-give-managed-service-providers-boost/

How to Know Your Business Is Not Cut Out For IT Managed Services

When we talk about companies, we should never forget that there are different flavours and kinds of businesses, for instance, there are entrepreneurial businesses, startups, small or medium sized and lifestyle businesses. Each business has different goals that are targeted to be achieved, so the business owners set distinct priorities depending upon the financial plans and the growth rate. Some companies have high technology involvement so they prioritise their routine operations according to the internet. If an internet connection, email server or phone line is down, their business has to face a shrieking pause. Specifically, when it comes to technological businesses, they require an IT managed services provider that could assist them in maintaining the security, designing and managing the strategies along with providing assistance to the employees. Still there are some small and medium-sized companies that need to focus on the devising of the strategies that involve an adoption of the managed services. A concise self-analysis can help you to understand which businesses are not cut out from the managed IT services.

Technology is Not Used to Enhance Client Experience: You need to analyse what kind of services you are delivering to the clients. You need to consider whether technology is involved in it? Whether some software interface, app or web portal is included in accessing the client records or booking their appointments? Are the client services delivered via the email or a phone? If the above elements do not have any involvement, then probably, there is no need to get the managed service solutions to get the client service experience.

Replacing of an Equipment is Waited Till the Last Possible Second: We should always remember that the workstations must be in warranty and at least, they should enable the companies in supporting the operating systems and the software updates that appear. Workstations always represent the employees’ efficiency and productivity. So it is necessary to refresh, repair or replace the equipment immediately in order to boost the staff members’ efficiency so it can match with the IT services.

You are Not Considering Technology as a Means to Appeal Customers: Efficient and talented employees always require technology that can be operated at a high speed. Slow connections, sluggish networks and obsolete technology usually frustrates the employees. Expert professionals always need technology that could help them in boosting their efficiency.

Source: http://www.business2community.com/tech-gadgets/5-signs-business-not-cut-managed-services-01430729#UpFwi8rvIzdrLSD6.97

Three Fantastic Predictions for 2016 Related to Managed Services

As we are in the start of the New Year, it’s the time when the companies are either waiting or focusing on the trends that have been emerging, the new and innovative technologies that are arriving on the scene and the business models that have been evolving from a considerable time. In this season, there are three areas that are showing a continuous positive impact on the IT channel that are as follows:

Sanguinity Enclosing the Future of the Managed Services and the IT Channel Will Remain High

According to the survey held in October 2015, it was found out that around 66 percent of the people were optimistic about the future of the IT channel. Strong demand of the clients regarding managed services, a strong and continuous desire for the IT channel, new opportunities in the cloud computing and wider use of the IT by all kinds of the customers have been observed.

In this year, it is believed that the IT channel will prolong or maintain it’s continuous increase regarding relevancy for the IT companies of all sizes. It is being expected that the IT service providers will improve their abilities so to help the companies in increasing their revenues. It will also help the organisations in maintaining their business by focusing on the technologies like computer security, cloud computing, and financial services to healthcare, public and private sectors.

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Sellers Alliance will continue

To gain a competitive edge in this highly crowded market place, vendors usually prefer to amalgamate with the companies and drive the activities all through the technology industry. Service providers always tend to evaluate the portfolio of the vendors so they can decide whether to enhance the vendors’ association or not. This assists in solving both the client’s organisational challenges and offering them the opportunities to influence the synergies involving the seller partners to expand their businesses.

Applications, Infrastructure and Data Protection, will be Given Much Emphasis Irrespective of the Location

Incalculable divisions of the high profile data are kept secure both for the clients and businesses alike. Since more and more companies are relying on the cloud to aid the routine business operations, strong emphasis is given on securing the critical data, infrastructure and the applications, irrespective of whether they are on the premise or the cloud.

Source: http://mspmentor.net/blog/trends-managed-services-three-predictions-2016