An Overview of Managed Services

 A managed service provider delivers services like a network, applications, infrastructure, and security on a customer’s premises. This is through regular, ongoing support and active administration in their managed service provider’s (MSP) data center or via a third-party data center. The MSP model helps offload general tasks to an expert to improve service quality, reduce costs, or free internal teams to focus on their core functions.

Recent managed service models have not only evolved, but the field has grown significantly. For example, in 2019, the global MSP market was valued at $186 billion, and by 2025 the figure is projected to hit $356 billion.

Information technology (IT) managers are under pressure to keep costs down while at the same time meeting the operational, performance, and security needs of the business. This is a key factor that has driven them to the predictable cost model offered by a managed service.

Managed services can be a good option for your internal teams that have limited skills, experience, or time to effectively manage certain functions on their own. Others that want to focus their efforts on critical business initiatives may also choose MSP services. Managed IT services can also enable organizations to replace in-house teams.

Relying on an external expert to provide the needed services allows an organization’s core team to focus on business innovation or expansion without getting bogged down by mundane or routine tasks. In addition, MSPs can ensure 24/7/365 coverage of IT tasks and can enhance expertise or specialized knowledge in an organization that might otherwise not be available.

Managed services are tasks often handled within the context of business IT services. The MSP provider is responsible for the equipment or functionality under a service level agreement (SLA). Typical provisions in the SLA cover technical support, help desk operations, downtime, and disaster recovery. The service is frequently paid on a monthly subscription fee basis.

Many businesses outsource the maintenance of a range of functions and processes to improve return on investment and streamline IT management. Depending on needs, MSP services can range from the general to the extremely specific. Common services include network monitoring, maintenance and monitoring of IT equipment, systems management, server management, remote monitoring, and myriad other support services.

The traditional approach to IT management has been to monitor the systems until a problem arises that requires remediation. Today, many MSPs take a more proactive approach to maintenance that can include predictive maintenance and routine patch management.

Every business venture comes with an element of risk. An organization can minimize this by lowering the individual risk associated with each critical business service. By contributing its own proprietary methodologies, software, and infrastructure, a managed service provider can significantly reduce risk. In service delivery, this also facilitates adherence to best practices.

While MSP services offer an excellent strategy that allows operations to be highly resilient, secure, and cost-effective, it is important to identify a partner dedicated to quality service delivery, an MSP that supports a company’s growth strategy. Due diligence before choosing one over another and signing a service level agreement (SLA) is essential.

Choosing a Software as a Service Provider

 In a world that is becoming increasingly digital, companies of all sizes must embrace digital technologies to remain competitive and relevant. Until recently, most companies collected and shared information on physical documents. This changed with the widespread use of computers and the digitization of business records. The move from analog to digital made business systems and processes much more efficient, increasing profitability and improving the customer experience.

As technologies evolved and replaced operating models, the simple digitization of information gave rise to a complete digital transformation in how organizations manage workflow, interact with customers, and leverage business data. Today, companies are integrating digital technologies into all areas of operation. Everything from customer relationship management systems to machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI) is helping companies automate back- and front-office processes and uncover patterns driving new products and services. While digital transformation may look different from one company to the next, its goal is generally the same: to deliver value to customers and stakeholders.

Transformation frameworks include several elements. A common option is cloud computing, which delivers computing resources and services such as software, data storage, and servers via the internet instead of a computer hard drive or local network. Over 90 percent of companies are doing business in the cloud, which lowers operational costs and frees employees for other tasks. True digital transformation, however, involves much more than simply moving business operations and data to the cloud. Implementing a successful transformation strategy requires companies to examine and change various areas, including customer experience, operational agility, and culture and leadership.

As in all major business changes, digital transformation can face challenges threatening its implementation. Research shows that most digital transformation programs fail to meet their stated goals. Common challenges include budgetary constraints and internal pushback from employees. Lack of digital expertise and effective organizational change management are also obstacles.

Identifying potential challenges and implementing strategies for overcoming them is vital to a digital transformation. All transformations should start with a formal plan that outlines goals and the organizational changes to achieve them. Many companies must overhaul internal technology and infrastructure while building employee skills in cloud computing, AI, mobile app development, user experience design, cybersecurity, and other IT areas.

Regardless of a company's individual needs, it must engage leadership from the CEO to the middle management levels throughout the process. Besides making decisions about investments, technologies, roles, and responsibilities, managers communicate the proposed changes to employees and address any concerns. Management can help reduce employee resistance to change by encouraging and applying constructive feedback and raising awareness of the importance of digital transformation from the beginning of the process. Technology plays an important role in driving a digital transformation strategy, but implementing and adapting to the changes requires a shift in company culture that comes only through employee engagement.

While implementing a successful digital transformation strategy comes with many challenges, companies can overcome them. Successful transformations can increase agility and productivity and deliver a better customer experience driven by meaningful data-based insights.

Digital Transformation Strategies

 Companies embed emerging technologies across their business processes through digital transformation to drive transformative change. A digital transformation strategy involves the business's steps to leverage emerging technologies.

