The world of technology can be daunting to navigate. The terminology is confusing, the solutions are complex and accountability is essential. This emphasizes the importance of partnering with an accountable IT provider who not only completes the job effectively but also has the right people and processes in place to ensure smooth execution. But what does that look like?
Let’s examine six qualities of a mature Managed Service Provider (MSP) and how that might differ from your current experience if things aren’t going well.
We’ll, of course, acknowledge our obvious bias as an MSP. We’re never going to sit here and claim we’re perfect, because frankly, no one is (though we'll all claim to be the "best"). However, we believe our experience, processes and leadership are big differentiators. Simple break/fix IT work will be great for some businesses, but for many who need something more, the qualities listed below can serve as a valuable roadmap to finding the right IT partner, whether that’s us or someone else.
It's also important to note that every company will tell you they’re great at what they’re trying to sell. Your decision-makers will need to ask the right questions during the prospecting process so you can ensure you’re on the same page and that your IT partner is a good fit. Articles like these are great conversation starters, not cut-and-dry criteria.
Does your MSP have clear boundaries regarding what defines a project versus day-to-day support? If not, this may not be a good sign about their prioritization and organization. Well-defined IT projects with clear deliverables, budgets and timelines are essential. If your simple password reset tickets are being grouped with your time-sensitive workstation refreshes, it may create confusion about responsibilities and could even result in frequent delays.
At Innovative, we have a team dedicated to projects, not only because they deserve the full focus and attention of a specific team, but also because projects can be massive undertakings that require strategic planning and budgeting. Our day-to-day support is covered under a flat monthly fee, while anything new or strategic, such as new devices or migrations, is scoped as a project, with a dedicated project manager, timeline, costs and defined outcomes.
Now that we’ve established the importance of projects versus support, let’s dive deeper into project planning and execution. First, your projects should be scoped before execution with dedicated resources. They require extensive planning that defines the scope, timeline, stakeholders and success criteria. This ensures that accountabilities are well-defined and that you have proper expectations going in.
If your MSP is executing projects on a whim, frequently missing deadlines (if any exist), or failing to minimize downtime, which hinders productivity in your business, this is a significant red flag. While those individuals may possess all the necessary technical expertise to perform their jobs, they are seriously lacking in strategy and accountability.
Rather than forcing a solution stack that isn’t a great fit, a mature MSP will carry out a collaborative evaluation of your business needs and goals, deploying solutions that help you achieve them.
Beyond the solutions themselves, the implementation of something as crucial as file management solutions should be pre-planned or automated to minimize friction for users and prevent reducing productivity. Does your MSP fit this description, or do you feel that their approach to file management and sharing is more disorganized or lacks proper support or training?
You want your business to appear consistent and professional, which means leveraging tools that help you achieve that, rather than ones that create extra steps. Take email signatures as an example; if everyone in your business had an email signature that didn’t match or looked different, that could be a little confusing for people outside your organization.
Even if you have someone responsible for enforcing certain brand standards or consistent email signatures, you are suddenly creating a lot of extra work if your employees all have to update their signatures manually. A mature MSP can leverage tools to automate these processes and others like them, ensuring better consistency and giving time back to your employees.
We often say it, but it always bears repeating: Good IT should be consultative, proactive and aligned with your business goals. Instead of merely being sidelined and handling break/fix tickets, your IT partner ought to collaborate with leadership, keeping them informed about what’s happening, what’s ahead and providing transparency.
An MSP that resists change, doesn’t educate and lacks long-term vision alignment can create an environment where technology becomes a necessary evil. A mature MSP will collaborate with you on a long-term technology plan that makes sense and keep you informed about any potential issues on the horizon. They are your guides on this lifelong technological journey and should proactively resolve issues, rather than letting you get blindsided.
We spend a lot of time discussing various solutions, the strengths and weaknesses an MSP can have and all the criteria you should consider. While it’s important to discuss these aspects and use them when selecting an MSP, you might have one prevailing thought: “I just want my stuff to work and I want you to promptly fix it when it breaks.” That’s a totally fair and straightforward goal!
A mature MSP will help you maximize business functionality, enhance user experience, and foster a knowledgeable team of employees. This is achieved through open and honest conversations, effective planning and budgeting, and a cohesive long-term strategy, ensuring that your business gets what it needs within the specified budget.
After reading this article, we encourage you to take some time to consider each of these examples. Which category does your MSP fall under: mature or not-so-mature? If it’s the former, that’s great! You’re likely on the right path with a partner you can trust and tools that work for you. If it’s the latter, it might be time to have some tough conversations and align on accountabilities. If you feel you’ve outgrown your MSP or they just aren’t meeting your needs, feel free to contact us. We’d love to discuss your business and see if we’re the right fit.