Increase Productivity With These 5 Questions to Ask Your MSP

These days, we really just want an IT provider that you can trust to do what they say they will. To be even more honest, you might want a team you can meet with quarterly and then leave be until the next meeting, knowing that your IT stuff is good to go in between. We're passionate about making your experience as easy as possible, so we've compiled some of our major pillars that we follow for success. Make sure to check that your current providers are following these guidelines as well. (Skip the fluffy bits by clicking here)

Everyday it feels like there some advancement in technology. Maybe it's good stuff like AI or more secure Microsoft solutions but more often than not it's usually the bad stuff that's making the headlines. No one will forget things like Solarwinds and CrowdStrike, but 2024 also became potentially one of the most devastating years in cybercrime history. 

But in the end, you don't just need protection, you need innovation and productivity so you can make money and stay in business. For a lot of leaders in their business, they just want to trust that the people handling their IT can do what they say they will without all the handholding. We believe that too. So we compiled 5 things that your MSP must be doing so you can accomplish that goal.

tips for choosing a Msp that will boost your business

There is an abundance of MSPs to choose from, but providers are far from the same. Many adhere to different standards and practices, resulting in a different quality or level of attention within their service. Some seek to simply help businesses resolve IT issues as they arrive while others also deliver recommendations for improvement. A select few aim to minimize issues in the first place and accelerate operations through innovation.

Below are 5 things businesses should consider to choose an MSP from the latter category, that will help with greater efficiency while ensuring less risk across the board.

1. Does the MSP go beyond “break/fix” when a problem strikes?

Technical issues are bound to happen, in fact, that is why organizations opt for a provider in the first place. However, many MSPs will solely focus on resolving the issue as quickly as possible, giving little attention beyond the task as hand, without understand why the issue happened or assessing whether any tools or practices could be utilized to prevent or mitigate the issue in the future.

MSPs equipped to innovate will not only have the expertise, but also the initiative, to design and implement these alternative tools or practices.

2. Does the MSP have a customer success or innovation team?

One of the key differentiators between various MSPs is the amount of personalized attention they deliver to their customers. Select providers, many with a local or regional presence, will seek to thoroughly understand their customers’ needs and goals to optimize their technology usage.

More specifically, organizations will want to use a provider with a dedicated customer success or innovation team which deliver customized strategies and solutions for greater efficiency, cybersecurity, and digital transformation (maybe they'll even be investing in AI to make your experience smoother!). Members of customer success teams will regularly check in on their customers’ employees and IT records, looking for areas where business revenue or growth could be boosted by a change in IT tools or practices.

3. Does the MSP have a diverse team of certified experts? 

To promote business continuity and data protection, providers need to be well equipped to respond quickly and confidently to technical issues, disasters, or breaches. Often, providers that can consistently respond efficiently under pressure are those with a staff of highly knowledgeable IT experts who understand the nuances and common pitfalls in different situations. 

Service providers focused on innovation will ensure that their consultants are highly certified in cloud computing solutions, cybersecurity, and incident management to keep businesses moving in any circumstance. Not only will these providers be able to get businesses up and running more efficiently after a technical issue, but they will enable businesses to move with greater speed and productivity in their day-to-day.  

Lastly, the MSPs most prepared for innovation constantly monitor and evolve their employee training. Continuously improved training helps ensure that all employees are up to date on the best ways to help their customers utilize technology for better growth, scalability, and speed. 

4. Does the MSP try to solve problems before they become problems? 

Many providers are concerned about solving problems as they come, but trusted IT partners will seek to understand a business’s IT environment from day 1, looking for areas that could be optimized for efficiency or security.

Good providers (ahem, like Centre) conduct an IT assessment during onboarding to understand  your current usage of technology, business needs, and exposed risks. They will then deliver training and detailed recommendations to ensure minimal technical downtime and dangers they may face in the future. 

5. Does the MSP have rigorous cybersecurity standards and expertise?   

Given the current landscape of constant breaches on organizations of all sizes, businesses have good reason to wonder if their MSP will make them more secure or expose them to further risk. 

A select few, especially of those catering to SMBs, adhere to the SOC 2 Type 2 audit which assesses a business in 5 critical areas: processing integrity, privacy, confidentiality, availability and security. Passing the SOC 2 Type 2 audit requires strict internal practices, documentation, and an active prioritization of IT security and data protection. Proper IT security measures enables businesses and MSPs the confidence and freedom needed to take risks for a more innovative and disruptive future. 

What to do next

You might be either really concerned about your current IT provider, or realizing just how much your need a good MSP. Either way, if you need help, we want to be your first call.

Contact us to learn more about their mission to provide enterprise-grade managed solutions and services with a local and personal experience.