Information Technology teams are always on the lookout for technology that will protect the resources of the organization, support the needs of the employees, and put plans and procedures into place to control access to sensitive information. When the internal IT team is unable to completely serve the needs of the organization, it puts the security of the organization at risk. Many companies choose to outsource some of their technology needs to an IT managed services provider.
IT Services Engagement
Organizations often engage IT Managed Services (MSP) providers for installing and setting up networks and unified communications solutions, as well as to provide ongoing management for both. In fact, 50 percent of organizations that engage an IT service provider for the installation and setup of new projects also engage them for long-term managed services to care and maintain those systems.
Here’s what to look for when choosing an MSP to support your business:
Look for 24x7x365 Remote Monitoring
A quality IT MSP will have invested in systems that proactively monitor your network for problems before they affect your productivity. This solution alone will reduce the burden on your internal IT department and decrease expenses associated with technology downtime.
Insist on Detailed Asset Tracking
Another major area of time consumption for your internal IT team involves keeping track of your hardware and software assets to ensure compliance. Look for an IT Managed Services Provider that provides detailed asset tracking with reporting metrics and quarterly business reviews.
Include Vendor Management Services
Every time you add a new form of technology or service to your business operations, you probably wind up with another vendor to deal with. To secure best-in-class services, 54 percent of small- to medium-sized businesses [1] deal with multiple third-party vendors including telephone, internet, app developers, cloud services, and more. If something goes wrong with your business technology, the vendors often play “it wasn’t me!” and point their fingers at one of the other vendors, passing the blame and responsibility to someone else. Getting help can be a frustrating game of phone tag until you convince a vendor to provide support for the problem. A quality IT MSP will become your single point of contact for all of your vendors – giving you just one person to call and the peace of mind to know they’ll take care of the problem for you.
Offer Flexible and Customizable Services
Finally, when choosing an IT Managed Services provider, you want to make sure their services are flexible and customizable to your unique needs. There is no one-size-fits-all approach to outsourced technology services, so it is important that your MSP takes the time to fully understand your needs and make suggestions for solutions that will improve your efficiency, productivity, and reduce costs.
[1]2017 U.S. IT Services Report Sponsored by Fidelus
