When you are looking at Managed Service Providers (MSPs), cost is part of the decision, but by no means the most important one to consider.
Whilst saving money is always an attractive option for businesses, a bargain that undermines productivity and can hurt profitability is inadvisable. When comparing vendors, consider the return on investment as well as the quote’s bottom line. This is especially true when it comes to your managed service providers (MSP).
We wrote an article recently on the advantages to your business of an MSP which you can read here.
As external IT help for your business, an MSP can support your users and their IT needs. They can help IT infrastructure run better and support your evolving needs. They can provide server monitoring and IT maintenance. Additionally, an MSP can secure your systems, back up your data, and plan for disaster recovery. They may also cut business expenses by reducing hardware and software infrastructure costs.
That’s a long and impressive list of services, and that’s why comparing MSPs is not as simple as it looks. A provider with a lower price quote could be offering dramatically different services.
Consider how devastating a data breach can be. Choosing the cheapest tech support may not save you money. The downtime, legal and compliance fees, and reputation damage could finish your business.
A lower-cost MSP may offer lower levels of service. They may take longer to fix your problems, they may not watch your IT to identify and address issues before they happen, and they may look to make money back, charging you more for services another vendor included.
How to Select the Best MSP for You
Don’t let budget alone be your deciding factor. Selecting the best MSP requires careful consideration and evaluation. Take the following steps:
Determine your IT needs, challenges, and goals, and consider areas where you need help. This could include network management, cloud services, cybersecurity, or data backup and recovery.
Look for MSPs with expertise in your industry. Do they have experience in similar IT environments and solving industry challenges? Evaluate their certifications, partnerships, and customer references. You can read a whole host of our testimonials here.
Review the services offered by each MSP and ensure they align with your needs. Consider the breadth and depth of their offerings. Do you need 24/7 monitoring and support and infrastructure management? Will you add software updates, help desk services, and strategic IT consulting.
See if they have the capabilities to scale your IT infrastructure as needed.
Inquire about the MSP’s security protocols, monitoring tools, and incident-response procedures. Assess their ability to proactively identify and mitigate potential threats. At Ultra IT we use Huntress which is a 24/7 monitoring tool that you can read more about here. As part of Ultra ITs Managed Service Plan (MSP) you automatically receive this high level of consistent 24/7 monitoring and Cyber Security.
Review the service-level agreements to understand service levels and performance guarantees. Pay attention to response times, uptime commitments, and problem-resolution metrics.
Choosing an MSP is not just about meeting your immediate needs for the least amount of money. Ensure they align with your goals and can provide reliable, secure, and scalable IT services.
Feel free to reach out to us for a friendly chat about your businesses requirements here.