Deciding to purchase managed I.T services from a MSP (managed service provider), is a big decision and one that deserves careful thought and extensive research. While your business is impacted by every decision made, especially with technology, from which email client to use to which server you use, it’s important to gather as much information as possible before deciding which MSP to partner with.

Within the past several years, there has been an increase in MSP’s serving businesses and supporting their growth. With this increase comes a larger variety of MSPs to choose from. Each MSP is unique with their culture and employee expertise. So when you make the decision to partner with an MSP there are several criterion you may want to consider to ensure they are the right fit for your business needs and goals.

 If you’re on the fence about whether you even need an MSP take a look at these points on how an MSP is a great asset to your internal I.T. team, individual handling your tech needs, or however your I.T. is handled currently.

• Save money - Thinking about upgrading your hardware every couple years sounds costly, right? With the right MSP you can get hardware refreshes included in your plan. Plus, you won’t have to worry about the installation as that will be taken care of for you. If you’re paying now every time you have an issue, it’s probably adding up. Wouldn’t you want to have a flat-rate monthly fee, so then you won’t have to worry about your budget being different each month.

• Save time - Having a knowledgeable team on hand whenever you need them dramatically cuts downtime. Just think about how long it would take someone unskilled in I.T. to solve a minor or complex issue when all along you could’ve just emailed or called your MSP help desk to solve the problem.

• Increased productivity - This one goes along with the above, less downtime equates to more productivity. Not to mention, partnering with an MSP that provides hardware refreshes (like we do!) increases productivity because you won’t have to waste time on outdated equipment being slow, needing constant repairs, or maintenance.

• Security - This is a growing concern with hackers becoming smarter and smarter nowadays. And ensuring your business is safe should be a top priority. If you are unable to protect your data then why would consumers trust you with their information? MSPs can help with compliance, encryption, protection, and have a disaster recovery plan in place.

• Updated equipment - Hardware four years and older is considered outdated. That doesn’t seem like a long time, but at the rapid pace of technological innovation a lot can change in just a year! Using outdated equipment poses many threats for your business from security, compliance, consumer perception, increased costs, decreased productivity, and lower talent retention/employee satisfaction.

Below are areas you should consider when choosing the right MSP to partner with.

Check it out: What Should I Consider When I'm Thinking About Outsourcing For My Business? (Infographic)

1. Define Your Strategy

Before doing anything else, take some time to think about your long-term business plans and how managed I.T services can fit into it to help advance your goals. Decide what you will be offering as a business, how you want to offer, and the type of clients you serve. After this, you’ll have a better idea of how managed I.T fits into your plan and where it can best serve your needs.

2. Study Up On the Little Things

For the most part, MSPs work to deliver the same end goal. But what sets them apart from one another, in the end, is the small details and minor features that they offer. When doing your research, it may help to pay more attention to the smaller details that can be easy to glance over when focusing on the larger message. Often, the gold is stuck in the mix and finding those features in one MSP may make your decision that much easier to make.

3. Make a Few Calls

Like with most things in life, it’s often helpful to get some advice from your peers in the industry about their experiences with managed I.T services and their provider. Maybe you are considering partnering with the same MSP a peer currently works with. Wouldn’t you want to have their input on their experience with the team? Even if they run their business a bit different than yours, you can learn a lot about how the MSP handles issues and communicates. Or, if you don’t have any connections with peers who have experience with managed I.T, reach out to online chat forums connecting people in your industry to learn more from their perspective on buying managed I.T. The resources are out there, so continue to research.

4. Trial Period

Managed service providers may talk a big game or make some bold claims. If possible, maybe you can take their service for a short test drive. See how the service and management work in your actual environment before making the bigger purchase and commitment.

Now that you’ve got the standard criteria down, it’s time to focus on the individual needs of your business. Below is the criteria that a potential MSP needs to meet in order to fulfill the potential of your business. Like I said previously, your business is impacted by every decision you make, so it’s best to carefully review the needs of your plan, employees, and clients in order to successfully implement managed I.T services.

1. Talent

The point of buying managed I.T is to create a better tech environment than what you currently work with. Choose an MSP with a team of skilled employees who have more to offer than your current internal I.T. team, or individual handling your I.T. You will get the most out of your money when your I.T. team is full of specialists and experts in their field.

 Check it out: 5 Common Myths About Outsourcing I.T.

2. Experience

With the increase in MSPs open for business, you can be more selective. Choose to partner with a team that has more experience (However, the most experience doesn’t always mean the best option - don’t forget about the rest of your business needs). Your MSP will be a leader in many ways, so it’s important that they know what they are doing in a variety of given situations. Make sure any experience they have, is excellent experience. Your business shouldn’t have to settle for mediocre.

3. Beating Around the Bush

Do you ask a potential MSP a specific question and they either provide too general of an answer or have no answer to give at all? Huge red flag. That’s a no go. A good MSP will take a minute and then give you as specific of an answer, relevant to your question as possible. Not answering the question at all may point to a real lack of knowledge or experience in that area. Don’t be afraid to challenge them and test their knowledge, or at least test their ability to come back with the right answer and gain your trust.

4. People Approach

While you are paying good money for a quality business and technological side of an MSP, don’t overlook their approach to customer service and treating people. They may provide the best managed I.T service in town, but if their customer service skills are lacking and they show no care towards their own customers, you are not missing out. Your employees are integral to your business and you want them to be well-taken care of, especially when it comes to how they manage their daily work. If your employees are unhappy with their I.T. team, you may very well notice a shift in the culture and success of the business. A quality MSP will work towards improving the quality of their customer’s knowledge and skills towards technology and seek to develop a good rapport with each of them.

Check it out: Why I.T Needs Customer Service

5. Scalability

Are you in need of managed I.T. in order to help your business grow? That’s a great idea, but first, make sure that the MSP you want to work with, is able to handle that kind of growth themselves. If they are a very small team, while your business is medium to large, it may make it difficult to keep up. They may not be lacking in skill or expertise, but there may be a natural lack of equipment for a business your size. It’s best to look for a MSP that is the right size and can provide for your business as they help you grow.

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