It’s simply not practical for small businesses to manage their IT infrastructure in-house. If you plan on staffing your own internal IT team, the combined expenses of employee salaries and benefits, along with the hardware and software required to function properly, are overwhelming for most budgets. Should you choose to have your existing employees handle your IT responsibilities, the amount of time they spend on tech issues will prevent them from tackling their own job responsibilities. That’s why smart businesses outsource the management of their IT to a Managed Services Provider (MSP). But there are likely numerous MSPs in your local area, as it has become a relatively common specialty offered these days. How can you ensure you choose the right one to handle your IT needs and get the most out of your partnership?
First, always do your homework when researching MSPs. What technical certifications do they hold? Do they have partnerships with other technology vendors? How long have they been in business? While every company has to start somewhere, you can mitigate risks by avoiding fly-by-night providers. Find a reliable IT partner that is established in your local area with a good track record. Ask for testimonials and references you can reach out to and hear their first-hand experience doing business with the provider.
Once you’ve found a seemingly reliable and trustworthy IT provider, it’s essential you know exactly what would be supported in your contract. What is their scope of services—what services are included, and what would be charged separately? The last thing you want to do is enter into an agreement and find out after the fact that they don’t offer a service your business needs or services you depend on are not included in your support contract. That would drive up the cost of your IT services significantly. Other important concerns to address before signing a contract include:
Do they have guaranteed response times?
Do they offer continuous monitoring?
Do they provide 24/7/365 support?
What is their ticket process?
Are you limited to a certain number of tickets each month?
Will you have a dedicated account manager?
Before selecting an MSP, find out what will be included in your agreement to prevent you from partnering with an IT provider that either can’t meet your needs or will end up costing you a lot more money than you planned on spending. Conducting an internal audit ahead of time to assess and document your needs will help prepare you for this process. The MSP’s Service Level Agreement (SLA) should include clearly defined termination clauses in the event things go south and you need to end your relationship.
Partnering with a Managed Services Provider will remove the burden of managing your company’s IT infrastructure internally, saving you time and money while providing you access to the technology you need to operate. Just be sure to do your due diligence to find the right MSP to partner with, so this union is a successful one.