8 Questions to Ask Your Potential Managed Services Provider

Managed IT services are becoming more popular, so popular that the managed services market will be worth almost $330 billion by 2025. This is why now is the best time to invest in managed IT.

Choosing an IT company is no easy task; the IT company will be handling your sensitive business data and technological solutions, so you need to choose the most reliable managed IT service.

The best course of action is to ask a managed services provider these 8 questions to ensure you’re getting the best service.

1. What Services Do You Offer?

One of the benefits of managed IT is you get multiple services in one bundle. But it’s essential to know what exact services you’re getting. Some of these services may include data backups, disaster recovery, cybersecurity, network security, and more.

Asking this question also offers more benefits. You may potentially avoid extra fees for services you don’t need and of the general capabilities of the IT company. Request a quote, if you can.

When you discover what services the managed provider offers and the quote, compare this to competitors. See which service offers the most while saving money.

2. How Do You Support New Products and Vendor Relationships?

Most managed IT service providers work with specific vendors to sell their technological products. Looking at these vendors will let you know the managed service provider’s reliability.

You should not only look at the vendors they work with but also the resources they have available. For example, they should provide training so you and your team know how to use the vendor’s products.

The managed service provider should also be investing in new products. Technology changes constantly. If your managed service provider keeps up with the latest technology, they can implement these products into your business.

3. What Are Your Current Customers Saying About Your Services?

Sure, you can look up reviews to receive this answer. But it’s still worth it to ask the managed IT service what their customers are saying. This will tell you many things about the IT service, such as their responsiveness to customer insight and what others are saying about their services.

There are also ways to look outside of traditional customer reviews. Many brands offer case studies on their website. You should read a few of them to understand how the managed IT provider helps their customers.

4. How Do You Respond to Disruptions?

Even if you use the best technology, you’ll inevitably experience disruptions at some point. How will your managed IT service handle any technology disruptions? What if you endure a data breach? The top managed service providers have solutions already set in place for this to occur.

Any business disruptions, but especially a data breach, can result in lost funds and a damaged reputation.

You’ll specifically want to look at these specifics in their plan:

• Monitor your network and immediately respond to abnormal events

• Protect your critical information and data

• Train staff to recognize signs of hacking and other cybercrime activity

• Will resolve the issue immediately to continue daily business operations

Overall, the managed service provider should handle any disruptions immediately.

5. Do You Have a Help Desk?

One of the benefits of a managed service is you can often add a help desk to your plan easily. A help desk is one of the most popular IT services for a reason. Help desk professionals help your staff and customers with technical issues and offer a convenient way for your users to submit support tickets.

You’ll not only want to ask if a managed service provider offers a help desk but you’ll also want to discover how the help desk works, how to submit a ticket, how often the help desk operates, and other vital questions.

6. What Is Your Help Desk’s Responsiveness?

You’ll want to ensure the help desk’s responsiveness is up to par. When inquiring about the help desk’s responsiveness, ask questions such as:

• Are help tickets served on a “first-come, first-serve” or priority basis?

• What are their customer satisfaction rates?

• How quickly does the help center respond to calls?

• Is your help desk-based locally? If not, where?

Knowledgeable, patient, and helpful support representatives make a big difference to your reputation. Whether your staff or your customers need to contact the help support line, you should choose the service that provides the best quality.

7. Are Your Services Compliant?

Now, there are more laws and regulations that surround a business’ technology use. From the GDPR to the HIPAA, it’s more important than ever for a business to stay compliant with their technology records. And a large part of this task will fall on your managed service provider.

Research regional and international data protection and technology laws, as well as any regulations in your industry. Ask the managed service if they comply with any of these regulations.

8. Do You Offer Solutions Based on My Needs?

Some managed service providers offer specific solutions for their clients, while others are more flexible. While there’s nothing wrong with choosing specific services, most businesses may need a solution that works with their unique needs.

Before signing any contracts, ask the managed service provider how they’re willing to work with your business.

For example, some managed service providers offer services where they find any outdated technology or security vulnerabilities in your system. Others may look at your business strategy and may help you find a technological solution.

Ask Your Managed Services Provider These Questions

From help desk support to data breaches, there are many reasons why businesses will need a managed services provider. With so many IT companies out there, it’s essential that you choose the best managed service providers.

Fortunately, you don’t have to look far. We offer many high-quality services, including cybersecurity and cloud solutions. There are several pricing options that will fit all businesses. We also offer solutions for different industries. Contact us to learn more about our managed IT services.