Understanding of both business & IT lifecycle

It is important that your IT managed service provider understands that technology is supposed to solve business problems. They should be able to help you align your IT support function with your overall business strategy and act as a propeller in your growth. But this can only happen if you have outsourced your IT function one service provider. Many businesses often fell in a trap of appointing multiple managed services providers to meet various needs which is not recommended, as this approach can be costly, complex, and can slow down your processes. A better approach is to outsource your IT needs to one supplier who can take care of your IT function from concept to completion.

Industry experience

Finding a supplier that can consistently deliver on time is extremely important. Look for experienced suppliers who have been in the business for a long time and have a strong track record of delivering results.

Technical expertise

You can use different operational performance metrics to measure your supplier’s technical expertise. Metrics such as on-time delivery, quality, lead times, SLA hit rates and average response times will give you a fare idea of their competency. If you already know where your company is on the managed service needs spectrum, you’ll be able to better assess if the prospective MSP is a good fit.

Customer references

The key is to identify that your prospective supplier have positive reviews in the areas you need them. Customer testimonials and endorsements from happy customers who have worked with the supplier are important and you should always ask for references when choosing a supplier before outsourcing your IT function. While any supplier can list the reasons why they are a qualified partner, only the quality ones will have great customer references to share.

You should look for customer testimonials or case studies and shouldn’t be afraid to ask the prospective supplier for a short list of past clients to call on. This research ahead of time can lead to a more successful partnership in a long term.

Local presence

Location is one of the most important factor when shortlisting your IT services provider. Another factor that may have a weight in your search in finding the right MSP is their typical on-site response time. In the event that an installation or implementation requires on-site technical assistance you’ll want to know the answers for all of these situations.