How to Find the Right Managed Service Provider

So you’ve decided you need managed IT services. But how do you choose the right provider? There are hundreds of IT companies to choose from and to make a well informed decision, you need to know where your business needs the most support. What made you realise you need managed IT services in the first place? Bearing this in mind and following the below tips will help you in the search for a managed service provider, or MSP.

Larger companies choose an MSP as an extension of their own IT department or to only handle a portion of the tasks, such as hosting or security. Smaller business may choose to completely outsource their IT if they don’t have the resources or skills to manage it themselves.

Questions to Ask Your MSP

When looking for IT services you need to go beyond what is on their website and question the company themselves to ensure you know exactly what you’re getting. You’ll be working closely with your managed services provider so getting the right fit for you, your employees and your business is essential. Whatever you need from your IT service provider, be sure to ask them the following questions to aid your decision making.

• What’s included as standard?
  Make sure you’re fully clear of everything your contract does and doesn’t cover to make comparing MSPs easier.
• What support is available in an emergency?
  Are you guaranteed support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week?
• How are your systems monitored and data kept secure?
  Your IT services provider should produce reporting metrics to assist with asset tracking. And your data is critical to your business – you need to be certain that it is protected to the highest standard and that backup systems are in place in the event of a disaster.
• Do they have any experience of working with businesses in your industry?
  An MSP that’s worked with companies in your market will be better placed to offer you advice and potential insight into what your competitors are doing and how to improve your systems.

Questions Your MSP Should Ask You

A managed IT services provider should be interested, aware of and know about their clients business, goals and as a result, the specifications required to manage your workload.

• Which IT services do you require?
  One size never fits all and that’s particularly true when it comes to business IT. Your MSP should offer you a solution that’s tailored your business, not make you pay for a standard package that includes features you don’t need or won’t use.
• What are your plans for growth?
  An IT services provider should want to know about your plans for the future of your business, so they can offer scalability and flexibility, in addition to the right solutions, as your contract runs on.

Does Your Managed Service Provider Care About Your Business?

The right managed service provider will care about the success of your business. Asking the above questions will give you a good idea, but arguably one of the biggest ways you can judge if an IT services provider cares about your businesses is to ask them:

How will you support the success of my business?
Aside from reporting on the here-and-now, a good MSP will help you plan for the future with strategic planning and advice. A company that cares about you wants to see you grow and prosper, not just line their own pockets.

So now you know what to ask a managed services provider, get in touch and question us!

Our Brisbane & Sunshine Coast team are happy to assist – phone 1800 MULTUM or contact us here.