Choosing a MSP – Managed Service Provider – is an important business decision. Managed Services Providers give businesses access to a highly-skilled, multi-disciplinary IT team. Whether you don’t have any internal staff or need to compliment your existing IT team, MSPs prove valuable and flexible additions to your organization. Yet, far too often, organizations look at MSPs for the capabilities they list, rather than how the MSP will fit with their organization’s operational goals. Choosing the right MSP will give your organization peace of mind regarding technical operations and will alleviate valuable time for your personnel to focus on more critical tasks.
According to Channele2e, the managed service provider market is exploding in growth due to the rise in network outages, malware attacks, and a need for businesses of all types and sizes to prioritize IT and cybersecurity. However, organizations are leaving their MSPs because of response times, lack of cybersecurity measures, and the inability to deliver valuable services.
Some organizations have hired Managed Services Providers that leave them with unexplained downtime, reputational damage, and unhappy customers and employees. When choosing an MSP, you’re investing in the stability of your business. What should you be looking for when choosing an MSP?
1. Experience, Expertise, & Process to Manage Your Business Demands
Different Managed IT Service Providers may specialize in different areas of IT. There are small break-fix MSPs who focus on desktop and printer support who may not have the experience or expertise on staff to support more extensive network and datacenter issues as they arise. In comparison, other MSP may focus more on Enterprise support than SMBs. There are even some specialized and focus on the support of particular industries (e.g., Education, Law). With the multitude of MSPs and various components of their support, it can be a challenge when selecting the right fit for a company.
Therefore it’s crucial to look at the MSPs process. What is there response time? When inquiring about response times, it is not just that an individual will receive an automated response, but how quickly will they receive a live person to address their issue. Depending on the level of severity of the issue should also trigger either a faster or slower response time. What is their resolution process? How long do the support technicians have to identify the problem and begin working on the issue? There should be a process in place to help move the issue to resolution efficiently.
2. MSP with a Strategic Focus
MSPs who have a strategic focus offer greater peace of mind in day-to-day support and help a business step towards a digital transformation through strategic planning and preparation. By taking a strategic focus, your business and technology infrastructure are reviewed together to find the best long term solution for your organization rather than a Band-Aid approach.
3. Provides Services Valuable as Your Organization Grows
With how quickly organizations are evolving how they do business, it is more important than ever to assess the organization’s different IT needs. Choosing a Managed IT Service Provider that offers a range of services including cloud solutions, infrastructure and network management, cybersecurity, desktop support, and advisory/planning services. Having advanced business technology capabilities creates new operational efficiency levels for organizations looking to partner with an MSP that will help them to scale and evolve. It is important to focus on the best value of solutions offered, not the lowest price.
4. Making a Choice
When choosing an MSP, you must look to build a long-lasting and sustainable partnership as a key component for workplace success. Finding the right MSP and technology partner that syncs with the business’s organizational goals will secure continuous access to the latest developments and best practices. Thus, allowing your organization to evolve and grow.
CompuData Managed IT Services takes a different approach from the standard break-fix model by proactively managing and supporting each aspect of our clients’ infrastructure to avoid unforeseen vulnerabilities and unpredictable fees. You want an MSP that provides reporting, visibility, the analysis needed to gain insights into your IT environment and make effective decisions.
CompuData can show you how our managed services and IT support would be set up to meet your organization’s requirements. Schedule a complimentary IT audit to assess your needs.
