Maintaining a relationship with your managed service provider

Managed service providers (MSPs) are an indispensable tool for modern businesses. They provide a large number of IT services, ranging from cybersecurity to data storage. The MSP market has grown exponentially in recent years as more and more companies turn towards professional partners to fulfill their IT operations and develop their IT strategy.

Finding the right MSP is, therefore, critically important for any business. Maintaining a healthy relationship with their managed service provider allows organizations to manage risk, gain an edge over their competitors, and grow their business. Certain steps will help you to develop a healthy and productive relationship with your MSP.

Consistent communication

Transparency is the cornerstone of a healthy and happy relationship. When you communicate all your requirements to your managed service provider, this allows them to give you and your team the support they need. Be sure to convey any concerns and challenges you have to your MSP clearly and at the earliest opportunity. Consistent and open communication will help you build a strong relationship with your MSP based on mutual trust.

Ask for help

A business needs effective and efficient IT systems to support their operations and drive growth. IT issues and problems are part of the daily reality of all organizations. Furthermore, as more businesses move towards workforces that are either partially or entirely remote, they are inevitably experiencing new challenges. This is where your MSP can be of assistance, but it is up to you to ask for help. To build a strong relationship with your MSP that meets your changing needs, you must ask for help when needed. Working together helps create trust, as you are demonstrating that you trust your MSP to resolve the problem. Of course, it will also help you to resolve issues that are interrupting your business operations!

Trust your MSP

Trust is the foundation of any relationship, in life and business. This is especially true when it comes to your relationship with your managed service provider. You must trust your MSP to keep your business and its best interests in mind. Remember that your MSP shares your objectives: their role is to do whatever they can to help you meet your goals. To this end, it is vital to have an MSP who understands your vision. 

Discuss opportunities and challenges

Any effective and productive relationship evolves in response to new challenges. It is, therefore, crucial that you address any problems and, equally, discuss opportunities that arise over the contract’s life. Your business develops over time, as does the landscape with which you operate. Frequent and open discussions with your managed service provider will allow them to support your business as it pursues opportunities. Still, it will also allow your MSP to assist you in addressing new challenges as they arise. Your MSP will also be able to troubleshoot problems before they occur, avoiding issues such as server downtime, which costs the average business more than $300,000 a year.

Keep your MSP informed

Another critical aspect of maintaining a strong relationship with your managed service provider is keeping them in the loop. If your MSP is not aware of your business decisions, they will not be able to best support you as you pursue your objectives. You should always keep your MSP informed of any significant business decisions that could impact technology. This will allow them to adapt their services accordingly. Furthermore, they may have advice on how you can optimize your IT strategy in light of such decisions.

Share expected business outcomes

You must communicate your desired business outcomes for the future with your MSP and your expected timeline. This will enable them to provide the most appropriate services to meet these targets. Knowing these outcomes also allows your MSP to track their work and ensure that they meet your expectations.

Get in touch if you’d like to discuss how working with a managed service provider will help your business meet its goals.