Even after a thorough vetting process, switching IT companies can be scary. It’s a new company, new people and, potentially, new solutions and equipment. As you’re considering MSPs, evaluating and understanding their onboarding process is an important part of understanding their long-term service and operations.
What is Onboarding?
Onboarding is the process of getting a new client ready for services. In the managed service provider (MSP) world, this typically involves documenting the devices and groups of users covered under the service contract and deploying any software included in the contract or necessary to deliver services.
Not all Onboarding is Created Equal
Every MSP handles client onboarding differently. Innovative’s onboardings are treated as projects and have clear planning, execution, handoff, and evaluation phases. A project manager manages our onboarding to ensure every client is fully prepared for our service team to deliver the most effective and efficient service.
In this article, we’ll describe what a good onboarding process looks like. However, we certainly have some bias about how onboarding should be done. We’ve done hundreds, possibly thousands, over the past 23 years and have first-hand experience with positive and negative results of good vs. not-so-good onboarding.
However, we know that we’re not the right MSP for everyone. If the MSPs you’re considering have slightly different onboarding processes or maybe no defined process at all, it’s good to ask questions to gain an understanding of how they handle integrating your environment into their management services.
The Onboarding Process
Before we get into the onboarding process, we must note that this article is not an exhaustive breakdown. Every client is different, so we will keep things at a high level and describe the parts of the process that apply to most onboarding.
If you have a specific question about your onboarding, we’re happy to answer it. Open communication channels are vital to a business partnership, and we want this process to be as stress-free as possible for your business.
Onboarding Preparation & Planning
Your onboarding includes deploying all of the solutions necessary to deliver contracted services and the documentation required to deliver those services efficiently and effectively. If possible, we recommend a 30-day overlap between your new and existing IT companies to allow a smooth transition and thorough knowledge transfer.
Keep in mind that onboarding isn’t just one-sided. It would be best to have all your key stakeholders involved to ensure everyone establishes a good partnership with your new MSP. Good onboardings often start with some type of kickoff meeting between all of your key stakeholders and the MSP’s key players.
This meeting will likely be where the MSP confirms methods for requesting support and collects any relevant information needed to begin the onboarding. Once all of this information is collected, they can devise a plan and move to the next stage of the process.
Onboarding Execution
The execution stage might look a little bit different for each client, but it typically includes but is not limited to this:
- Obtain administrative credentials
- Install essential management tools, including monitoring, remote access and applicable cybersecurity tools.
- Evaluate various network components and infrastructure.
- Migrate key services like Microsoft365 or Google Workspace, network infrastructure, security solutions, etc.
- Document all relevant information, including contacts, configuration items and vendors.
This is the stage where your MSP collects all the information it needs to support your business. This includes information on internet connectivity, line-of-business applications, passwords and more.
Also, your MSP will likely visit your business to confirm what devices you have and implement and install any solutions that need to be done in person. This is also an opportunity for the MSP to distribute any materials informing your staff of how to reach them.
Onboarding Evaluation and Handoff
Once execution and implementation are complete, your MSP will double-check that all components are properly implemented and configured and that they reflect the contracted services.
Your MSP should continue to check in to ensure that things are going smoothly and that each step of their process was followed, confirming that you have everything you need.
Now, your solutions should be up and running as expected, and your MSP should be able to deliver effective day-to-day support!
Reviewing Onboarding Tasks
Now, let’s review. The bulleted list below will outline some of the most common/standard tasks performed during onboardings. Once again, we'll note that some of these tasks can vary from client to client depending on the scope of work and types of equipment.
- Contact the previous IT company and/or internal IT resources to obtain the necessary credentials and information.
- Install necessary tools on all devices and cloud environments as applicable based on the scope.
- Evaluate current backup solutions, permissions and infrastructure.
- Document applicable items, including but not limited to:
- Contacts
- Devices and infrastructure
- Applications
- Credentials
Onboarding Complete!
Once those tasks are completed, you’re officially onboarded! Your MSP will be equipped to manage your environment, efficiently solve your technical problems as they arise, and help keep you up to date so you can continue to leverage technology.
