How to Tell if Your MSP is Actually Helping Your Business Grow
One of the most exciting things about business --
regardless of industry -- is that the game is always changing. There are always
new innovations to explore, new strategies to adopt, and new services to try
that can give your company an edge over the competition. Experimenting with all
of these developing tools is a necessary part of operating a business, and as
in any experiment, some trials go better than others.
If your goal is to find the best managed IT services for your business, you
unfortunately might not find the perfect match for your company on the first
try. Is it time for you to move onto another MSP? Consider the 4 warning signs
below:
●
You’re experiencing downtime
●
Security concerns are increasing
rather than decreasing
●
You’re consistently offered only
“one-size-fits-all” solutions
●
Your MSP doesn’t have a
growth-oriented company culture
Managed IT Services are supposed to
make your team’s productivity and security skyrocket. If you aren’t seeing that
happen, something may be amiss.
1. Since you switched to your current MSP, downtimes have gone way up.
For many companies, one of the most persuasive
factors in the decision to try out an MSP is that managed IT services are supposed
to decrease downtimes and boost productivity.
After all, you’re bringing in an entire organization dedicated to keeping your
company’s tech in tip-top shape.
If you notice that downtimes are actually
increasing, you could be facing one of several issues:
●
Your current MSP may not be
monitoring your organization’s needs closely enough
●
Your current MSP may not have the
expertise necessary to support your company’s needs
●
Your current MSP may not have the
resources necessary to support the complexity or size of your technology needs
Regardless of whether it’s due to carelessness or
it’s because there’s something missing in your MSP, increasing downtimes are a
huge red flag.
2. You’ve experienced one or more major security scares -- or worse, breaches.
Just a few decades ago, data was in its infancy.
Today, we live in an increasingly data-centric world. We’re constantly
collecting, monitoring, and using data to operate and grow our companies. At
this point, it’s essential, which by extension means keeping it secure is also essential.
IT managed service providers should have the
resources necessary to keep your data more secure than you are able to keep it
on your own. That’s part of the allure and MSP has, especially to smaller
companies and startups. If your security concerns are mounting and your MSP is
not responding effectively, it may be time to switch providers.
Every company has unique IT needs. If
your MSP isn’t able to support your current and future needs, it may be time to
go back to the drawing board as far as IT services go.
3. Your MSP doesn’t provide you with customized solutions.
A managed IT service provider maintains
relationships with a variety of software and hardware vendors, which is how
they are able to offer you tailor-made solutions that fit your company’s needs
precisely. If that doesn’t sound like the experience you’re having with your
MSP, something is definitely not right.
A good MSP won’t push your company towards
“one-size-fits-all” solutions. On the contrary, they will work with you to
understand your unique needs and goals, develop a scalable IT support plan, and
update your service as necessary to keep your company on track.
4. Your MSP is stagnant.
It’s so important that it’s worth mentioning
again -- business is always changing. Any company that’s going to be successful
has to be growth-oriented, and you should be able to see
that at all levels of the business.
Company culture is a powerful thing. Good MSPs
will encourage employees to continue learning and create a culture that
supports growth and communication. If you get the sense that your MSP is stuck
in the past, beware. If you aren’t careful, you might end up stuck right there
with them.
Pinpointing the right managed IT
service provider can be challenging, but making sure the businesses you partner
with will encourage your company’s growth is essential.
Finding the right managed service provider for
your business can be tricky. Just like so many other things, it can take a bit
of trial and error to get it right. If any of the items in this list sounded a
little too familiar, it might be time to look elsewhere for IT support.
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