What Is the Managed IT Services Onboarding Process Like?

What Is the Managed IT Services Onboarding Process Like? Seven Steps to a Smooth Transition:

Step #1—Set Aside Time for an Initial Consultation

Your new or prospective MSP will begin their interaction with your company by having a thorough consultation. During these meetings, expect a lot of questions about your business needs, goals, and existing IT setup. During this phase, they’ll discuss your short-term and long-term goals to ensure the IT solutions they recommend align with your business strategy. Of course, they’ll also ask about any current IT challenges or inefficiencies that need to be addressed. This step is crucial as it sets the foundation for what you can expect from your MSP . Provide the right information at this stage, and you’ll be well on your way to getting a productive estimate and IT plan.

Step #2—Set Aside Budget for a Detailed System Assessment

No engagement with an IT MSP should begin before they conduct a thorough assessment of your systems, software, cybersecurity, written policies, and more. While this may seem like a lot of poking around before a contract is even signed, this information is critical to getting an accurate IT plan and budget set for your company. Opting for a paid assessment can be highly beneficial at this stage, as it gets far better, more details analysis. At Integris, our paid assessments include an in-depth evaluation of your hardware, software, network, and security protocols, which helps us identify potential vulnerabilities and areas for improvement. Based on this assessment, we provide customized recommendations and a detailed implementation plan specific to your business needs. Investing in a paid assessment can save you money in the long run by preventing costly IT issues and ensuring your systems are optimized for performance.

Step #3—The MSP Produces a Customized Estimate and Transition Plan

Developing a tailored IT strategy is the next step. This comprehensive plan includes recommendations for any necessary hardware or software upgrades, strategies to improve your cybersecurity posture, and a robust disaster recovery plan to ensure business continuity in case of data loss or other emergencies. Additionally, the plan details the ongoing support and maintenance services we provide to keep your IT systems running smoothly. This customized approach ensures that your IT infrastructure is aligned with your business goals and prepared for future challenges. Having all this in writing will help you understand the steps of the technical transitions, as well as how much time and money you’ll need to invest in the switch.

Step #4— Set Channels for Clear Communication

Effective communication is key to a successful onboarding process. It’s important to keep all stakeholders informed about the progress and any changes.Now is the time to designate who on your internal side will be the primary contacts for the MSP, and who will responsible for facilitation of the implementation plan. Let them review the implementation plan and determine what resources they can provide the MSP to make things go smoothly, such as passwords, vendor contacts, and the like.

For the C-suite, meaningful KPIs around the transition will help build their confidence in the process. Potential key performance indicators (KPIs) might include: system uptime, incident response time,  user satisfaction,  and cost savings. Clear communication ensures everyone is on the same page and helps build trust in the new partnership.

Step #5—Agree on What Documentation Is Needed

Maintaining detailed records of your IT infrastructure and the steps taken during onboarding is essential. This includes network diagrams, configuration settings, documentation, service logs, and records of all maintenance and support activities. Proper documentation ensures that there is a clear understanding of your IT environment. It also helps guide any upgrades and troubleshooting in the future. Make sure you’ve given your MSP access to all your existing documentation, and discuss with them what kind of documentation any new systems or tools might generate.

Now is the time to discuss what monitoring reports and documentation you wish to see, and what will be monitored directly by the MSP.  It’s also a good time to talk about what KPIs you wish to follow, and how that should be parsed into regular reporting for your IT staff. If there are KPIs that are meaningful to your C-suite, make provisions for those reports to be generated, preferably automatically.

Step #6—Create a Plan for Training and Support

Providing training sessions for your staff is crucial to ensure they are comfortable with new systems and processes, and many MSPs have this capability on deck. At minimum, your MSP should be able to connect your organization to effective online security awareness training. These easy-to-understand programs educate employees about cybersecurity best practices, such as recognizing phishing emails and using strong passwords, and more. Talk to your HR and Communications Departments about how this new training will be rolled out to employees. Most security training programs will generate all the documentation you need.

Step #7—Create Regular Monitoring Processes

Scheduling regular check-ins to monitor progress and address any issues promptly is vital. This helps to ensure the IT strategy remains aligned with your business goals. Regular updates foster a proactive approach to IT management and help to build a strong, collaborative relationship with your MSP.