Small to medium-sized businesses in every market are turning to Managed Service Providers (MSPs) for reliable technology services. From professional service organizations like accounting and law firms to hospitality and construction organizations, MSPs provide a broad range of business IT services. They help smaller enterprises regain control of their technology and finances by rolling services like security, data management and system monitoring into a flat-rate, monthly service plan.
The right MSP partner can improve your productivity and profitability—but selecting the best one for your organization can be a challenge, especially with the growing number of IT managed service providers. Here are three tips to keep in mind during your search for the perfect technology experts.
A True MSP Partner Will Ask the Right Questions
Your business is their business, which means they need to get to know you, your business and your goals. They should ask questions like:
- What specific resources do you need from your provider?
- Are there certain characteristics and specifications you need to support your workflows?
- What sort of data storage and migration challenges have you encountered?
The right technology partner will be more concerned with gaining an understanding of where your IT stands and where you want your technology to take you than listing their awards and technical expertise.
- A Reliable Technology Services Provider Will Offer 24/7/365 Support
This may seem negotiable, especially for professional service organizations that operate on an 8-to-5 schedule, but it should be a deal breaker regardless of your industry. Disasters and cyber threats have no regard for your schedule.
You need the option to speak to a service technician or business continuity expert at any time to correct an issue. When it comes to IT support, it’s better to have the option and not need it, than to find yourself in the middle of an emergency and have nowhere to turn.
- The Right IT Managed Service Provider Will Offer Detailed Asset Tracking
An MSP that values transparency is more likely to foster a partnership that’s a good fit for your business. Look for a provider that offers:
- Asset inventory management
- Hardware and software reporting metrics
- Assistance with asset tracking and compliance reporting
- Detailed work audits
- Warranty tracking
These types of reports provide a basis for accountability and a reference point for you to ensure you’re getting the most out of your service contract.
Finding the right MSP partner may not happen overnight, but you’ll be happy you invested the time when your business begins to operate more efficiently and sustainably. Contact us and put our experts to the test.
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