Category: General

As retailers continue to embrace digital transformation, one of the most common points of confusion is the difference between cloud storage and cloud backup. While both are vital for managing and safeguarding data, they serve different purposes. Understanding these differences ensures retailers can make the right choice for efficiency, security, and compliance.

What is Cloud Storage

Cloud storage allows you to keep data off your local devices and access it from anywhere with an internet connection. For retailers, this means product images, invoices, and customer files can be accessed in real time across teams and store locations. It improves collaboration and reduces reliance on physical drives.

For example, uploading files into a cloud solution ensures your team can work together seamlessly, even if they are not in the same office.

What is Cloud Backup

Cloud backup focuses on protecting your data by creating secure copies that can be restored in case of accidental deletion, hardware failure, or cyberattacks. Retailers deal with sensitive information such as payment data and customer records, which makes having a reliable backup strategy essential for business continuity.

Unlike storage, backups often happen automatically in the background, giving you peace of mind that your business information is safe. If your POS system is compromised, a cloud backup allows you to restore operations quickly.

Key Differences Retailers Must Understand

1. Purpose
Cloud storage is for accessibility and collaboration, while cloud backup is for protection and recovery.

2. Frequency of Use
Cloud storage is used daily, while cloud backup is primarily used when data loss occurs.

3. Compliance
Backup solutions are designed to help retailers meet strict data protection requirements.

4. Scalability
Both scale with your business, but storage is often used to expand capacity, while backup is about resilience.

Why Retailers Should Not Choose One Over the Other

Retail is a fast-moving sector where downtime or data loss can directly affect revenue and customer trust. Storing files in the cloud without backup leaves you exposed to data corruption or ransomware attacks. Relying only on backup, however, does not provide the accessibility modern retail teams require.

The smartest approach is combining the two. With the support of expert IT services, you can design a tailored solution that balances convenience with security.

FAQs

What is the main difference between cloud storage and cloud backup?
Cloud storage is designed for accessing and sharing files across devices, while cloud backup creates secure copies of data to protect against loss or cyber threats.

Do retailers need both cloud storage and cloud backup?
Yes. Cloud storage helps with daily operations, while cloud backup ensures business continuity in case of data breaches, system failures, or accidental deletion. Using both ensures stronger data management.

How can retailers choose the right solution?
The best approach is to assess your operational needs and compliance requirements, then work with a trusted provider like GPK Group to design a solution that fits your business goals.

Cloud storage and cloud backup are not competitors but partners in a strong digital retail strategy. Retailers who understand their unique benefits are better prepared to protect their data, improve teamwork, and meet customer expectations.

Ready to safeguard your business data and improve efficiency Contact GPK Group today to explore the best cloud and IT solutions for your retail business.

Retailers rely on technology at every step  from point-of-sale systems to inventory management, eCommerce platforms, and secure digital payments. When your IT provider can’t keep up, it doesn’t just cause frustration; it can cost your business money, security, and growth opportunities.

If you’ve noticed the following signs, it may be time to rethink your IT partnership.

Constant Downtime and Slow Response

Retail is fast-paced, and even a few minutes of downtime at the checkout or online store can mean lost sales. If your IT provider is always playing catch-up instead of preventing issues, that’s a red flag.

Lack of Retail-Specific Expertise

Generic IT providers often don’t understand the unique needs of retail. Integrating point-of-sale, loyalty programs, eCommerce, and payment systems securely requires experience in retail environments. Partnering with experts in retail IT services  ensures your systems are aligned with industry requirements.

No Scalability for Multi-Site Growth

As your business expands into multiple locations or online channels, your IT needs scale too. If your provider can’t support growth with consistent infrastructure and security, you’ve outgrown them. Working with a partner who delivers scalable IT solutions  allows your technology to grow alongside your business.

Weak Cybersecurity Practices

Retailers handle sensitive customer and payment data. If your provider only offers basic firewalls and antivirus without advanced monitoring, Zero Trust, or compliance support, your business is at risk. A strong cybersecurity strategy  is essential to protect your operations and customer trust.

Reactive Instead of Strategic Support

An IT provider that only fixes things when they break isn’t helping you plan for the future. Without a clear roadmap for cloud adoption, automation, and data analytics, you’ll fall behind competitors.

