5 Telltale Signs Your District Needs Managed Technology Services

Hundreds (if not thousands) of school districts across the country have started to take advantage of managed technology services. This popular shift allows schools to focus on education, not on fixing miscellaneous technology issues that arise throughout the school year. So why have so many school districts decided to outsource their technology?

We have identified 5 telltale signs that will help you determine if your district is in need of a managed technology service. Take a look at them below:

1. A lack of technology strategy and vision.

If you had to explain your district’s technology strategy and vision today, could you do it? For many, the answer is no. Whether the IT team owns the strategy and vision, or the responsibility is that of the school board or district leaders, everyone must share a common vision and strategy in order for technology to evolve and improve. When there is no clear strategy, it is difficult to advance technology at the school.

A coherent and well-defined technology strategy and vision are critical for the success of any school district’s IT initiatives. Without them, it’s challenging to align technology investments and initiatives with the district’s educational goals. Here’s why this is a major red flag and how managed technology services can help.

Symptoms of a Lacking Strategy

• Inconsistent Technology Adoption: The district might be using different platforms and systems at different buildings and in different departments, leading to inefficiencies and compatibility issues.
• Frequent Downtime and Technical Issues: Without a strategic plan, the district may experience regular disruptions due to outdated or poorly integrated systems.
• Ineffective Use of Technology: Teachers and students may not fully utilize available technology, leading to missed opportunities for enhancing education.
• Budget Overruns: Unauthorized technology purchases and expensive emergency fixes often result in overspending and budgetary problems.

How Managed Technology Services Can Help

1. Expert Assessment and Planning: Managed technology service providers bring expertise in evaluating the current state of your district’s technology and developing a comprehensive strategy tailored to your needs. They can help in creating a roadmap that aligns technology initiatives with educational goals.
2. Consistent Implementation and Maintenance: These services ensure that technology implementations are consistent across the district, reducing redundancies and incompatibilities. They also provide regular maintenance, minimizing downtime and ensuring that systems are always up-to-date.
3. Professional Development: Managed service providers often offer training for educators and staff to effectively use new technologies, ensuring that investments are fully utilized and integrated into the teaching process.
4. Scalability and Flexibility: With a clear strategy, managed services can scale technology solutions as the district grows or as needs change, providing flexibility and ensuring that the district can adapt to future technological advancements without significant overhauls.
5. Cost Management: By planning and managing technology investments strategically, managed services can help districts avoid unexpected costs and budget overruns, ensuring that funds are used efficiently and effectively.

2. IT can have high department turnover.

The technology job market is booming! Organizations across the country are all in need of talented technology team members. That means that your school district isn’t just competing with other local districts for tech talent. You’re competing with large and small businesses (both of which can typically pay a higher salary).

Once qualified technology staff are found, they often leave for a higher paying job within a matter of a couple years. The best way to ensure that a district won’t run into technology staffing issues and turnover is by outsourcing its technology.

Here’s why this is a critical issue and how managed technology services can provide a solution.

How Managed Technology Services Can Help

1. Stable and Reliable IT Support: Managed technology service providers offer stable and continuous IT support, eliminating the disruptions caused by staff turnover. They provide a consistent level of service regardless of individual personnel changes.
2. Access to a Team of Experts: Outsourcing IT services gives the district access to a team of experts with diverse skill sets and extensive experience. This collective expertise ensures that all aspects of the district’s technology needs are covered.
3. Knowledge Retention: Managed service providers maintain comprehensive documentation and institutional knowledge, ensuring continuity even if individual team members change. This helps in preserving critical information about the district’s systems and processes.
4. Cost-Effective Solutions: By outsourcing, districts can often reduce costs associated with recruiting, hiring, and training new IT staff. Managed services typically offer predictable, budget-friendly pricing models.
5. Focus on Core Educational Goals: With managed technology services handling IT operations, school administrators and staff can focus more on their core mission of education rather than dealing with IT staffing issues. This shift allows for better allocation of resources and attention towards improving student outcomes.

Enhanced Security and Compliance: Managed service providers stay updated on the latest security threats and compliance requirements, ensuring that the district’s technology infrastructure remains secure and meets all regulatory standards.

3. Your hardware can’t be trusted.

Do you have unreliable IT infrastructure? Messy closets? Do you experience regular interruptions to IT service? Are there long-standing problems within your network? If so, it may be time to consider a managed solution. Our Albert solution combines both hardware and service into one effective package. This ensures that a school district not only has the service that it needs, but it also has sustainable hardware that doesn’t go underutilized.

Symptoms of Unreliable Hardware

• Messy and Disorganized Closets: Disorganized hardware setups can indicate deeper issues with infrastructure management and maintenance.
• Regular IT Service Interruptions: Frequent and unplanned outages are a clear sign that the current hardware cannot support the district’s needs effectively.
• Persistent Network Problems: Long-standing network issues often stem from inadequate or failing hardware.

