How to Select an MSP Provider

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What does your business need to think about when selecting an MSP provider?

According to the CompTIA’s 4th Annual Trends in Managed Services report, “the global managed-services market is predicted to grow to $193B by 2019, at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 12.5%.” What is fueling this impressive level of adoption? How do businesses know if they are covering all their MSP needs? We dug into the report to examine the top reasons small-to-medium-sized businesses (SMBs) list for working with MSPs and IT solutions providers. Take a look at this list to help find the right Managed Service Provider (MSP) for your organization.

  • An easy check should be a provider that offers around the clock remote monitoring 365 days a year! If they can’t ensure service whenever you need it, they aren’t capable of performing. They should also provide support remotely as well as in person. A good face-to-face meeting with your MSP technician can keep them aware of any internal changes.
  • Choose a provider that has a proven track record in your specific industry. A provider that has experience providing excellent service to companies like yours, has seen similar issues and can address them quickly. They should recommend improvements and insights for workflow, training, software systems, and IT strategy.
  • Select a provider that reaches out to check in. If they don’t ask you how everything is going, they can’t possibly know! If the only time you hear from a managed service provider is during billing time, RED ALERT. Choose a provider with the communication skills to let you know what proactive steps (upgrading your desktops, performing network security checks, detecting unknown users, etc..) they are taking to ensure your company is at optimal IT performance.
  • Are they offering compliance-as-a-service? If you are a doctors office, begin by stressing the importance of working with a HIPAA-compliant IT solutions provider. One who understands HIPAA regulations and how to supplement them with additional managed security protocol, policies and procedures.
  • Most MSP providers offer some type of security, but it is important to ask them what level of security they cover (firewalls, network monitoring, employee protocol training). Having an insecure network is not an option. You don’t want to become the next Anthem data breach, which compromised the medical data of nearly 100 million individuals. Next, can the MSP provider train your employees on network best practices? Your company is only as strong as your weakest link, which is usually that one employee that clicks on the wrong spam mail!

As more organizations turn to Managed Service Providers to improve productivity, cut costs, and enhance network security, it becomes critical to understand what exactly you are signing up for.

Warwick’s superior service includes these concerns and more. For a consultation, contact us today! We are happy to answer any questions you may have.