What Retailers Should Do Next

• Provide tailored IT strategies for retail.

• Offer proactive monitoring and 24/7 support.

• Strengthen cybersecurity and compliance.

• Scale IT solutions across multiple sites and digital platforms.

• Deliver a roadmap for innovation, not just quick fixes.

Ready for a Smarter Retail IT Partnership?

Don’t let outdated support hold your business back. At GPK Group, we help retailers upgrade their IT strategies with scalable, secure, and future-ready solutions designed for the retail industry.

Visit our Contact Us page  to speak with our team today about taking your retail IT to the next level.

 

Running multiple retail locations comes with a unique set of challenges. Staff must collaborate across sites, managers need visibility of sales and inventory, and IT systems have to scale quickly without creating unnecessary complexity. Many retailers still rely on outdated, siloed systems that slow processes and frustrate employees.

This is where the Cloud and Microsoft 365 transform the way retail businesses operate. Together, they provide the flexibility, scalability and collaboration tools that modern multi-site retailers need.

1. Seamless Collaboration Across Locations

Microsoft 365 tools such as Teams, SharePoint and OneDrive make it easier for staff across different stores to collaborate in real time. Documents, schedules and reports are updated instantly, eliminating version control issues and delays.

2. Centralised Data Access

Cloud solutions ensure that all business-critical data is stored securely in one place. Retail managers and staff can access sales figures, inventory levels and customer insights no matter which site they are at. This helps improve decision-making and reduces wasted time searching for information.

3. Scalability That Matches Growth

Adding new retail locations often means costly IT infrastructure upgrades. With the Cloud, scaling up is simple. You can add users and devices without major upfront investments, making expansion easier and more cost effective.

4. Improved Security and Compliance

Retailers manage sensitive customer and financial data. Cloud-based Microsoft 365 comes with enterprise-grade security, identity management and compliance tools, ensuring data is protected across all sites.

5. Cost Savings Through Efficiency

By streamlining processes and reducing reliance on physical servers, retailers can lower IT overheads while improving system uptime and reliability. The result is both cost savings and improved customer experience.

Smarter IT for Retail Growth

For multi-site retailers, the combination of Cloud and Microsoft 365 offers a smarter way to manage teams, improve security and reduce costs. It provides a scalable foundation that grows with your business.

GPK helps retailers unlock the benefits of these technologies with tailored IT services and comprehensive business IT solutions.

Ready to Modernise Your Retail Operations?

If you want to improve efficiency, collaboration and scalability, GPK Group can help design and deliver a Cloud and Microsoft 365 strategy that fits your retail needs.

Get in touch today through our contact page to find out how to future-proof your multi-site retail business.

Retail is one of the most fast-moving industries in Australia. Customer expectations are high, competition is fierce, and every transaction relies on technology. From point-of-sale systems and inventory management through to digital payments and customer data security, retailers cannot afford IT downtime.

Yet too often, retail businesses rely on average IT support that is reactive rather than proactive. This approach leaves businesses exposed to risks that could have been avoided.

Here are the main reasons traditional IT support fails retail businesses and what you can do instead.

1. Reactive Fixes Instead of Preventative Care

Many IT providers focus on solving problems only after something has gone wrong. For retailers, even a short period of downtime can mean lost sales and unhappy customers. A smarter approach involves proactive monitoring and preventative maintenance, ensuring systems run smoothly before issues escalate.

2. Lack of Industry Specific Knowledge

Generic IT support teams may not fully understand the unique pressures of the retail environment. Fast transaction speeds, integration across multiple sales channels and secure handling of customer data require tailored solutions. This is where working with a provider who offers dedicated IT services for retail businesses makes a difference.

3. Limited Support for Growth and Scalability

As retail businesses grow, so do their IT needs. Average support may keep the lights on but often struggles to adapt to expansions, multi site operations or eCommerce integration. A strategic partner can help align IT infrastructure with business goals, ensuring your technology scales alongside your growth.

4. Weak Cybersecurity Measures

Retailers manage sensitive customer data and process countless transactions every day. Basic IT support often overlooks advanced security layers, leaving businesses exposed to breaches or compliance risks. Partnering with experts who understand retail compliance requirements and data protection is critical.

