What Should Good Managed IT Services For Nonprofits Look Like? (4 Elements)
Help Desk | IT Professional Services | Managed IT | Network Infrastructure | Network Security & Cybersecurity | Nonprofit | Nonprofit Organizations | Not for Profit
Similar to all managed services, there are managed IT services that are better than others. If your nonprofit is looking for managed IT services, then getting a good grasp on what to expect out of those services is imperative.
As a nonprofit, your managed IT services should have the competency to resolve IT issues and proactively take any IT concerns off your hands.
At LDI Connect, we know how hard it is to balance daily business operations with IT stress. We work with nonprofit organizations to first assess their network to better understand their current security posture before recommending IT solutions. We then identify their IT needs and goals so that their network is well-equipped to handle potential data breaches and IT risks.
This article will cover what managed IT services are and four critical elements of good Managed IT Services for Nonprofits. By the end of this article, you will know what to expect from your managed IT services and know what not to settle for.
What Are Managed IT Services?
Managed IT Services are outsourced services from a Managed IT Provider.
While services may vary depending on the provider you choose, managed IT services will maintain your current IT infrastructure and close any cybersecurity gaps that have been left open.
In more depth, Managed IT Services include:
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- Managing network security
- Mitigating cybersecurity risks
- Overseeing installations and upgrades
- Monitoring and testing your network
- Helpdesk support
- Providing bandwidth and connectivity solutions
4 Elements Of Good Managed IT Services For Nonprofits
As a nonprofit, you don’t need another thing to worry about, especially when it comes to IT.
A primary reason to acquire managed IT services is that your IT needs are taken care of by a knowledgeable provider who is proactive about ensuring that your IT infrastructure is solid.
What sets apart good managed IT services from bad is dependent on the provider you’re working with.
Let’s dive into four elements of good managed IT services:
1. Upfront IT Costs
Ensure that you know how much these services will cost you. The last thing you want is to find a surprise cost in your managed service provider’s contract or recurring monthly bill.
Service fees should be displayed and discussed upfront during the discovery process. The discovery process is where you get to know the managed IT provider, what they offer, and how they do business.
For example, suppose your managed IT provider promises monthly security assessments. In that case, the provider should also explain how much these monthly security assessments will cost—receiving an unexpected large bill after the fact is unacceptable and will make you lose trust in your current provider.
Good managed IT will understand and respect your budget.
2. Prioritizes Cybersecurity Needs & Goals
Nonprofit organizations operate under state laws that have various compliances based on which state they are in. Nonprofits must meet regulatory requirements associated with collecting donations and fundraising.
For nonprofits to collect personal information, their software needs to collect digital donations while protecting the sensitive data being collected. This data includes credit card information, social security numbers, house addresses, telephone numbers, and other personal account information.
No matter the size of your nonprofit, good managed IT services will ensure that your network has adequate cybersecurity coverage.
For example, proper malware protection software on every computer, helping to identify and get rid of phishing scams and help you create an effective cybersecurity plan moving forward.
Good managed IT services will always look for ways to improve your cybersecurity and be proactive about any possible risks.
Through a thorough assessment of your current security posture, a good managed IT provider can optimize your existing IT infrastructure by focusing on what outdated hardware and software are security threats and need to be replaced.
3. Trained & Knowledgeable IT Support
Working with a managed IT provider who understands the nonprofit industry will influence the kind of support you will get moving forward.
How? Well, a managed IT provider that’s familiar with your industry can ensure that your organization meets the regulatory state requirements and has the right software downloaded on your network of computers.
Your IT support should be well-trained on all managed IT and cybersecurity protocols and will resolve any issue that presents itself within your IT infrastructure. If the support agent, by some chance, can’t answer your question, they’ll be able to transfer your question to someone that can.
The right IT Services will provide you with the tools and support necessary to successfully and securely do your job.
4. Proactive & Responsive IT Support
Good IT helpdesk support can be measured by how responsive, helpful, patient, and detail-oriented the support agents are when working with you.
Responsive IT support is imperative in quickly resolving the IT concern at hand. Depending on how pressing the issue may be, an IT support agent should be able to get back in contact with you within 24 hours.
Regardless, your provider’s helpdesk support should provide contact information that can be used for different urgent matters.
Good managed IT services are proactive and not reactive. Your managed IT provider should not only answer your question but follow up with you to ensure they ultimately resolved your concern and that no issues have arisen the day after.
Which Cost Recovery Software Is Right For Your Nonprofit?
Good managed IT services for nonprofits include upfront costs, a prioritization on cybersecurity, and proactive IT support that is knowledgeable and responsive.
If your nonprofit is satisfied with its internal IT team or current provider and sees no need to optimize its Managed IT services, then now may not be the right time to look for another provider.
However, if you recognize that your company’s managed IT needs to improve and haven’t been giving good qualitative service, then reevaluating your Managed IT may be the right move for you.
At LDI Connect, we provide a complimentary network assessment before recommending any managed IT solutions. This assessment will provide us with information regarding your current cybersecurity infrastructure. After an evaluation, we will walk through your space and provide recommendations for risk mitigation solutions.
Contact us or leave a comment below today to learn more about our Managed IT Services through a one-on-one consultation with an LDI Connect representative.