MSP stands for Managed Service Provider. An MSP is a company that manages your IT infrastructure and workstations, which in turn helps improve your operations and cuts costs.
What does a Managed Service Provider do?
The largest part of a Managed Service Provider’s mandate is to maintain and monitor your IT on a daily basis. It’s like having personalized tech support for all of your office IT needs!
Using a MSP allows an organization to be proactive to prevent many IT problems before they occur. They follow the latest technological trends so you don’t have to, and address issues related to cost and quality. MSPs often have experience working with things like cloud technology, deployment services, wireless networks and cybersecurity.
MSPs can also help your organization set up the IT infrastructure in a new office space or improve efficiency in an existing office space. (A common request we get is to improve Wi-Fi!)
How can you make sure that you are choosing the right MSP?
They Understand You:
Before talking about anything IT related, your MSP should spend some time getting to know you and your business. How can any MSP make recommendations about your IT infrastructure if they haven’t taken the time to understand who you are and what you do? It’s important that the MSP knows your current business goals and where you see yourselves over the next 3-5 years. The MSP also needs to gather a sense of how your organization operates and your overall workflow.
At SupportMyMac, we offer an IT Assessment service where one of our technicians will come to your workplace to look at your existing IT infrastructure and provide a business consultation.
They have Similar Cultural Values:
Here, we’re (of course!) referring to company culture. It’s really important to make sure that the MSP you choose holds similar values as your organization’s. This similarity gives the relationship a better opportunity for success.
You want to find a Managed Service Provider that has strong communication skills and prides themselves on the work they do. Common goals and interests will make it easier for both parties to operate productively.
They’re Experienced:
It’s safe to say that any organization you work with should be experienced! The key here is to ensure that the MSP is experienced in the areas that match your organizational needs.
For example, it’s always a good sign if they have experience working with other organizations in your industry. Every industry has different IT needs. An organization in the healthcare industry might have concerns about file sharing and workstation standardization, whereas an organization in the creative industry might need effective cloud storage. So it’s a positive sign if the MSP has driven results within your industry in the past.
- Here are some industries that SupportMyMac has experience working with (click each one to find out more).
Some of the main areas that a MSP should have experience in include:
- Back-Up & Security: your files need to stay safe and secure
- Cloud Technology: you’ve heard it before, everything is moving to the cloud
- Managed Security: yes, unfortunately cyberattacks are continuing to rise
- Wireless Solutions: your Wi-Fi connectivity should definitely reach everyone in the office
Here are some of the biggest IT challenges we solve for our clients.
What is an IT Service Provider and how can they help your organization?
Read more about this topic:
Top Benefits When You Outsource Your Business’ IT Support
How to Find the Right IT Partner for Your Business
Why is the Healthcare Industry Outsourcing Their IT?