5. No Clear Roadmap for Innovation

Technology is no longer just a support function; it drives competitive advantage. Retailers who only rely on break fix IT providers miss out on opportunities to implement smarter solutions such as cloud adoption, data analytics and automation. A partner offering small business IT support can deliver a roadmap that goes beyond day-to-day troubleshooting.

What Retailers Should Do Instead

The solution is to stop settling for average IT support and instead look for a partner who can:

• Provide tailored IT solutions for the retail industry.
• Offer proactive monitoring and 24/7 support.
• Strengthen cybersecurity and compliance.
• Deliver a scalable roadmap for growth and innovation.

At GPK Group, we help retailers unlock the power of technology through our wide range of business IT solutions.

Ready to Strengthen Your Retail IT?

Average IT support is no longer enough for competitive retail businesses. If you want to avoid downtime, protect your data and scale with confidence, GPK Group can help.

Visit GPK Group or contact us today to discuss how our IT specialists can support your retail business.

For retailers, technology is central to every part of the business, from point of sale systems and eCommerce platforms to inventory and customer data management. Yet IT costs often feel like they are spiralling out of control. The challenge many retailers face is finding ways to cut spend without damaging the customer experience. The good news is that smarter IT strategies make both possible.

1. Move from Break Fix to Proactive Support

Relying on average IT providers who only step in when something breaks often costs more in the long run. Downtime in a retail store directly impacts sales. A proactive approach, supported by a trusted partner such as GPK IT Services  ensures systems are monitored, maintained and repaired before issues affect customers.

2. Optimise Cloud Usage

Retailers often overspend on underutilised cloud resources. By auditing usage and rightsizing services, businesses can pay only for what they need while still ensuring scalability during peak shopping periods.

3. Consolidate Vendors and Systems

Multiple vendors and outdated systems lead to overlapping costs. Consolidating IT services and standardising platforms helps reduce complexity and expenses, while also improving efficiency across stores.

4. Invest in Preventative Cybersecurity

Data breaches are expensive, both financially and reputationally. Investing in strong, preventative security measures reduces the risk of costly incidents. Partnering with specialists who understand retail environments means compliance and customer trust remain intact.

5. Empower Staff with the Right Tools

Sometimes the best cost saving measure is improved productivity. Retail teams with modern, reliable tools can serve customers faster and more effectively, reducing the hidden costs of inefficiency and poor experiences.

Smarter IT Spending That Enhances Experience

Reducing IT costs does not have to mean cutting corners. By embracing proactive support, optimising cloud resources, consolidating systems and investing in security, retailers can maintain high standards of customer service while lowering spend.

Explore GPK’s tailored business IT solutions to see how technology can work smarter, not harder, for your retail business.

Take Control of Your IT Budget

If you are ready to reduce IT costs without compromising customer experience, GPK Group can help. Get in touch through our contact page to discuss IT strategies designed for retailers in Perth and across Australia.

When Should You Outsource Your IT Services?

For most growing businesses there will come a time when it makes sense to outsource your IT services. But how do you determine when that is? You don’t want to leave it until your internal IT starts to fall apart.

Here are some of the key factors that help make the decision easier to outsource your requirements to an experienced IT company in Adelaide.

You want to save time

Your business might be growing, and your in-house IT team are stretched to their limits. In situations like this it makes sense to outsource your IT services. Outsourcing your IT needs to a dedicated IT company in Adelaide ensures that your tech requirements actually get taken care of. It allows your internal IT teams to take care of the day-to-day operational tasks, and your outsourced IT support team can work with them to cover the requirements they don’t have capacity to work on.

Your business is looking to scale

A rapidly growing business needs more IT support than your internal team can provide. This is an important point in your business plan, so it pays to outsource your IT needs.

Outsourced IT companies are made to deal with businesses at scale. Their processes and technological capabilities are designed to manage the IT needs of teams of all sizes, whether it’s 20 people, or 200. With extra support, flexible staff hours, and the capacity to manage your external storage needs, engaging an outsourced IT service in Adelaide just makes sense for businesses with eyes on the horizon.

You want to improve your network security

It may feel like your in-house IT team are the best option for your business’ IT security. Given their proximity and knowledge of your system, it’s logical to think so. But an outsourced IT service actually boosts your company’s security posture. 

