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Frequently Asked Questions
Since the Interplay team officially opened up shop in 2001, we’ve received a lot of IT questions from a lot of people, what you might call “frequently asked questions.”
This page is filled with the most common questions we hear. Most of them have to do with what we do, because it’s a little hard to understand sometimes.
Have a question we didn’t answer here? Think you’ve got an embarrassing tech question? Go ahead and ask. We’ve probably heard it before – and if we haven’t, we relish the challenge of answering.
Managed services in IT, provided by a “Managed Services Provider” (MSP), are one of the leading ways modern businesses keep their IT systems secure from cyberthreats. Typically, managed services in IT include around-the-clock cyberthreat monitoring and prevention, after-hours security patching and updates, and detailed reporting on IT security over a specified timeframe (like a month). Beyond that, most MSPs provide additional services, such as on-site support, business continuity, or software licensing management, but all MSPs are different. It’s best to ask every MSP what they offer.
There’s no such thing as “standardized pricing” for managed IT services because many MSPs intentionally make it hard to understand what they offer. In many cases, comparing MSPs in terms of price can feel like comparing apples and… orangutans. To find the right MSP at the right price for your needs, your best bet is to find the rare MSP that offers all-in, fixed-fee pricing with no hidden costs. When you find that combo, give yourself a high five for your awesome research skills.
…By the way, Interplay happens to offer exactly that combo (plus endless free high fives), so you know where to start looking.
The main benefits of managed IT services are peace of mind and lower overall technology costs. Peace of mind because you know that your data is secure from ~99% of cyberattacks (there’s no such thing as 100% security) and because you can call for IT support any time you need it. The lower overall costs often surprise business leaders who don’t realize that data breaches, non-compliance, and business downtime are costly. When it comes to managed IT services, an ounce of prevention is more cost-effective than a pound of cure.
How to Choose
Simply put: most organizations use managed IT services because modern cybersecurity is a pain in the neck. Securing your networks and devices takes constant attention to the most minuscule details on a daily basis. Cybersecurity has high stakes too: even one single missed detail has the potential to let malicious hackers into your systems. Even if you have an in-house IT team to handle your business technology, they might not have the time to painstakingly focus on security day in and day out. Most in-house teams are too busy putting out fires to keep up with comprehensive cybersecurity.
We’re not gonna lie: it takes time and hard work to choose a managed IT services provider – but there are ways you can speed up the process. Start by identifying which IT services you need (such as business continuity, software licensing, or mobile device management), compile a short list of MSPs that provide those services, and then start making calls and taking notes. Handy tips: (1) Call the MSPs that other business leaders recommend, (2) Don’t call the MSPs that other business leaders hate, and (3) start here.
Managed IT services are so important in the fight against cybercrime that, even though we don’t know where your business is, we can assure you that there is indeed an IT company near you. Here in Seattle, where we’re located, there are hundreds of IT companies. As you can guess, this makes it hard to choose the right IT company or managed IT services provider near you – but going local is a smart choice! Local MSPs are often easier to work with than the nationwide providers, so check to see where a managed IT services provider is located before you add them to your list.