Integris understands that finding an excellent IT service management provider is like looking for a needle in a haystack. Every MSP promises they are different, and each one claims to be the best in the industry.
What should you be looking for? What are the signs of an excellent managed IT services provider? How do I choose an MSP that’s right for my business?
Whether your MSP has let you down or you’re new to the idea of managed services providers, here are ten signs of an excellent managed IT services provider to make your search a little easier.
10 Signs of an MSP That Provides Good IT Managed Services
Don’t fall for claims of greatness that an MSP can’t back up; ask them to prove it. Here are 10 signs of a good managed services provider.
1. Positive Reviews
If an MSP only has a few positive reviews, you should be seeing red flags. A good IT managed services provider should have multiple reviews across all verticals, including your own. The MSP should also be willing to give you phone numbers of satisfied clients for references.
Key Takeaway: Look for testimonials, ask to see a portfolio of successful strategies, and don’t be afraid to ask for phone numbers of clients who can vouch for the MSP.
2. Proactive Solutions
A sign of a good IT managed services provider is a proactive approach. Rather than break-fix models of repairs, a good MSP will monitor your network and provide proactive solutions to stop issues before they disrupt your network.
Key Takeaway: A good IT managed service provider will monitor event logs and run routine tests to make sure there are no small issues waiting to become large ones.
3. Dedicated Technicians
If the MSP doesn’t offer a team of dedicated technicians, it isn’t offering you the best IT services. A dedicated tech team means a reliable set of techs who already know your network and can jump right into repairs, issues, or projects. Without this team, your business is at the mercy of whoever happens to be available when you call.
Key Takeaway: A random IT tech could mean even more billable hours for the MSP if the tech isn’t familiar with your network and infrastructure.
4. Responsive Help Desk Services
While no business wants an IT issue, even the best networks will fizzle from time to time; files may get deleted, hardware can malfunction, and software can crash. A responsive help desk is a good sign that the MSP’s overall IT management services are great. Great help desk services should give you the answers you need, or find someone who can, while being friendly and approachable.
Key Takeaway: The tech on the other end of the phone should be equally as helpful whether your servers have crashed, or your monitor was simply unplugged.
5. A Good IT Managed Services Provider Thinks About Your Budget
The best tech in the world is no good for your business if you can’t afford it. A good MSP takes your overall budget and bottom line into consideration when providing you the strategies and solutions you need.
Key Takeaway: MSPs shouldn’t provide costly “tech for the sake of tech,” they should only provide tech you need while keeping your IT budget in mind.
6. Business and IT Strategy Planning
A good MSP will help your business find strategies and solutions tailor-made to align with your goals. These strategies will be scalable and flex to fit your needs as your business grows.
Key Takeaway: Business and IT strategy planning should be a rounded approach, balanced between the current state of your IT and your future IT needs.
7. Co-Managed Services
If you have an IT department, you don’t want to replace them; you just want to supplement their resources. A good IT managed services provider will provide flexible options for both outsourcing all your IT needs and sharing them with your existing IT department.
Key Takeaway: A good MSP will work alongside your IT team, not try to replace it.
Want to learn more about co-managed services? Give your internal IT department the boost they need to increase efficiency and productivity. Download this eBook, A CEO’s Guide to Co-Managed Services, and see if a hybrid solution is the right fit for your business.
8. Free Consultations
You’d never buy a new car without taking it for a test drive, and you should never sign a service level agreement without speaking to a representative of an MSP first. Ask your MSP for a free consultation to see if the company is a good match for yours.
Key Takeaway: If an MSP offers a free consultation, take them up on it. This is a great way to filter MSPs and narrow down your choices.
9. Updated Solutions
In a world of automation, any MSP that doesn’t provide cutting-edge solutions to routine maintenance and monitoring isn’t going to provide you great IT services management. Look for MSPs who automate tasks and provide upgraded hardware, AI solutions, and updated software.
Key Takeaway: Don’t expect Windows 10 service from a provider that is stuck on Windows 7.
10. Compliancy and Regulatory Expertise
Nearly every vertical has its own set of regulations and compliancy requirements. Your MSP must be on top of these ever-changing rules and laws or your business runs the risk of stiff fines and legal action. Excellent IT services management requires compliancy and regulatory expertise across all verticals, especially yours.
Key Takeaway: Make sure you see compliancy seals on the MSP’s website, or ask them to provide you proof of their compliancy standards.
Does Your IT Services Management Provider Pass the Test?
You’re too busy to worry about your IT. You need to hand off your tech needs to an IT services management provider you can trust. If your MSP isn’t giving you excellent service, it’s time to find another. If you’re shopping for an MSP, make sure to keep these nine tips in mind.
Integris checks all these boxes. We provide excellent IT services management solutions to small to medium-sized businesses, just like yours. Let us show you how Integris’s culture of excellent IT services management can save you money, increase your security, and improve your company’s efficiency. Schedule your free IT consultation and no risk, no obligation dark web scan today.
Integris doesn’t believe in skimping on coverage for our clients. Unlike most MSPs that offer bare-bones services, we have plans as vast as the national parks they are named after. To us, anything else is underserving. We give you have the guidance and supplies you need, like a park ranger helping you through the forests and mountains of your IT issues and needs.
Your business thrives on excellent service; shouldn’t your IT managed services provider do the same?