As an external resource, they’re able to see your business’ network from a birds’ eye view. They see the bigger picture, so understand the broader context of your IT needs. This means they’re able to better understand the minutiae of your day-to-day IT security, too. 

Their whole role centres around keeping their clients’ data and networks safe, so typically they’re more skilled at delivering IT security. They’re better prepared at managing and mitigating security threats, and have the latest security software and processes already set up and ready to go. And as an external, remote team, they’re not bound by company working hours, either. They have the capacity to be available at different hours, to deliver a more holistic security service.

Outsourced IT support for your Adelaide business gives you that added layer of data security. Your external team can provide secure off-site data backup solutions to ensure your data is stored safely, with the opportunity for cloud backup solutions as well. 

This doesn’t just provide better data security; it offers more security for the real-world, too. Should anything physically happen to your office, such as a fire or severe storm, your IT team offsite will have the most recent data readily available to get your business back up and running quicker—it’s not all stored in one vulnerable location.

You want to improve your level of IT support

One downside to engaging an IT contractor, or that you may experience with your internal IT team, is that they always have other things to do. They get to your support request when they can, around their myriad other tasks。

An outsourced IT support service is available whenever you need them. They’re able to deliver ongoing support in a capacity and flexibility that’s not achievable by using once-off IT contractors, or relying on your in-house team. Outsourcing your IT support means you’ve got an expert team on call to help you diagnose and solve your problems, and offer long-term solutions that optimise your systems, when you need them.

Outsourcing your IT services to a managed service provider also allows you to take advantage of proactive monitoring. Rather than waiting for issues to occur or hardware to fail, they work to deliver proactive fault mitigation, and have a large range of tools they can utilise to catch and fix issues before they become bigger problems. You get a better, more streamlined support service.

You want to save on your IT budget

Onboarding new IT staff is always costly. Valuable, but costly. So if you’re looking to save on your IT budget, outsourcing your IT is an excellent way to achieve this. 

Outsourcing your IT services enables you to reduce the need for new IT hires. You don’t have to pay for training or the associated overheads, or the ongoing salary. Instead, you pay a simple fixed fee per month, and get the entirety of your IT needs taken care of—often at a better rate than it would cost just to hire just one IT team member. And better still, you receive practically limitless IT support, and proactive mitigation, so you get a more cost-effective IT solution.

Outsourcing your IT services just makes sense

So when you start thinking about outsourcing your IT needs, trust them to the experienced GPK team. We deliver outsourced IT support for Adelaide businesses, to help you free up your time, save money, and get a better level of IT service at the same time.

Get in touch with us today to discuss your business’ shift to outsourced IT.

Managed IT Services: What Are They and Why Do They Matter?

Business technology requirements are expanding exponentially, and IT support is evolving with it. 

Think back just 20 years. The standard business computer network was a far cry from what it is today. Your in-house IT team typically performed new installs, hardware replacements, and printer setups. They helped you get online, and set up your emails.

It was a simpler time—and look at where we are now.

The rapid pace of technological change is creating challenges for business owners to keep up with the latest innovations. We exist in an ecosystem of technology, a modern world in which traditional IT just won’t cut it.

Here’s how Managed IT services can ensure your business thrives in the modern, connected world.

How are Managed IT services different to traditional IT services?

While Managed IT services still perform the traditional IT roles—the hardware replacements, the bug fixes, the new user set-ups—they deliver so much more than a reactive service.

As well, Managed IT services provide you with regular IT support service that takes care of the full scope of your IT needs remotely. Instead of working as a service provider, they act as your long-term IT partner.

Why Managed IT services matter

As a growing business, your IT needs will continue to evolve. Here’s how Managed IT services can help you as you grow.

They provide ‘traditional’ IT support

Your Managed IT services provider provides a holistic service, which still covers reactive IT support. They’re available to fix bugs, troubleshoot errors, replace hardware, and get your network and devices back up and running. But they can do this remotely, meaning they’re already set up to scale with your business.

They manage your people needs

Managed IT services can take care of your user accounts for you. They can set up new users, delete old or outdated accounts, set up email and account permissions. They can even provide training on how to use basic tools, platforms, and proper online security practices.

