If you’ve been considering outsourcing your IT to a Managed Services Provider (MSP), chances are you’ve done your due diligence in sorting out your options. Your web search probably returned numerous articles with titles along the lines of, “Questions to Ask a Managed Services Provider.” These articles are helpful in general, but often they don’t dig deeply enough into what you really need to know. There are better questions to ask a potential Managed Services Provider.
Common Questions for an MSP
Of course, you have to begin with the basics if you hope to identify the MSP that will be right for your business. Common questions include:
- What services are covered under contract, and what aren’t?
- Do you have helpdesk services?
- Do you offer onsite as well as remote services?
- Will you remotely monitor my systems?
- Do you have E&O Insurance?
- Will you provide reporting on backups?
- Do you regularly install patches and updates?
Without a doubt, these are important questions to ask. In fact, if a MSP can’t provide good answers to these questions, they should probably be eliminated as prospective partners. If you’ve received satisfactory answers but still aren’t sure which MSP is right for your business, get more specific with your questions.
Better Questions for a Better MSP Experience
Nothing is evolving faster than cybersecurity. Breaches have hit both public and private sectors, from government to large corporations to mom-and-pop businesses. It’s no longer a matter of if, but when a breach will occur. While some MSPs have protocols to help mitigate these types of issues, many have not yet caught up. Therefore, it’s important to ask some additional questions:
- How do you limit downtime in the event of a disaster?
- Is there a defined process in place to get my business back up and running in the event of a disaster, whether it is a breach or a natural disaster?
- How are you backing up my data, and is it secure from encryption by potential threats?
- Do you regularly evaluate your security measures to see if they are keeping up with the new and changing threats?
Obviously, an MSP should employ best practice security measures to protect your company. However, there are plenty of opportunities for the bad guys to find a hole in your defenses and exploit your information for their gain. It’s critical to work with a partner committed to protecting your business, both on the front end and behind the scenes. If the worst does occur, having a safety net in place can allow your business to recover fully.
For more than 40 years, Lieberman Technologies has been providing technology solutions to businesses. We’ve seen the technology landscape evolve, in terms of both opportunities and risks. As a Managed Services Provider, we keep up on trends and threats as they emerge. Contact us to learn more about how our managed services offerings can help your business remain operational in the face of technological challenges!