March 21, 2016
Managed Services is like Tetris. Sometimes the situation is simple and manageable. It only requires one small gap in the line to be filled, and the issue is solved. In others, the growing problems are mounting and stacking upon themselves. Faster and faster things are falling out of control. If something isn’t done and the right piece isn’t found soon, the game is over.
There is one constant in these two extremes. The solution must be customized to fit the situation. Managed Services contracts at Mindsight work the exact same way. Our clients have the freedom to pick and choose the level of attention Mindsight will devote to each technology area. If the in-house IT team is more than prepared to handle any break/fix situation in their network, for example, Mindsight can simply provide monitoring and alert the team when a need arises.
Mindsight: Managed Services is like Tetris
The X-Axis
In keeping with the Tetris metaphor, a Managed Services Contract is best visualized as a grid instead of a list. On the X-axis we have our three levels of Managed Services: Aware, Manage, and Change. Each level higher in the program includes all the benefits of the lower level. For example, a Manage agreement automatically includes the benefits of an Aware agreement.
- Aware: As Chicago IT consultants, all of our Manage Services agreement begins with a thorough analysis of the environment. We provide our recommendations and a roadmap for the future. From there, we deliver 24×7 monitoring of the environment and immediate alerts, should there be a dip in performance or more substantial issue.
- Manage: A Manage agreement enables Mindsight to take that next logical step. Instead of simply alerting you to the problem, our team will alert you and then immediately set to work correcting the issue. Clients in the past have arrived at their office in the morning to find that there was a problem discovered, assessed, and repaired overnight before it could ever impact the workday. Managed Services is like Tetris.
- Change: Mindsight changes gears and becomes proactive in the final level. In addition to monitoring and management, the Mindsight team will also perform any necessary moves, adds, or changes to the technology area to maximize performance.
The Y-Axis
On the Y-axis we have our technology specialties. An IT director, CIO, CTO, or other executive in need of Managed Services can supplement their in-house IT team in any of the following areas:
- Collaboration: Whether voice, Cisco Jabber, Interactive Intelligence Pure Cloud, or a contact center solution, internal and external communication with your organization can be managed or assisted by the Mindsight Team.
- Voice
- Contact Center
- Other Collaboration Solutions (Jabber, WebEx, PureCloud etc.)
- Data Center: The contact center is often referred to as the “lifeblood of the company.” If that is true, then the data center is the heart. Without a well-tuned and fully-operational data center, the entire company can slow to a halt. Let Mindsight keep your systems flowing in the storage, servers, or hypervisor areas.
- Storage
- Servers
- Hypervisor
- Network: Equally as important as a strong data center is a powerful network. From WiFi to BYOD to traditional fiber networks, a Managed Services agreement ensures the entire organization remains connected, protected, and ready.
- Switches
- Routers
- Firewalls
With these two axes in place, simply mark an X in the box where necessary. Suddenly you have the framework of your Managed Services agreement. From there, it is just a matter of sorting out the details with one of our dedicated account managers. Of course, a grid like this cannot capture every scenario possible, and Mindsight is more than willing to find a way to address any other IT difficulties you may have. Really, Managed Services is like Tetris.
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About Mindsight
Mindsight, a Chicago IT services provider, is an extension of your team. Our culture is built on transparency and trust, and our team is made up of extraordinary people – the kinds of people you would hire. We have one of the largest expert-level engineering teams delivering the full spectrum of IT services and solutions, from cloud to infrastructure, collaboration to contact center. Our highly-certified engineers and process-oriented excellence have certainly been key to our success. But what really sets us apart is our straightforward and honest approach to every conversation, whether it is for an emerging business or global enterprise. Our customers rely on our thought leadership, responsiveness, and dedication to solving their toughest technology challenges.
About The Author
Siobhan Climer, Science and Technology Writer for Mindsight, writes about technology trends in education, healthcare, and business. She previously taught STEM programs in elementary classrooms and museums, and writes extensively about cybersecurity, disaster recovery, cloud services, backups, data storage, network infrastructure, and the contact center. When she’s not writing tech, she’s writing fantasy, gardening, and exploring the world with her twin two-year old daughters. Find her on twitter @techtalksio.
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