Consider these tips when selecting your next Managed Services Provider.
- Ask Who They Partner With
Remember that part of an MSP’s job is to identify “best of breed” technology vendors on your behalf, and that starts with the tools they use to support your business. - Visit the Managed Services Provider's office.
Do they have their own NOC or do they outsource it? If it’s outsourced what are the Service Level Agreements (SLAs) or underpinning contracts between the outsourced NOC and your provider? Do those align with your business requirements? - Inquire about the MSP's Competencies
IT people get certifications, and certifications are important to any IT service provider. MSPs are no different in this area. You want to make sure that you are engaging a provider whose competencies lie in areas that are business critical for you based on your IT infrastructure. - Meet the Support Staff, and Not Just the Salesperson
Salespeople are paid to be positive and to instill confidence, and good ones do exactly that. In the course of speaking with a prospective provider, ask to meet some of the engineers or technicians that will come out to do work in your environment.
