Managed services provider help businesses grow and achieve their goals. But how do you choose the right MSP for your business?

1. CHOOSING THE
RIGHT MSP
Tips For

2. INTRODUCTION
Technological advancements can offer
efficiencies and possibilities that we could not
dream of a decade ago, but they present a
real challenge for business owners.
It becomes difficult to keep your staff up to
date as it will be financial and time intensive.
This opens your business up to partnering up
with the right managed services provider, but
how do you find one?

3. TIPS TO FIND
THE RIGHT MSP
Find A Partner, Not An Organized Vendor
Request References & Use Them
Do They Offer Anything Beyond Managed IT Services?
Someone Who's Actually Interested In Your Business
The Right MSP Would Use A Proactive Approach
An MSP That Uses Written Agreement
Avoid MSPs Who Strictly Bill By The Hour
Up-Front Cost Should Not Be A Major Deciding Factor

4. FIND A PARTNER,
NOT AN ORGANIZED VENDOR
Who wants to learn more about your business
Who can understand your business's core
If the MSP you choose does not understand your
business or has appropriate experience, it won’t be
able to come up with the right strategies.
Moreover, there are no standardized solutions in
IT. Even companies with the same number of
employees in the same industry can have very
different IT needs.

5. Ask prospective MSPs if they go beyond managed IT
services.
If they do, they might not be geared towards being a
superior MSP and might not be able to deliver the focused
attention and commitment your company deserves.
However, this might not always be the case with some
companies.
Certain MSPs have different teams and account managers
for dedicatedly managing companies.
So, this point should be on your checklist but should not
be the main deciding factor.
DO THEY OFFER ANYTHING BEYOND
MANAGED IT SERVICES?

6. REQUEST REFERENCES &
USE THEM
Look for a provider that has been in business for a
couple of years and has built a good reputation in
the industry.
If you tick these boxes, you can rest assured that
your IT needs are being properly managed and
your MSP will be working hard to keep your name
safe.
They are more likely to see you as a partner.
because their success depends in part on yours.

7. The most effective MSP is the one who seeks more
information about your company & business, its needs,
challenges and goals.
This process is key to curating the right IT strategy for
your company.
To successfully monitor your technology and grow your
business, an MSP needs to know where you are and
where you are going.
SOMEONE WHO'S ACTUALLY
INTERESTED IN YOUR BUSINESS

8. THE RIGHT MSP WOULD USE A
PROACTIVE APPROACH
MSPs with long-term vision use proactive remote
monitoring.
So they can identify & prevent problems before a
crisis causes data loss, downtime, or other
disruptions.
Frequent and timely off-site as well as on-site
backups are critical for fully implemented recovery
plans.

9. You have the right to expect that the MSP you
choose will be liable if it fails to deliver the
promised services.
Ask how the service provider fixes any errors in the
past. Trust is also important but so are written
promises.
AN MSP THAT USES WRITTEN
AGREEMENT FOR ACCOUNTABILITY

10. AVOID MSPS WHO STRICTLY
BILL PER HOUR
One of the greatest advantages of partnering with
an MSP is that your IT expenses are predictable as
well as controlled.
MSPs charging fixed fees for defined services
benefit from getting the job done right the first
time and avoiding problems from the outset.
One of the greatest advantages of partnering with
an MSP is that your IT expenses are predictable as
well as controlled.
MSPs charging fixed fees for defined services
benefit from getting the job done right the first
time and avoiding problems from the outset.

11. Note that the initial cost of managing your network
shouldn't be the only deciding factor when
choosing your MSP.
The financial benefits of regulatory compliance,
reliable security, minimized downtime, and costly
network disaster prevention should lead you to
carefully weigh all considerations listed in this
article.
UP-FRONT COST SHOULD NOT BE A
MAJOR DECIDING FACTOR

12. BONUS TIPS
Look for an MSP with experience in managing
remote and hybrid work environments as well as
traditional office workplaces.
Setting up an employee so that they can work
reliably outside the office is much more than just
providing them with a computer and letting them
connect to your home network.
In light of the paradigm shift from Work From
Office to Work From Home, it is important that the
managed service provider you are working with
fully understands the unique challenges of
working remotely, particularly in terms of
additional cybersecurity risks.