What To Look For In An MSP Provider

Many small and medium-sized businesses (SMB’s) find themselves in the unenviable position of having to limp along with inadequate IT resources. Putting a team of in-house IT professionals on their payroll is prohibitively expensive, and recruitment of IT staff is difficult at best in today’s economy and hiring environment.

The challenge of the current market means that for many SMB’s, outsourcing IT services makes a lot of sense. But there are a ton of Managed Services Providers (MSP’s) out there vying for your business. How do you know which one is right for your organization?

Edwards Business Systems is a trusted MSP for hundreds of SMB’s in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and we have curated several tips to help you decide which MSP is best for your company.

1.) Do you have clarity on why you need an MSP or why you want to partner with a new technology provider?

Ask yourself these questions: Do you have a current MSP? If you don’t have one, have you thought about what you want in an MPS? If you have an MSP, why are you looking to switch? Are you unhappy with the level of service you have received from your current MSP? Do you think you are paying too much for what you get? Have they been slow to respond when you have a problem? Do they have the breadth and depth of expertise to effectively support your business?
One way to be better prepared to answer these questions is to audit and document your IT infrastructure. It will help give you the clarity you need to understand the scope of services you will need from your MSP.

2.) Does your current MSP take the time to ask good questions, and do they really listen to your answers?

A knowledgeable and committed IT Services provider will know which questions to ask to be able to comprehend all of your technology requirements. These questions will also allow them to map out and identify areas where your IT infrastructure is lacking and they will be able to match their services to the areas of highest need for your business.

3.) What kind of support do they have?

Any MSP worth its salt should offer options for on-site support as well as remote support. Remote support can save your company a lot of time and money, since a remote support engineer can log in and solve many problems without having to travel to your location. You also know that there are always going to be problems that are best solved on premise in real time.

4.) How long have they been in business?

Are you willing to put your IT operation into the hands of some company that just got started in business? Worried that the young kid they sent over to fix your backups will be over his head? One of the best things you can do is check out their BBB ratings and feedback. Also, ask them for references from companies that are similar in in size, scope, or industry to your company. Ask them tough questions. You will be glad you did your homework.

5.) Do they offer proactive monitoring?

One of the best ways to prevent future problems is to do proactive monitoring and maintenance. Plus, your MSP should have support engineers available to remote into your network at any time 24/7 to rectify any problems that might crop up during non-business hours. Proactively monitoring and fixing IT problems may mean the difference between “business as usual” and a business-ending catastrophe.

6.) What other services do they offer?

In addition to the core IT services, do they offer anything extra? Like Cloud back-up, or can they convert your vulnerable paper documents into digital files that can be stored in a super-secure cloud location? How about phone systems, or Managed Print Services? The more services they provide, the easier it will be for you to reach out and choke just one vendor’s neck when things don’t go 100% right.

7.) Do they provide virtual CTO’s/CIO’s?

Having a virtual CTO or virtual CIO means that your company has access to someone who understands technology at the highest level, and can make sound recommendations and make mature decisions regarding your technology issues.

8.) Are they a natural extension of your current IT capabilities?

Your chosen MSP should view themselves as a natural extension of your current internal infrastructure and capabilities. They should respond quickly and decisively to issues as they arise, and the very best MSP’s will anticipate and solve problems and issues before they become a full-blown crisis.

9.) Were they the low bidder or the cheapest option available?

Again, do you really want to put the fate of your IT operation and the future of your business into the hands of a vendor who was simply the cheapest choice you could possibly make? Probably not. An experienced and knowledgeable IT provider will know their value in the marketplace and will change a fair, but not cheap, fee for their services.

10.) Do they take the long view?

Does your MSP take a strategic position with your business? Getting the most out of your relationship with an MSP means that they are looking out over the bow of the ship, making sure your business is on the right course, and that they are steering clear of any potential icebergs. You should be building a proactive and sustainable business partnership with a technology provider and you should use their expertise to your advantage.

Partnering with a skilled and experienced IT services provider like EBS can mean the difference between peace-of-mind and disaster for your organization. When shopping for a new MSP, look for a company that is proactive and knows what they are doing. You don’t want to find out at the worst possible time that you made a less than stellar decision about your technology partner.

Please click here to contact one of our Managed Services experts who can be an extension to your internal IT capabilities and a true asset to your company.