But as your IT partner, they’ll build these services into your business practices, meaning they happen automatically, rather than having to raise a request each time; it’s a streamlined process.

They ensure your business processes run smoothly

Traditional IT has a reputation for only helping to manage hardware and software, and undertake tech replacements, when asked. Managed IT service providers ensures all these processes happen proactively.

They work with you to ensure your IT needs are built into your long-term strategy plan. They’ll  create a roadmap that takes your business’ tech needs into account, and map out your replacement schedule based on the age of your technology.

Your Managed IT provider will work with you to identify the best hardware and software, and ensure you have what you need to optimise how your business operates. It’s all about your business’ needs. 

They manage your network as your business grows

Naturally, your business’ IT needs are going to grow as your business does. So too will your network load.

Your Managed IT service provides your Adelaide business with regular network reviews, and ensures it’s configured in the most efficient way. They’ll provide advice on where your network architecture can be improved, and manage the rollout of this for you. And as a long-term partner, they see the bigger picture, ensuring your network needs are built for growth at scale.

Their goal is to maximise your business’ uptime, and optimise how your business’ network, platforms, processes, and programs work together.

They keep your business safe against external threats

Experts are saying that Australian businesses are facing a ‘tsunami of cybercrime’. That’s not a comforting thought. This is why you need to partner with an experienced Managed IT service in Adelaide: they’ll ensure you stay protected against the latest cyber security threats.

To achieve this, they audit your network architecture and ensure all your platforms and programs are current. They make sure you’ve got the latest security patches and bug fixes, the most appropriate antivirus software for your business—and even eliminate unnecessary or outdated software and hardware altogether.

They also ensure your data remains protected against ransomware attacks by deploying regular data backups. This is one of the best defences against ransomware attacks. So by regularly backing up your business’ data, and helping you take advantage of secure multi-site storage, your managed IT provider ensures your information remains up-to-date and intact. They’ll help you to continue operating, no matter what happens.

Managed IT services matter, and can make all the difference to your business

Growing businesses need an IT service that scales as they do. Contact GPK Group today to discuss Managed IT support for your Adelaide business.

An Introduction to Managed IT Services

One of the most popular services that businesses choose to outsource is managed IT services.

In this article, we take a look at what managed IT services are and why they can be a smart choice for many businesses.

Why do businesses choose to outsource their IT?

Many businesses choose to outsource standard IT tasks to an external IT supplier for many different reasons. Some of the main benefits of choosing to externally source your IT support include lightening the workload of in-house IT teams, supplementing teams that are unable to completely meet the business’s IT requirements or completely removing the need to have an internal IT team, saving the business money on salary and recruiting requirements.

IT providers which offer managed IT services are known as managed service providers (MSPs), and these providers can be useful for ensuring complete coverage of IT duties.

What do managed IT services cover?

Although specific services and benefits of outsourcing may vary, some of the more popular services that MSPs provide include:

• On-site and remote support
• IT strategic planning and design
• Network management
• Cyber security
• Data back-up and recovery solutions
• Disaster recovery
• Cloud consulting and migration

The specific services your business needs will of course depend on your business type and requirements, and these services should be laid out in your managed services contract.

What is a managed service contract?

A managed services contract is essentially a service level agreement (SLA) between a MSP and the business requiring their services. What your managed services SLA covers can vary depending on your business requirements but generally a SLA will include a specific description of the services to be provided and expected service levels, the duties and responsibilities of each party, standard response times and procedures for things like equipment downtime, system failures and asset management.

Communicating your needs and expectations with your MSP is absolutely integral, as an air-tight SLA can help to eliminate the potential for future issues caused by miscommunication or confusion down the road.

What are the benefits of managed IT services?

There are numerous benefits that businesses can gain from the right managed IT services from your IT provider. If you have internal IT support, outsourcing IT ongoing tasks as part of a managed service can free up your internal IT team to focus on revenue-generating tasks. Your MSP can also provide expert guidance and recommendations to help you optimise your IT strategies to help improve your business practices, leading to increases in productivity and improved ROI for your business.

Managed IT service providers are also often not tied to the same schedule as your other employees, meaning that MSPs are able to perform system updates and maintenance during off-hours, which means fewer workflow disruptions for your business. In that same vein, the benefits of hiring an MSP over an internal IT employee is that instead of just one person, you get a whole team of IT specialists, meaning that you don’t need to factor in things like sick days or holidays which can disrupt and delay important ongoing IT projects.

