HOW TO IDENTIFY AN MSP WHO CARES ABOUT YOUR BUSINESS GOALS | ANTIVIRUS SOFTWARE

While there is no shortage of templates and recommendations to help companies choose a technology partner, many of them overlook a crucial point. Your relationship with an MSP should be primarily about working towards technology alignment.

Outsourcing your IT needs is about much more than just technology.

The ultimate goal should always be to choose IT solutions that align with your company goals and, of course, solve problems.

Because of this, any MSP you ultimately work with must be willing to offer a bespoke approach rather than trying to push you into a one-size-fits-all solution.

Here are five signs of an MSP worth working with:

1. the Msp Spends More Time Listening than Speaking

The Difference Between a Salesperson and A Reliable Business Partner Is that The Former Is Responsible for The Conversation. when It Comes to Building Valuable Business Partnerships, There Is Far More to Mutual Understanding than Just Closing a Sale. to Do This, an Msp Should First Be Prepared to Learn About Your Company and Its Needs, Challenges, and Priorities. if The MSP Is the One Losing the Most Words, Then They Probably Don't Care About Your Goals. when Evaluating Technology Partners, Those Who Ask Lots of Questions and Are Willing to Discuss the Business Problem Are the Ones Worth Working With.

 

2. THE MSP HAS A THOROUGH UNDERSTANDING OF YOUR INDUSTRY

From an end-user perspective, the technology may always be easier to use, but under the hood, things have never been more complicated. No two IT infrastructures are alike, and every company and every industry faces unique challenges. For example, healthcare providers are subject to special compliance requirements, while financial companies are subject to completely different regulations. Given the complexity of modern technology, every potential technical partner must have a deep understanding of your industry. If they cannot demonstrate experience and expertise in your industry, the chance is slim they will fully understand your business goals.

3. THE MSP IS READY TO SERVE AS AN EXTENSION OF YOUR TEAM

Always be wary of MSPs who are constantly trying to up-and cross-sell. Likewise, those who try to convince you that everything you do is bad and that you have to start from scratch are not the kind of people you want to work with. Working with an MSP doesn't have to mean completely outsourcing your technology needs, nor should it mean spending huge sums of money on something completely new. A reliable partner complements your existing IT department and infrastructure. It's about delegating work more efficiently and establishing a culture of continuous improvement and innovation.

4. THE MSP OFFERS FLEXIBLE SOLUTIONS TO ADAPT TO CHANGING NEEDS

It is impossible to achieve technological alignment simply because the technology is imperfect. But that doesn't mean you shouldn't be working towards it. Technology adaptation is a continuous journey driven by adaptability to change. Every company needs to become as agile as possible to keep up with the competition, and your technology partners need to be able to adapt to this flexibility. To align with your business goals, which will themselves change regularly, avoid technology partners trying to enforce vendor retention and other restrictions.

5. THE MSP HAS NO HIDDEN COSTS

Hidden costs can quickly exhaust any IT budget. Indeed, one of the reasons companies outsource their technology processes and solutions is to turn unpredictable capital expenditures into ongoing operating costs that are easy to plan for. Unfortunately, some MSPs are less transparent than others when it comes to cost. A common example is data egress charges that customers have to pay to move data from one cloud service to another or to copy it back internally. Always be aware of these additional fees and make sure that any company you intend to work with gives you upfront notice of any additional expenses.

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