If you’re considering, or have already began the process of looking for an MSP partner, there are several things to consider that might not be apparent on the façade. As we’ve helped dozens of businesses in this process, we’ve got insider knowledge about MSPs that we’re happy to share. Read through our three points of consideration below to ensure you’re on the right track in your hunt for the best fit for your MSP.
First Things First: What is an “MSP?”
Gartner, a global leading information research and advisory company, describes a Managed Services Provider as a trusted strategic partner that delivers network, application, system and technology management services across a network to multiple enterprises. MSP partners are using a robust and strategic approach in addressing the different business challenges including shrinking budgets, security threats and rapidly changing technology so companies can keep up and stay on the cutting edge.
See three of our main criteria for choosing an MSP partner below.
The key is approaching your tech environment with solid strategy. By taking the time to learn your core business, a good MSP will develop preventative maintenance strategies that are appropriate for your business needs. By getting to know your business inside and out, true MSP experts can apply what they already know about the industry landscape to particular issues facing your company. This way your service plan can focus on preventative maintenance strategies appropriate to your business, and perform ongoing strategic reviews to ensure you’re headed in the right direction.
Overall advantages to partnering with a Managed Services Provider:
MSP’s tend to offer two types of plans:
Custom Plans
This first kind of plan is akin to a tailored suit—it fits perfectly but is much higher priced. This is the sort of custom service you might receive from mammoth providers and consultants, who mainly service large, global clients with enormous IT environments. While companies of this size and scope are willing to shell out for a high level of customization, most small- to medium-sized companies will get everything they need from a cost-controlled MSP plan. Unless you’re a conglomerate, or a medium-sized business with a big purse, it’s unlikely a customized plan is a viable option.
Standard Plans
Every organization has common technical elements that need attention: hardware support, application support, upgrades, patches, planning, security, backup—the list goes on. The beauty of this configuration is that the customer receives standardized services honed to a high level of both efficiency and effectiveness. Too, the cost is generally a fixed one, and it’s not an obscene number with an uncomfortable amount of commas.
But Dynamic Quest offers you three tiers of service.
While most MSPs pigeon-hole your company to fit their flat offerings, or push you to pay for their custom service, we’ve found a happy medium to suit nearly every business we encounter: three distinct tiers of service. This way you find a level of service that suits your business without paying out the wazoo for large MSP customization. It’s a clean and simple solution to an existing consumer problem. See the levels of service below.
These are just 3 of 9 selection criteria we’ve carefully compiled to consider when you partner with an MSP. For access to the full list, among other helpful bits of advice, check out our whitepaper, Nine Key Criteria for Selecting a Managed Services Provider. It’s a guide that will come in handy more than once, and a go-to checklist for helping you choose an MSP that’s right for you.
[1] McAfee, “Net Losses: Estimating the Global Cost of Cybercrime”