For most companies, big or small, managed service can be a major asset. They represent a cost-effective solution to any IT department and they will provide an extra layer of security when it comes to your company’s data. A Managed Services Provider, or for short MSP, can offer your company a wide range of IT solutions from server security to unified communication solutions. However, before you start working with an MSP, you will need to sit down with them in order to find out what they will be giving your company. In this article, you will be able to read about the 8 questions you need to ask an MSP before hiring them. Let’s take a look:
1. What happens if my infrastructure goes down?
Sadly, in today’s cyber-centric world, it is almost impossible to avoid an IT disaster. When looking for an MSP, it is important that you find a company that will be prepared for any disaster. Any MSP company that has experience will be able to talk about a disaster recovery plan (DRP), including recovery time objections and recovery point objections that you will want to set. If they cannot answer these questions it is time to move to a different company.
2. What services are covered under my contract and what lies outside of it?
In order to protect yourself from hidden fees in the future, you will want to ask this question early on. You should tell the MSP exactly what you need and then have them explain how they will charge you for the services.
3. How will you ensure that we are a part of our IT experience?
You should make it clear to the MSP what you expect to be included in the operations of your IT department. You could ask if they include reports, meetings, troubleshooting, and admin portals in their services in order for you to be informed of the work done by the MSP and your IT department.
4. How will your service help support the growth of our company?
You will want to choose an MSP that will make expansion easy. You will want an MSP that will be able to make adding new workstations, employees, and location easy and affordable.
5. Will your services keep us at the front of technology or will they hinder us from moving forward?
Technology changes almost daily and you will need an MSP that can change, as well as grow. An experienced MSP will have an affordable plan in order to make sure that your company stays up to date on the current trends in tech.
6. How often do you update or maintain your infrastructure? And will that result in delays and downtime for my business?
You will need to know-how updates and maintenance of your network or systems will influence your company’s productivity, so make sure that you ask them how and when will they deal with this so that you know about any possible delays or downtime.
7. Where is your helpdesk located and what is coverage like?
One of the most popular MSP offers is helpdesk solutions. It is important to know what are the operating hours of the helpdesk, as well as what services does it offer.
8. What are your data ownership terms?
According to the experts from Palindrome Consulting, you should definitely ask the MSP what happens to the data is you decide on changing the MSP? If they cannot give you a straight answer, you should not hire them. At the end of the data, there should be no questions asked about whom that data belongs to. That includes the metadata.
Conclusion
Your company runs on technology and that infrastructure, as well as the data, are the most important things in your organization. Hence, when you are choosing a Managed Services Provider, make sure that they can answer these questions without thinking twice about them.