How Managed Technology Services Can Help

1. Comprehensive Hardware and Service Packages: Managed technology services, like our Albert solution, combine both hardware and service into one effective package. This ensures that the district not only receives reliable and up-to-date hardware but also the necessary support to maintain it.
2. Regular Maintenance and Upgrades: Managed service providers offer routine maintenance and timely upgrades to ensure that the hardware remains in optimal condition. This proactive approach helps prevent issues before they occur, reducing downtime and improving overall reliability.
3. Scalability and Flexibility: Managed solutions are designed to scale with the district’s needs. Whether it’s expanding to accommodate more students or integrating new technologies, managed services provide the flexibility to grow and adapt without significant overhauls.
4. Enhanced Security Measures: With managed services, districts benefit from the latest security features and updates. Providers ensure that hardware is secure and compliant with current regulations, protecting sensitive data from potential threats.
5. Cost-Effective Solutions: By bundling hardware and services, managed solutions can offer cost savings. Districts can avoid the high costs associated with purchasing, maintaining, and upgrading hardware independently. Predictable pricing models also aid in better budget planning and management.
6. Optimized Performance and Utilization: Managed service providers ensure that all hardware is utilized efficiently. This means no underused resources and a maximized return on investment. By optimizing hardware performance, districts can enhance the overall educational experience.

4. There are lengthy wait times for IT support.

Technology is imperative to an entire school district. In fact, most teachers rely on technology to effectively teach and communicate within their classrooms. Therefore, when technology support is needed, oftentimes, teachers expect immediate support and a quick fix to get back on track. Simply put, teachers cannot afford to wait days upon days for IT support. After all, the entire mission of a school is to teach its kids. And when technology goes haywire, learning can be greatly affected. Ensuring that your technology is reliable, and supporting teachers with quick technology fixes makes learning more productive.

Symptoms of Inadequate IT Support

• Extended Downtimes: Frequent or prolonged downtimes due to unresolved technical issues.
• Teacher and Staff Frustration: Complaints from teachers and staff about the time it takes to receive IT support.
• Delayed Projects and Initiatives: Slow IT response times causing delays in project timelines and implementation of new initiatives.

How Managed Technology Services Can Help

1. 24/7 Help Desk Support: Managed service providers typically offer around-the-clock help desk support, ensuring that assistance is available whenever it is needed. This reduces wait times significantly and ensures that issues are addressed promptly.
2. Dedicated Support Teams: With managed services, such as K12itc, districts have access to dedicated support teams who are familiar with their specific systems and needs. This familiarity enables quicker diagnosis and resolution of issues.
3. Proactive Monitoring and Maintenance: Managed service providers use proactive monitoring tools to detect and address potential issues before they become major problems. This proactive approach minimizes downtime and keeps systems running smoothly.
4. Efficient Ticketing Systems: Managed services often include efficient ticketing systems that prioritize and track support requests, ensuring that issues are resolved in a timely and organized manner.
5. Scalable Resources: Managed service providers can scale their resources to meet the needs of the district. During peak times or major rollouts, they can allocate additional support to handle increased demand.
6. On-Site and Remote Support Options: Managed services offer both on-site and remote support options. This flexibility ensures that all types of issues, whether they require physical presence or can be resolved remotely, are addressed efficiently.

5. Technology stats and reporting aren’t accessible or insightful.

Is your district tracking technology work orders? Do you track customer satisfaction? Effective technology management in a school district requires more than just maintaining hardware and resolving issues; it also involves tracking, analyzing, and utilizing data to drive informed decisions. All district leaders need visibility to the technology statistics and reports that inform them as to whether their technology is working for them or against them. It’s important that school districts have Help Desk performance statistics as well as frequent updates about problem areas, advancements, and future tech plans.

Symptoms of Inadequate Reporting

• Lack of Data on Technology Work Orders: Not tracking or having incomplete records of technology-related issues and resolutions.
• No Customer Satisfaction Metrics: Failing to measure and report on the satisfaction of teachers, students, and staff with IT services.
• Infrequent or Inadequate Updates: Rarely receiving updates on technology performance, problem areas, or future plans.
• No Visibility into Help Desk Performance: Lacking statistics on help desk efficiency, such as response and resolution times.

How Managed Technology Services Can Help

1. Comprehensive Tracking and Reporting Tools: Managed service providers offer robust tracking and reporting tools that provide detailed insights into all aspects of technology management. This includes work order tracking, performance metrics, and user satisfaction surveys.
2. Regular and Detailed Reports: Managed services ensure that district leaders receive regular, detailed reports on technology performance. These reports cover key metrics, trends, and areas of concern, providing a clear picture of the current state of technology.
3. Real-Time Dashboards: Many managed service providers offer real-time dashboards that allow district leaders to monitor technology performance and support activities as they happen. This immediate access to data aids in quick decision-making and issue resolution.
4. User Feedback Mechanisms: Managed services often include mechanisms for collecting and analyzing user feedback. This helps in gauging satisfaction levels and identifying areas where IT support can be improved.
5. Strategic Insights and Recommendations: Beyond just providing data, managed service providers offer strategic insights and recommendations based on the analysis of collected data. This helps in planning future technology initiatives and aligning them with the district’s long-term goals.
6. Customized Reporting: Managed service providers can customize reports to meet the specific needs of the district. This ensures that the data is relevant and actionable, addressing the unique challenges and objectives of the school district.

If your district is experiencing any of the issues above, it may be time to look into a managed technology solution. Our Albert platform simplifies the way technology is delivered to schools. Albert and its strategic technology management empowers schools to take a big leap forward and is worth looking into if your district struggles with any of the telltale signs above.

Contact us today to learn more about Albert and our managed solutions.