6 Things to Look for in a Managed Services Provider
Have you noticed that your technology needs increase as your business grows? The best way to cater to your expanding IT needs is to get the right managed services partner. According to Forbes, managed IT services can boost productivity for both small and large businesses.
With the right managed IT services partner, you can leverage your current IT infrastructure and staff to pay more attention to your business’s core functions. This article discusses the things to look for in a managed services provider. Keep reading to learn how best to partner with an IT company in your business.
1. Availability
Even though you don’t work around the clock, your IT system needs monitoring 24/7. You may not be able to do the monitoring yourself. That’s why you should choose a managed services provider capable of operating around the clock, 365 days a year. With this kind of coverage, you can be sure that your IT company will come to your rescue whenever you have problems with your IT systems.
2. Third-Party Vendor Partnerships
A managed service provider should have connections with third-party services, software, and cloud services your business uses. An average business needs services from multiple third-party vendors. It gets complicated if you’re handling multiple companies from which your business hires services. However, a good managed services provider can provide insight into reputable companies and even offer access to their own partners, relieving your stress.
3. Ability to Plan Your IT Budget
Before starting any financial year, your IT budget should be dialed in. Thus, you should assess the company’s ability to give you the advice you need to improve tech efficiency and save money. The company should look out for your interests and strive to help you minimize costs, and they should offer consistent pricing without hidden fees or surprise upcharges.
4. On-site and Remote Support
One of the things to look for in a managed services provider is the ability to provide both on-site and remote support. When any component of your on-site infrastructure fails, you need someone to inspect and repair it. That also applies to off-site support, covering daily backups to remote servers and cloud services.
5. Employee Support
A good managed services provider should provide support to your employees by teaching them what it takes to use your IT infrastructure. Experts from the company should be available to answer technology-related questions from your employees, teach them how to handle small issues, and prepare them against cybersecurity threats.
6. Testing, Monitoring, and Maintenance
When you work with a good managed services provider, you ensure that your network gets protected from hackers and cybercriminals. You need an IT partner that can help you run updates and proactively fix problems as they arise in your IT infrastructure. With such services and proactive strategizing from an IT partner, you can be sure that your system is running when you need it.
Fusion Managed IT
At Fusion Managed IT, we help you improve efficiency and ROI by reducing costs, minimizing time, and preventing costly system repairs. Consider what’s important to your unique business when it comes to IT, and get in touch with our team to find out how we can meet those needs.
Author: James Michalak