Key considerations for managed service providers

While managed service providers can offer many benefits, there are also some considerations you should be aware of before you sign your SLA:

• Hold your MSP accountable

As we have mentioned, when choosing a MSP you need to ensure they have clearly defined and actionable SLAs.The SLA should include clear reporting of deliverables and expected performance.

• Strategic IT planning is key

Managed IT providers should help you strategically plan infrastructure upgrades, configuration changes, and additions to ensure you are receiving full value from their managed services. To achieve this, your MSP will not only need to understand your current business infrastructure but also make efforts to plan for improvements and expansion to align with your business goals and objectives.

• Make sure the MSP is the right fit for your business

When considering working with a MSP, you need to verify their track record with your type of business. According to research by American cybersecurity and data backup company Datto, on average, MSPs serve businesses across 5 to 6 different industries. Different industries and business sizes can have vastly different IT set-ups and so you will need to ensure your chosen IT provider has experience with businesses similar to yours. It is also worth speaking to some of their past and current customers, so you can determine whether the MSP lives up to their promises. A reputable IT support company will be happy to provide you with references. 

Choose to work with the MSP experts, GPK Group

Looking for IT services? Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth and Melbourne businesses choose to outsource managed IT services for many reasons. At GPK Group, our Managed IT Services offer Australian businesses a comprehensive and streamlined IT solution that takes care of your business’ IT needs from end to end.

Claim your Free IT Network Audit today to find out why it is GPK Group’s managed IT services Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth and Melbourne businesses prefer, or call us today on 1300 000 475 to speak to one of our IT professionals about your business’s IT needs.

A CEO’s Guide to Managed IT Services

A Managed IT service is the new next-weapon in a CEO’s arsenal.

As a CEO, you need to make tough decisions everyday about where to invest your money. Logically, you would be more willing to put your money in a place where you would most likely secure a return on investment (ROI).

But now, business leaders are being called upon to invest in a new kind of investment with no typical direct ROI: IT technology.

IT services can be the difference between a successful company, and one whose data is breached and reputation considerably damaged.

So below, we’ll outline what a CEO should know about managed IT services and how it will benefit their company.

What are managed IT services?

Managed IT services allow a business to completely outsource their IT operations to an external service provider, known as a Managed Service Provider (MSP).

These services are designed to lighten your internal IT staff’s workload. But they also act as your company’s partners to improve data security, boost the effectiveness of your network and provide a better IT experience for all your staff.

Benefits of managed IT services

While there may be no ‘direct’ ROI with IT services, the benefits far outweigh the costs – ultimately making them considerably worth the investment.

1. Reduced costs

The primary benefit of having a managed IT service is that you can significantly reduce the cost of retaining a large in-house IT team.

You are also able to avoid the cost of installing expensive software, as external providers have it all there for you. You can also focus on channeling your existing IT resources to what matters most.

You can also minimise the cost of cyber security threats, which we will detail more about below.

2. Minimisation of risk

Keeping your IT systems as they are may leave your systems and data exposed to major problems in the future. As technology advances and in-house IT teams become stretched, the risks of IT failure will become imminent.

This includes the risk of ransomware. A 2021 survey by the International Data Corporation found that over one third of organisations around the world have experienced a ransomware attack that blocked access to their data or systems in the past year.

But equally as dangerous as the risk of rogue employees. In 2017, global health insurer Bupa faced strife when an employee stole data relating to over half a million clients, and tried to sell it online. Data lawyer Bradley Freedman said that “one big network” is massively risky. Rather, that business should “structure itself so employees have access to the data they need, but no more”.

Managed IT services offer a solution to minimise all this risk. Not only will you have access to leading anti-malware software, but you can ensure your data is safe with trusted outsourced professionals.

3. Access to expertise

Having a managed IT system will gain you access to external experts, helping your in-house IT teams focus on what they do best.

Your in-house IT staff may be a master at the help desk, and provide assistance to all your staff. But they may lack expertise in advanced cybersecurity, the cloud and security compliance regulations. An external managed IT services provider will fill that gap in a highly cost-effective manner.

