9 Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Managed Service Provider
SEPTEMBER 30, 2022 06:18 AM
It is quintessential for any company to have a digital presence in today's age. Still, unfortunately, most businesses find it challenging to stay up in the digital age and adequately apply it for day-to-day operations. Modern IT business solutions may help businesses in a variety of industries. Still, they need to do dozens of searches to choose a reliable Managed Service Provider (MSP) to oversee their technology stack, which can take time and effort.
For many companies, keeping up with technology is outside their priority list, and migrating to the cloud can seem impossible.
This blog tells how to select the right MSPs by providing a set of quality questions to ask before going for cloud migration and explains how to identify who can guide you through this digital labyrinth.
1. What accolades and certifications does your company have?
Accolades are essentially a tangible reputation showing that the company has reached certain skill levels, and certifications carry more weight than others. Check if the MSP is a
Gold Partner with companies like Oracle, Amazon, Microsoft, etc.
2. Can you provide a list of references similar to my service needs?
Most of the MSPs who want to show off their successes will have a list of references; all these will provide a truer picture of the company's capability. But do not fall prey by seeing the list of successes and not failures. Do your research and ask about the projects they found the most difficult and what they did to overcome these hurdles.
3. What are the pricing options offered by the MSP?
The foremost important thing you need to check on pricing is if the MSP will be flexible for customizable pricing. There are few client-centric MSPs who offer tailored solutions specific to the client's management needs.
4. What is the MSP business continuity/disaster recovery plan?
Most MSPs have a disaster plan, however, getting a full picture of how they can help you with disaster recovery, from both your facility and their own, if any catastrophic situation happens can play a big role in your decision.
5. What compliance frameworks do the MSP support?
Depending upon your business, you need to check if they are HIPAA, PCI, or GDPR compliance certified. Additionally, verify the MSP has SLAs that guarantee the successful execution of the contract.
6. What are the MSP competencies?
By looking at the list of certifications that an MSP holds, you will get an indication of the quality and their technical strengths. A Windows specialist isn't much help for a Linux shop, so ask for their resource's skill sets to see if they are up to date on the latest cloud technologies.
7. Which tasks are included in the contract and which are "out of scope"?
A business relationship should be a win-win situation where a clear communication plan sets the expectations. Getting the list of tasks that are in scope and out of scope in the contract helps you to know upfront how services outside these boundaries will affect your cost.
8. Will you provide any strategic IT advice in future?
In this cloud age, no enterprise or technology will stand still. Check on how forward-thinking they are, MSPs with a good track record are always expected to look to the future and anticipate your future needs.
9. What makes you different from other MSPs?
Last but not least, in any conversation ask, "What are the benefits of working with you?" Responding to this is a piece of cake for any MSP if they are truly unique. Check on the MSPs provided references, case studies, and testimonials.
Whether you're looking for Oracle Database, PeopleSoft, or Cloud Managed Services, choosing the right partner can be complicated and is something that many others fail to do. There are many MSPs out there, and these nine questions can help you find the best MSP that puts the needs of others first and helps your business stay safe and successful.
SMACT Works is a technology-focused systems integrator and IT/ERP consulting firm. We deliver end-to-end consulting, managed, and implementation services for Oracle Cloud Applications, IaaS & PaaS, On-Premise PeopleSoft & EBS Applications. Headquartered in Dublin, OH, we have a global presence with North America and Asia offices. We are an Oracle Gold Partner Cloud Standard, ISO 9001, and 27001 certified delivery organization serving customers with Excellence and Integrity.
