The Managed Services Checklist

MSP Checklist

When it comes time to find a managed services provider to handle your IT infrastructure, you can easily be overwhelmed by the options to choose from. There are a variety of different factors to consider to find the right partner for your organization, and we want to help you make  the right decision! Below we complied a small checklist to follow to find the ideal MSP to run one of the most critical components of your company.

History:

When looking for a managed services provider one of the things you should be keeping an eye out for is how long they’ve been in business. This is not to say that new MSPs are fly-by-night businesses, but you are looking to establish a long-lasting relationship, since looking for an MSP is already a challenge in itself. Now, again we’re not saying that a relatively new MSP is not prepared to handle your business needs. However, it is important to note their financial track record, and experience working in their respective field. Verify their history by requesting annual reports and press releases that prove their experience in the managed services space.

References:

Looking for a new managed services provider is akin to hiring a new employee. Their resume can tell you what they did, but checking up on their references can help validate their attitude, work performance and personality. Ask your potential MSP for client references or testimonials that speak on their work managing similar clients. This will provide a clearer viewpoint on different aspects of their performance, such as quality of their work and response time for instance.

Skillset:

The competency of your managed services providers staff is paramount to the operation of your IT infrastructure. Certifications or even the number of staff at a MSP is not a guarantee of stellar work performance. Make sure to gain an understanding of the personnel that will be handling a majority of your company’s IT tasks. Find out if staff are trained consistently and best practices are implemented and reinforced throughout the company.

Local Presence:

Although managed services are conducted remotely, the location of your provider is important in case you need on-site assistance. This may not be a factor for some organizations who are only outsourcing portions of their IT infrastructure and have an internal IT team at the ready. However, for some companies or smaller sized enterprises, location may be critical to their decision in hiring an MSP.

Fidelus Technologies, based out of New York City is a Professional and Managed Information Technology Services company focused on customer success and business efficiency . Our services provide seamless networking, data center, wireless, security and unified communications expertise for enterprise businesses.  We have a consultative life cycle approach that includes requirements gathering, assessments, solution design, planning, project management, engineering, adoption and evolution (training) services to fully support the IT needs of your organization.

For more information on our services please visit us here, or feel free to view our managed services data sheet here.