You don’t have to suffer from technophobia to need an MSP. An MSP is a Managed Service Provider. They offer project management and operations related to the data, networking, software, hardware and security of your systems. They look at your entire business and focus on the best solutions in cybersecurity, compliance, technology and cloud services. They are either hired to handle the entire IT operations for a company, part or sometimes in partnership with an internal IT department.
Managed IT Service Providers can have many different pricing models. The most common would be:
While there isn’t a simple answer to the best pricing plan, you have to look at the level of service you receive with each and what works for your business. How much is always an important consideration, but not necessarily the highest.
What services do they offer? Some offer basic or surface-level security, but this may not cover complex attacks. A good MSP will be able to close any gaps in protection and improve your overall security.
Does the MSP know about the compliance standards your business needs? Certain industries require specific regulatory compliance standards like Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA) or General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Your MSP should be an expert in what you need.
Does your MSP offer flexible, scalable options? Nobody can tell the future, so it is important to be prepared with a partner who can adapt as your business changes. Your MSP should offer the ability to change with your needs. If the technology changes, your provider should be experts in what is new and what security measures are needed to protect it.
What type of employees are available to solve your issues? It is important to know if there are engineers present, compliance staff, senior security experts, service desk operators, on-site technicians, etc. The more levels of expertise the better off you will be.
Finally, what do their clients say? Lots of companies have great websites and enthusiastic sales pitches, but what kind of service will you receive? Make sure the company can provide lots of credible testimonials for clients that have similar issues to yours. A lack of clients willing to speak highly is a bad sign.
To wrap up, when looking at an MSP, they should offer specialties that align with your needs and scale seamlessly as you grow. They will also continuously be current in security technology and compliance. They will allow you to do your job without endless downtime and issues. Choosing the right provider, will give you higher productivity, lower costs, and increased security.