About the guide
In today’s climate of business competition, organizations are growing increasingly reliant on data and technology solutions to generate valuable insights, improve operational efficiencies and keep costs in check.
While some organizations may choose to invest in improvement of in-house capabilities to manage and scale their information management systems, others find it ideal to outsource these services and, instead, focus on their core areas of expertise. The decision to choose one of these paths over the other may be based on various factors, including level of internal expertise, comparative costs or even the ability to monitor these systems around-the-clock.
Managed Service Providers are specialized third-party vendors that can help your organization by monitoring and managing your infrastructure, platforms, and solutions. In some cases, they may also deliver all the services that usually fall under the IT department’s domain. These providers offer immense flexibility in terms of both capacity and support resources, allowing you to scale up or down to meet demand fluctuations so that you can continue to function with agility.
Managed Service Providers can help improve your organization’s operational efficiency by bringing in advanced capabilities and expertise, as well as proactively anticipating, monitoring and addressing problems before they cause significant damage or downtime. Moreover, these external providers can also help safeguard your data from cyber-attacks, maintain security and offer quick recovery solutions in the case of a breach. In addition to these services, Managed Service Providers can help you optimize costs, mitigate losses and ensure business resiliency.
There are many elements to be considered while choosing a Managed Service Provider, to ensure that you find the right fit with a trusted, expert partner. From the breadth of services that they offer, to the depth of their expertise, it is imperative to know the provider’s scale and capabilities before making a selection. Timely, quality service is a basic expectation to have from a service provider, and that depends on other factors like organization size, location and flexibility to best-shore offerings. Lastly, certifications, awards and customer feedback can reaffirm your decision, so that you can select a trusted Managed Service Provider that is equipped to meet your needs and help your organization soar ahead.
This in-depth article delves into:
- Categories of services offered by Managed Service Providers and how to pick a combination that works best for you
- Benefits of working with an external provider
- Criteria to keep in mind while selecting the right provider
For those organizations already working with a Managed Service Provider, it is important to ensure that your MSP is prepared for effectively navigating through changes in the external environment. Watch our webinar recording to check if your Managed Service Provider is ready for the New Normal.
