Is it Time to Consider a Managed Systems Program for Your Technology?

By Tyler Ebnet
January 2nd, 2020

“I’m so busy – I don’t have enough hours in the day!” It’s a phrase that almost everyone can relate to, regardless of what industry you’re in. Whether you work in healthcare communications at a hospital, IT for a school district, or security in a manufacturing plant, at the top of everyone’s wish list seems to be more time.

Managing technology is one task that can take valuable time away from other important initiatives that directly impact revenue – which is one of the driving forces behind CEC’s new Managed Systems Program (MSP). Designed around feedback from our customers, the Managed Systems Program is a subscription program that helps organizations of all types and sizes manage technology initiatives with benefits such as:

  • Technology investments that don’t require large upfront capital expenses
  • Streamlined budgeting with monthly payments that remain the same throughout the term
  • Access to the latest, most current technology and equipment available – and the opportunity for a technology refresh at the end of the term
  • End-user training for the life of the system
  • Preventative maintenance, assuring systems are compliant with codes and regulations
  • Software support keep systems current with the latest upgrades and patches

Let’s take a closer look at some of MSP’s benefits … 

1. Streamline Budgeting

Instead of budgeting for large upfront capital expenses, you can get the technology you need now – without requiring money upfront or waiting until you build up enough capital.

The latest technology is packaged into an affordable monthly subscription that spans a three-year term. This subscription includes everything you need to keep your technology running effectively. (More on this later.) You’ll always know what to budget – and you’ll always know what your monthly bill will be.

Because all your technology (AV, security, IT, etc.) is rolled up into a single payment, you receive one predictable monthly bill that’s easy to plan for and manage.

2. Maximize In-House Staff Resources

Your staff members are constantly being pulled in different directions. Dealing with technology monitoring, maintenance, upgrades, troubleshooting, and repair takes valuable time. Instead of your in-house team managing this burden, the Managed Systems Program handles it so you can cross it off of the never-ending to-do list.

3. Scale According to Business Growth

If you’re a quickly growing business, or anticipate growth in the future, the Managed Systems Program makes it easy to scale technology quickly without needing to make guesses about what you’ll require in the future. Because you don’t own the equipment, you only pay for what you need – when you need it. If your staff suddenly grows by 10% and you need to upgrade systems as a result, you can.

4. Keep Technology Current

Outdated technology not only causes frustration for employees (and potentially customers, if they need to interact with this technology) – but it also exposes your organization to security risks. In fact, BulletProof’s 2019 report indicates that nearly 22% of high-risk cybersecurity issues involve missing patches or out-of-date software.

Without the latest updates, patches, and upgrades, integration with new applications or devices can be difficult. Security vulnerabilities also increase.

The Managed Systems Program eliminates the obstacles of having available funds and staff resources to keep technology up to date. The flat monthly fee includes maintenance, management, updates, and repairs, in addition to:

  • Any training you may need as the technology is rolled out or new employees join the team
  • Future service calls and troubleshooting

Is MSP Right for You?

Would your organization benefit from taking a managed approach to technology initiatives? Ask yourself these questions:

  • How do you buy your other technology (copiers, computers, software, etc.): as an operations or capital expense? Is it working from a budgeting perspective?
  • Does your technology need to be refreshed regularly to keep up with your business?
  • Is your in-house staff busy and overtasked?
  • Do you wish you had capital funds available for other investments?
  • Do you struggle to keep up with updates, patches, and upgrades?
  • Is it difficult to budget for future technology investments because of the unknowns?

If you responded “yes” to one or more of these questions, then the Managed Systems Program may be a good fit for your organization’s technology initiatives.

To learn more about CEC’s new Managed Systems Program, visit www.cecinfo.com/about-cec/managed-systems-program/ or contact us today.

Tyler Ebnet has served as CEC’s VP of sales since 2019. He excels at creating streamlined processes that improve customer experiences and help our talented sales experts find answers to challenging productivity, safety, and communications questions.

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