Business Wi-Fi Solutions: What Can Managed Wi-Fi Do for You?

No matter your business niche or industry, it’s vital to have the right network capabilities and infrastructure. If your employees or customers can’t connect to the Internet, after all, you’ll find it tough to meet your business objectives, whatever they may happen to be.

But your business doesn't necessarily have to invest a massive amount of time and money to develop its own Wi-Fi solution. In fact, managed Wi-Fi for businesses like yours could be a much better option. But what is a managed Internet service? Read on to discover what managed Wi-Fi is, how it works, and the advantages of using it as your enterprise Wi-Fi.

What is a Managed Network? Business Wi-Fi Explained

Simply put, managed Wi-Fi is a Wi-Fi network service that offers Wi-Fi resources, tech support, and infrastructure to businesses and other organizations. It’s different from self-run Wi-Fi, which involves you getting, updating, and maintaining everything you need for a Wi-Fi network, such as software, routers, and more.

You can think of  as similar to other “as a service” solutions, like “software-as-a-service” (SaaS). With managed Wi-Fi, a business outsources resource-intensive tasks and infrastructural needs to a third-party manager and/or vendor. Depending on the exact managed Wi-Fi plan, the business will then receive:

• Wi-Fi routers and other network tools
• Access to a dedicated Wi-Fi network and access point
• Wi-Fi analytics tools
• Wi-Fi troubleshooting and tech support
• Network monitoring
• And more

How Does Managed Wi-Fi Work?

Managed Wi-Fi works when a business or some other organization approaches a managed Wi-Fi provider, and the provider then offers Wi-Fi network setup, monitoring, and other services based on the specifics of their deal.

For instance, say that a new café or restaurant wants to set up Wi-Fi on the premises. The business needs Wi-Fi for its internal operations, like POS systems and employee time punching, as well as for the convenience of its customers.

With a traditional or self-run Wi-Fi system, the restaurant would have to employ an on-site IT team to handle setting up the Wi-Fi routers and other devices, cover security issues, and be responsible for all the upkeep. That can be quite a task for many businesses, especially those with hundreds of combined employees and customers who will all use the same Wi-Fi network.

In contrast, with a managed Wi-Fi solution, the business contracts with a managed Wi-Fi provider. The managed service provider then sets up the Wi-Fi network, makes sure the routers and other devices work properly, monitors the network for inconsistencies or issues, and so on. It takes a lot of work off the restaurant’s plate, freeing up time and energy to focus on other things (like serving delicious meals to customers).

Benefits of Managed Wi-Fi Solutions for Business

Managed network services are becoming more popular for several important reasons. Here’s a breakdown of some of the biggest advantages of using managed Wi-Fi as a business owner or operator.

Cost-Effectiveness

For starters, managed Wi-Fi is often more cost-effective than building and running your own Wi-Fi setup from scratch. When you sign up for managed Wi-Fi, you pay a monthly or annual subscription fee – but you don’t have to pay any upfront capital to build a new network, like paying for routers, cables, IT staff, and more.

Even in the long run, managed Wi-Fi services could be better for your business budget. Depending on the size of your organization and how many IT personnel are needed for a Wi-Fi network of the right size, a monthly managed Wi-Fi subscription could be much more affordable than paying one or more monthly salaries to skilled professionals.

Advanced Analytics

On top of that, managed Wi-Fi services typically come with advanced analytics tools. Using these tools, you can get critical, actionable insights into things like:

• Customer Wi-Fi usage
• Network utilization
• Network performance
• And more

All of that data can be used to make better decisions about your business and the Wi-Fi services you offer to your customers.

Enhanced Cybersecurity

Managed Wi-Fi services include cybersecurity monitoring and response teams. These days, it's more important than ever to protect your data and that of your customers. But with managed Wi-Fi, you don't have to worry about security from cyberattacks.

Your Wi-Fi service provider will handle all that for you, including scanning for threats, updating antivirus software and firewalls, and much more.

Elevated User Experience

In many cases, a managed Wi-Fi solution is a good choice for businesses that want to provide the best customer experience possible. 96% of consumers prefer to shop at brands that offer free Wi-Fi, so this could be an important offering to attract new customers. But if you offer free Wi-Fi to your customers, for instance, but that Wi-Fi is spotty or less than stellar in some other way, it won’t make a good impression on your target audience.

A high-quality managed Wi-Fi service, on the other hand, could provide your customers with lightning-fast, steady Wi-Fi from the moment they walk in your door to when they leave or make a purchase. A better customer experience usually results in a better bottom line for your brand.

On-Demand Troubleshooting and Tech Support

The bigger your Wi-Fi network needs to be, the more troubleshooting and tech support you’ll require to ensure everything runs perfectly. Managed Wi-Fi services offer tech support for ongoing network monitoring and for any trouble spots that might pop up later down the road.

Have a sudden Wi-Fi outage you can’t fix? Your managed Wi-Fi service provider will be able to send a technician out to analyze and solve the problem ASAP. In the meantime, you and your staff can focus on serving your customers and keeping the rest of your business running smoothly.

Ability to Scale

In addition to all the above benefits, managed Wi-Fi for business is often a wise choice because of its inherent scalability.

Say you want to dramatically increase your Wi-Fi offerings to your customers and employees. If you run your own Wi-Fi infrastructure and network, you’ll have to foot the bill for upgrading your devices, buying new tools, and so on – not to mention potentially adding more IT professionals to your staff roster.

Managed Wi-Fi scales much more simply and easily. You can simply contact your provider, tell them you want more Wi-Fi capabilities or resources, and increase your subscription accordingly. That kind of flexibility is highly valuable when you want to grow your business fast.

Conclusion

Ultimately, cloud-managed networking service is the ideal solution for many businesses, potentially including yours. Scalability, tech support, and other benefits make getting the Wi-Fi connectivity and analytics you need to succeed easier than ever.

At Shentel, our managed Wi-Fi offerings leverage state-of-the-art technology and consistent connectivity to provide best-in-class service for your business. Depending on your needs, you can take advantage of solutions like managed Wi-Fi, our cloud-managed Wi-Fi service, hosted voice services, and much more.

Call us or visit us online to take your business to the next level with Shentel Business.