At the same time, your IT system may be better served focusing on strategic projects within your organisation rather than being bogged down in daily work. This could include troubleshooting your staff IT problems, doing routine software upgrades, backing up data and so on. A managed IT services provider can take over that burden, helping your internal staff. 

Need to upgrade your managed IT services in Brisbane?

If you’re looking for IT services in Brisbane, our team at the GPK Group is ready to help. We are experts at transforming complex IT concepts into simplicity, from beginning to end.

Claim your free IT network audit today and we can help to identify threats to your security and cost leakages. We’ll also outline how a managed IT services solution can help you, save you costs and provide a better IT experience all round.

How Much Should You Be Spending on Managed IT Services?

The question of how much to budget for managed IT services is a very common one for many businesses looking to outsource their IT to a Managed Services Provider, or MSP. The answer may not be a simple figure though, as there are many attributing factors to consider, some of which we will explore in this article. 

Why outsource your IT to a MSP?

Many businesses choose to outsource their ongoing IT tasks to an external IT supplier, like an MSP for many different reasons. MSPs can be useful for ensuring complete coverage of IT duties and additionally, can provide specialty knowledge or expertise that may not otherwise be available. Think of it as instead of hiring just one IT specialist within your business, you can instead hire a whole team of IT experts, each with their own skills and specialities. 

Even companies with existing IT employers can benefit from externally outsourcing to an MSP; by allocating ongoing IT tasks to your MSP, your internal IT team now has the time and resources to instead focus on value-adding and revenue-generating projects. Your MSP can also provide additional training and guidance to help improve your business’s IT practices.

Additionally, managed IT service providers are often able to perform integral system updates and maintenance out of business hours, which means fewer disruptions for your business and less overtime for your internal IT team. 

How much should managed IT services cost?

This is a hard question to answer generally, as the cost of your managed IT services will vary depending on your IT support provider and the amount of IT support that your business requires. Every business is different and so the level of IT support will vary depending on your business size, industry, requirements and future plans.

As a general rule of thumb according to research from Deloitte, companies will budget between roughly three and a half percent of their total business revenue to their IT spend, averaged out across all industries. While it may seem a large amount of money to spend, it is important to remember that spending money on IT is an investment into your business, helping to future-proof your organisation and enabling it to run efficiently.  After all, would you rather make a saving, or take comfort that your business’s IT needs are sorted?

Managed IT pricing structures

There are three common pricing structures that can affect what your IT spend looks like.

• Per hour.
  Under this pricing structure your business is charged at an hourly rate for your managed IT needs. This is one standard rate, regardless of the service, urgency, or time taken. This pricing model is popular for smaller businesses with smaller budgets who may require less IT support. 
• Per project.
  You will be charged at a set, pre-agreed rate per project. This structure focuses more on the outcome of the project itself, rather than the time it takes. This method is popular for businesses who require additional support for IT-focused projects within their business. This option is also commonly combined with other pricing structures to cover additional IT needs.
• Per month.
  This pricing structure covers your full-time managed IT service and is the most popular choice as it enables businesses to plan their budgets more easily.

The pricing structures should be pre-agreed between your MSP and your business and should be clearly outlined in your managed services contract, or service level agreement (SLA).

What does managed IT services cover?

While your MSP will be able to advise the right services required by business, some of the more popular services that MSPs provide include:

• General day-to-day IT support
• Network management 
• On-site and remote support
• Disaster recovery
• Cloud migration
• Data back-up and recovery solutions
• Cyber security

According to a recent survey by American cybersecurity and data backup company Datto, Cloud-based infrastructure design and management was the most popular service performed by MSPs around the world, followed by management of office productivity software services (such as Microsoft 365) and business continuity and disaster recovery.

Invest in your IT with the MSP experts, GPK Group

If your company is looking to invest in IT services, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth and Melbourne businesses choose GPK Group to help their businesses succeed. 

Whether you are after Managed IT services Brisbane, retail technology solutions, or advice on migrating to cloud technology, GPK Group offer Australian businesses a comprehensive and streamlined IT solution that takes care of your business’ IT needs from end to end. Claim your Free IT Network Audit or call us today on 1300 000 475 to speak to one of our IT professionals about your business’s IT requirements.