A managed service provider (MSP) is an information technology (IT) professional that assumes responsibility for providing a specific collection of services, either proactively, remotely, on-site or as otherwise required. With an experienced MSP, a company is assured significant cost savings and revenue improvement, increased worker quality, workforce insight, and greater regulatory compliance. Thus, many organizations are employing MSPs to increase their success rate. As a result, the Staffing Industry Analysts’ Contingent Buyers’ Survey revealed that in the past two years, MSP use experienced a significant increase due to enhanced stability and greater efficiency. Nonetheless, prior to employing the MSP best suited for your business, please review the following seven suggestions that will ensure your decision will lead to stellar results:

1. Availability

Simply because you are not consistently utilizing your computer hardware or network devices 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and 365 days a year, you must ensure that your MSP is readily available to attend to your needs, whether at 7 PM on a weekday or 11 AM on a Sunday. Technology is fragile and may require attention at any given moment. Therefore, it is extremely important that you have an MSP who will guarantee accessibility 24 x 7 x 365, with fast and accurate results. It is crucial that you are assured a rapid response time, thus becoming your MSP’s most prioritized concern.

2. Daily Backups and Disaster Recovery

Computers can malfunction due to mechanical glitches and malicious software, among a number of other reasons. Additionally, your business may experience a weather disaster, vandalism, or an outage that may also result in information forfeiture. Therefore, you must ensure that your MSP engages in proactive monitoring to prevent the loss of valuable data and time weeks before such a disaster strikes. However, in case of a cataclysm, verify that your MSP provides automatic and consistent backups which are stored on off-site servers for redundancy, especially if important documents are only stored on your computers. In fact, the most paramount MSP will guarantee data migration, recovery, and replication in order to ensure that your business never experiences the detrimental consequences of a technological collapse.

3. Network Security

In order to ensure the confidentiality of your clients and the privacy of your data, you must be aware of how vital network security is for the success of your prospects and objectives. The increasing number of Internet users worldwide creates an equal number of opportunities for cyber criminals to infiltrate your network and computers. Hence, you must partner with an Managed IT Service Provider that will maintain the integrity of your IT infrastructure. This can be achieved through ensuring that your MSP proactively monitors and manages your network, and can offer you services such as email filtering, whereby spam and malware will be reduced or eliminated. An amalgamation of network security should also be available through association with your MSP, including firewalls, along with intrusion, threat, virus, malware and ransomware protection.

4. Server Preventive Maintenance

In a digital world where technology is dominating the business environment, you must ensure that your MSP is willing to regularly maintain your network. An effective MSP will help you succeed by increasing the reliability of your systems in a cost-efficient manner. Therefore, in addition to ensuring that your servers are regularly backed up and your network is secure, your MSP should also monitor system bottlenecks such as processor and memory utilization, and application services, such as Microsoft Exchange and Internet Information Services (IIS) resource utilization. Moreover, your MSP should be familiar with the most recent updates for installed applications and ensure operating system patches are current.

5. Remote Technical Support

An effective MSP will have the resources to provide you with remote technical support. Rather than having to wait for a technician to arrive at your establishment, you should be able to receive assistance from your MSP through the phone, and more importantly, directly through your computer. This will guarantee a fast response, whereby your concerns will be resolved quickly. Furthermore, if your MSP can help remotely, your employees can continue tending to their duties without the impediment of having to rearrange assignments due to the presence of an IT consultant on site.

6. Customer-Focused Approach

An MSP essentially becomes an extension of an organization, thus securing the oversight and optimum delivery of contingent labor. Therefore, you must ensure that your MSP is familiar and knowledgeable with the vendors your establishment is utilizing, thereby having the ability to provide you with a variety of IT services. Furthermore, the most successful MSP partnerships entail providers who are long-standing and reputable, with an impressive and healthy track record. Generally, your MSP’s website should include testimonials by others who have reaped the rewards of the services offered.

7. Cost Effective

Last but certainly not least, conduct a financial analysis before committing to an MSP. Your provider should accommodate a predictable and realistic budget that effectively aligns with your expenses. However, remember that the provider with the highest prices does not necessarily offer the best service. Rather, search for an MSP with competitive pricing, while consistently asking why services are more or less expensive than other MSP providers. Ultimately, costs will rely on factors such as the size of your company, in addition to supplementary resources or custom work.

Overall, the aforementioned seven suggestions should guide you to make an informed decision in regard to partnering with the most appropriate and suitable MSP for your establishment. To begin your research, please access the following link in order to learn more about an MSP provider in accordance with these recommendations: Managed IT Services Provider.