Digital transformation is not an event but a journey. Therefore, it's crucial first to identify the "proof-of-concept" or a feasibility demonstration. This sets the stage for your future transformation initiatives and helps get buy-in from project leaders and teams.

Take the time and proper steps to identify how to jump-start your digital transformation efforts. Remember that the reaction of management, employees, and customer's response can influence the adoption of digital innovation.

The nature of company culture is to resist disruption, innovation, and technology. However, gradually introducing these digital technologies can encourage stakeholders to adopt new ways of doing things and adjust to change. The success of technology evolution will be more successful when fully embraced by the entire community rather than when ignored or passively supported.

Digital transformation will impact every aspect of an organization, particularly human capacity. As you roll out digital transformation strategies, it will affect how employees perform their jobs. It should be no big surprise to encounter resistance and even criticism to change. You, therefore, need to be prepared to confront and address such issues as and when they arise.

An important strategy is to develop a team mindset with representatives drawn from the entire value chain. A strong team of employees who understand how digital transformation blends with your organization's mission is critical for success. Include members from design, information technology, marketing, sales, and other key departments. This is also the group to help execute the strategies that position your business for success.

Before you move full-throttle with implementation, endeavor to clearly define your key performance indicators (KPIs) for each aspect of the project. Ensure that all accountable parties are kept abreast of the expected deliverables. Also, create strong feedback loops through which stakeholders can communicate and learn as your digital transformation strategy takes shape.

New ways to transform your processes will emerge as your digital transformation unfolds. Be alert for opportunities that can be leveraged. Can you, for example, scale vertically by connecting additional technologies or horizontally by adopting similar digital strategies to multiple locations?

Although security is often given attention during digital transformation, it's not a top priority. This leaves the window for system security breaches open. Given the vastness of the digital world, many cyber incidents and viruses are likely to happen, something you cannot afford to ignore.

No organization wants its digital transformation strategy leaked or competitors getting inside details. Your digital transformation strategy must be a secure and safe process. Your information technology department must ensure that all sensitive data and information are properly secured by restricting access to authorized persons only.

Your digital transformation strategy must create processes for regular evaluation at every project level. Potential areas of friction must be eliminated. As the transformation progresses, the importance of regular meetings that looks at critical metrics and their impact cannot be underplayed. The insights gained about your company's adaptive capabilities and performance should be the foundation for further digital transformations. Evaluations will also enable you to adjust operations and correct any mistakes made along the way.

How to Get More Distance with Your Driver

 Every golf player knows increasing your driving distance is the key to shooting a lower score. Unfortunately, it isn't as easy as just swinging harder. Good technique is essential if you want to hit further off the tee. Make sure your stance is correct every time by maintaining good posture throughout your swing; this will ensure that all your energy goes directly into hitting the ball instead of being wasted on a bad form or an incorrect grip.

You should also practice keeping a consistent tempo throughout each swing. This will give you more consistency across all your drives, no matter what type of club or ball combination you use at any given time. Don't forget to practice with different clubs. The same technique won't yield good results for every driver in your bag.

One secret to maximum distance and accuracy with every golf drive is centeredness of contact, making sure to strike the ball in its perfect center. When you contact the golf ball in its center, it will propel straight and further than when hit on the side.

How can you make sure that this centeredness of contact happens? Use your foresight visualization technique, where you see the point you are aiming for, and focus on hitting the spot rather than shaping or hooking the driver shot. Positioning and manipulation of your body during backswing plays, as well as better control over grip pressure, also helps if done correctly. Such practices will ensure that each of your drives is consistently effective, thus leading to significant increases in overall performance.

A key step to achieving more distance with your driver is increasing the speed of your backswing. You can do this by focusing on good form throughout the backswing and shifting your weight accordingly. By initiating momentum from the ground up and swinging your arms from the base of your arms, you will gain power through building centrifugal force and ultimately increase clubhead speed for a long drive.

Additionally, by paying attention to details such as turning your shoulders or keeping an even tempo, you can help ensure that you will gain more yards off the tee. To do this, you should begin by standing in a neutral position, setting up to the ball with your feet about shoulder-width apart and shoulders at a 90-degree angle.

When addressing the ball, it's important to understand where your shoulder line is, as it is a key indicator of the direction you will build upon. Keeping your shoulders slightly tilted can create an even swing and generate more power for increased distance. As with any golf swing, you are maintaining balance throughout the entirety of the motion is key. Therefore, ensuring your shoulder tilt remains consistent from start to finish can provide greater consistency and ultimately result in more optimal results when aiming to increase your driving distance.

When maximizing distance with your driver, properly using the wrists is critical. Perfecting how to employ your wrists properly can greatly improve your success rate in golf. How does one do so? Keep the wrists firm when swinging, and as you near impact with the ball, gently cock your wrists upwards for a more powerful strike. During practice, pay attention to how much leverage you are getting out of each swing, and remember: a little tweak in the technique of wrist placement can make all the difference.