Choosing the right Managed IT Service Provider (MSP) is a critical business decision that can significantly impact its overall success and efficiency. With so many IT providers out there to choose between, it’s essential to know which important questions to ask to ensure you select the best partner for your needs. Here are some crucial questions worth considering, along with helpful insights into what a top-tier MSP should offer.
How Does an MSP Help Move My Business Forward By Leveraging Technology?
A reputable managed IT service provider acts as a strategic partner beyond just providing IT support. They should offer customized services to help align your IT strategy with your unique business goals, and the right technology and resources to see those strategies through to fruition. This includes:
- Strategic Infrastructure Planning: Providing a detailed roadmap that aligns technology initiatives with your business objectives.
- Technology Budgeting: Assisting in the creation and management of an IT budget to ensure cost-effective investment in technology that allows for efficient task execution.
- IT Consulting: Regularly meeting with you to discuss progress, challenges, and opportunities for leveraging new technologies to further gain a competitive edge.
Is Onsite IT Support Limited?
Some MSPs offer comprehensive packages that include unlimited onsite support, while others may charge per visit. Before moving forward with a managed IT service provider, it’s crucial to understand what their service packages include. Unlimited onsite support can be particularly beneficial, as it ensures that any issues that can’t be resolved remotely are addressed promptly without additional costs.
Pro Tip: A follow up question to keep in mind when choosing an IT professional is: “Am I going to get nickel and dimed or is onsite IT support a comprehensive offering?”
The goal should be to find an IT provider with unlimited onsite support, and when you are looking for an IT partner, you should look for an MSP that offers a comprehensive, all-inclusive package. This means predictable monthly costs with no hidden fees or unexpected charges. This type of offering typically covers all support services, including remote and onsite support, regular maintenance, monitoring, and strategic planning sessions.
How Does Your Business Handle Cybersecurity?
Cybersecurity should be a top priority for any business owner, regardless of industry or service level, and your IT provider should be doing the following:
- Proactive Monitoring: 24/7 monitoring of your systems can detect and mitigate threats.
- Incident Response: A clear and efficient incident response plan allows your team to handle any security breaches with minimal damage or data loss.
- Security Awareness Training: Employee training programs are built to ensure your staff is aware of security best practices, the latest threats, and updates to security tools.
- Compliance Support: Receiving professional assistance with meeting industry-specific compliance requirements is essential to business longevity.
Do You Have a Dedicated Projects Team/Project Engineers?
A top-tier managed IT service provider should have a dedicated projects team or project engineers who specialize in implementing new technologies and managing IT projects. This ensures that any significant changes or upgrades to your IT infrastructure are handled by experts who can complete projects on time and within budget.
How Would You Proactively Keep My Technology Running and Minimize Downtime?
Proactive maintenance is the key to keeping your business technology running smoothly and minimizing downtime. Because of the critical role technology plays in virtually every business today, it requires continuous analyzing and upkeep. An effective MSP will offer:
- Regular Maintenance: Scheduled maintenance to keep systems up-to-date and running smoothly.
- Monitoring: Continuous monitoring to detect and resolve issues before they cause disruptions or downtime.
- Patch Management: Regular updates and patching of software to fix vulnerabilities and improve performance.
- Backup and Disaster Recovery: Robust backup solutions and disaster recovery plans to ensure business continuity in case of an incident, big or small.
What’s an Acceptable Response Time?
Before signing on with any IT professional, it’s a good idea to understand their response time after a call or service request is made. Clear response time commitments are crucial to prevent issues or frustrations down the road. An MSP should provide:
- Helpdesk Support: A local helpdesk that can be reached easily for immediate support.
- Escalation Procedures: Clear escalation procedures to ensure critical issues are prioritized and resolved quickly.
Having a local helpdesk provider can significantly improve support quality. These benefits can include having a faster, more efficient response time. Local IT support teams can often provide quicker response times and on-site support when needed. An additional benefit of a local provider is that you have an extension of your internal team that better understands your regional challenges and needs.
Why Stasmayer is the Right MSP For Your Business
Choosing the right MSP involves asking the right questions and understanding what to look for in their responses. By focusing on strategy, support, security, and proactive maintenance, you can find a partner who will not only manage your IT needs, but also help drive your business forward.
At Stasmayer, we’re committed to delivering this level of support to our customers without the need to compromise on anything. With years of experience and industry expertise, we’ll create customized solutions and strategies that make sense for your business. Find the IT answers you’ve been looking for by contacting Stasmayer today.