Premier List of Questions to Ask Before Hiring an MSP

Your Premier List of Questions to Ask Before Hiring an MSP

Not Asking These Questions Would Be a HUGE Mistake…

Many organizations of all types and sizes realize the benefits of hiring an MSP (also known as a managed services provider). After all, they know that technology is critical to operating as efficiently as possible, being innovative in the marketplace, and above all, standing out amongst the competition. An MSP can provide a range of services that prove to be invaluable in the short and long-term, such as:

• Network monitoring
• Regular maintenance
• Cybersecurity solutions
• Strategic planning
• Help desk services
• Business telephones
• Cloud solutions
• And much more

Why Hire An MSP?

Before we look at the questions you need to ask prior to signing an agreement, it’s important to understand WHY you should hire an MSP. Here’s the thing… You simply can’t function without your technology nowadays. You rely on your email, phones, software, and various other tools to get through the workday – from staying in touch with customers to reaching new audiences to storing sensitive information and everything in between.

An MSP gives you the ability to rest assured, knowing your information technology is monitored, managed, and protected against any sort of threat. You benefit from:

• A flat-rate monthly fee for all of the services and support you need.
• Access to an entire team of trained technology professionals.
• Less unexpected issues, and in turn, less costly downtime.
• Greater security against threats to your sensitive data.
• And much more

What Questions Should You Ask Before Hiring An MSP?

The managed services market is evolving at an incredibly rapid rate, with new players coming out every day. But at the same time, there’s a major shortage of information technology talent plaguing the industry. This means that if you’re not asking the right questions, you may end up with an MSP that isn’t necessarily qualified or ready to take care of you properly.

We’ll review some of the most important questions you need to ask before you sign an agreement. As a leading MSP serving businesses in Orlando with high-quality IT support since 1984, we’ve worked with many organizations that came to us because they weren’t satisfied with their previous provider.

Based on our experience, we’ve compiled this list because we know that asking these questions ahead of time would have saved these organizations from a lot of hassle, wasted time, and of course, wasted money.

Questions About Contracts and Fees

• Will I maintain ownership of my data, even if the contract is terminated?
• Do you have a cap on yearly rate hikes?
• How will you notify me if charges apply above and beyond the contract?
• Do you include projects in your monthly fee?
• If not, what is your hourly rate for projects?
• Do I need to purchase any equipment before we get started?
• If so, what will be the cost?
• Do you include onsite support hours in the monthly fee?
• If not, what is your hourly rate for onsite support?
• Do you offer standard pricing, or will you take my organization’s unique needs into account? (An early warning sign is if they mention a per-seat price too early on)

Questions About Service and Support Delivery

• What is your average network uptime performance?
• What metrics do you use to access performance?
• Will you provide me with performance reports?
• What can I expect in terms of support availability?
• Will you meet with us regularly for strategic planning?
• What remote monitoring management solution do you use?
• How do I request support?
• What can I expect in terms of response time?
• What can I expect in terms of resolution time?
• How are support tickets escalated?
• Do you have any statistics on satisfaction levels for your help desk?

Questions About Data Security

• Who will have access to my data?
• Will you handle my data in a manner that’s compliant with industry-specific regulations?
• How do you plan on backing up my data?
• What do you do to secure my data?
• Will anyone outside of your organization have access to my data?
• Who owns my data if it’s hosted at another facility?
• What happens to my data if you go out of business?

Where Can You Find a Great MSP?

To identify a reliable MSP, ask yourself: have they answered your questions concisely or have their answers been too technical to follow? We might be biased, but we’re happy to help organizations like yours manage and maintain their information technology. We’ve been in business since 1984, and we’re familiar with all types of systems. Just take a look at what our current clients say…

Testimonials Archive – SemTech IT Solutions

Get in touch with us to get started…

1. Book a meeting with our team of information technology professionals
2. Find out which IT services are right for you
3. Enjoy a long-term partnership focused on helping you operate more efficiently