How to Choose a Fully Managed IT Services Provider

Every business owner struggles with securing and maintaining all of their business technology. Wouldn’t it be much easier to have a team dedicated to doing this for you? By partnering with a Managed IT Services Provider (MSP), your problems are answered. Having an MSP on your side means you can offload all of the stress of maintaining your IT infrastructure to a team of experts that are in place solely to maintain and protect your technology.

So how can you be sure you’re choosing the right MSP for your business? What types of criteria should you look out for when making that choice? In this blog, we will aim to answer those questions for you.

How to choose the right managed IT services provider for your business

You’ve probably gotten information from different MSP’s available for your business and tossed around the pros and cons for each. But before making a final decision you need to do an assessment of your business and what will work for you, specifically. For small to medium sized businesses, budget will obviously play a huge factor in your decision. Choosing an MSP that has flexibility on this front will help you get the protection you need while not setting your business back in any way.

After determining your budget you will want to dive deeper into what each MSP option has to offer you in terms of services, expertise, accessibility, communication, etc.

Technical expertise

It’s probably obvious, but you want to go with an MSP that has the experience and expertise to get the job done. Protecting your IT infrastructure should not be taken lightly and that means getting the most qualified services possible. You may have an MSP tell you they can offer you all of what you are looking for, at a budget friendly price. But what kind of expertise do they actually have in dealing with your technology

You’ll want to make sure that they are able to present to you a list of qualifications they have as well as any certifications. You’ll also want to see if they are able to seamlessly integrate their systems and process into your existing system. It may even be a good idea to look into the individuals who work for the MSP and gauge their expertise levels. Having open and honest discussions about these things will help you make the right decision.

Advanced technology

As part of staying up to date with the ever changing landscape of business technology protection, your MSP will need to have the most advanced technology. If your MSP is operating with outdated software and hardware, how will they be able to keep your infrastructure safe and running smoothly? When engaging with potential MSP’s, get a feel for the technology they offer you. If you aren’t totally familiar with the ins and outs of the technology, you may need to do some research so you can be sure they are operating with advanced technology that can protect your business from the threats out there that seem to always be adapting.

Advanced technology also means that your business will run smoother and more efficiently. Having outdated systems will only bog down your process. To maximize your technology’s day to day, you need relevant and up to date technology on your side. Make sure you know exactly what your MSP provides on this front before making your final decision.

Industry experience

As a business owner, you have a strong grasp on your market and the customers you work with. Most business owners, however, don’t have full knowledge on what goes into maintaining, running, and protecting your IT infrastructure. Your managed IT services provider should be able to fill that void and then some. In order to get the maximum protection and performance from your technology, the team behind it should be well versed in even the minute details of the infrastructure. The MSP you decide to go with should be able to answer all of your questions confidently and be able to provide solutions for any issue you present to them.

This is probably going to correlate with the MSP’s experience level. If they’ve been around for a while, they will know what to watch out for with any possible threat to your technology and will know exactly how to get your systems back up and running quickly when needed. You’ll want a team of experienced, well-versed experts protecting your business.

Quick service and response time

Your business can’t perform as needed without your infrastructure intact. This means with any issue that may arise, you need to have a team that will be able to assist you at a moment’s notice and have quick turnaround times. Downtime means a loss of revenue for your business. Your MSP should have plans in place to accommodate for the least amount of downtime possible, keeping all of your processes running smoothly.

Inevitably with businesses relying on technology, there will be issues that interfere with the day to day activities and unfortunately, these are unavoidable. This is what separates the best MSPs from the pack. You want to partner with a managed IT services provider that can decrease the downtime that results from these issues as much as possible. An MSP that can act quickly and efficiently with these problems is an invaluable asset to any business.

IT budgeting and planning

The word that rings true with all business owners is money. How much will services cost and how flexible can the MSP be when deciding on service packages? Savvy business owners like to plan ahead of time for what’s to come and budgeting is no exception to this. Finding an MSP that can help you accomplish this and accommodate that need for financial planning will give you peace of mind. Talk to potential MSPs on what they can offer you in terms of yearly outlooks for budget concerns and if they offer customizable packages for your business.

Ready to take the next step in your business’s IT strategy?

If you think you are ready to move forward and sure up your business’s IT strategy, make sure to contact us at Valeo Networks. We offer a team of experienced, friendly, and down to earth experts to accommodate your managed IT service needs. Offering 24/7 Help Desk support and 24/7 Network Security services, you won’t have to worry about your infrastructure being left vulnerable. We also offer our clients budget friendly plans to help you strategize for the future. If you’re ready to take the next step, reach out for a Free Assessment and IT Roadmap.