So you need a managed service provider? Nowadays, MSPs seem to be popping up all over the place. Unfortunately, a true MSP is as evasive as the new “social media expert:” many will claim these titles but few are actually seasoned authorities in their respective fields.  That is why you should take both the time and consideration while following this 8 step guide on selecting the best fit your company. 

Step 1: Learn  

If you are considering an MSP, you must first learn what that concept/what outsourcing your IT entails, and what the latest industry trends are. This sort of research will provide you with the basic foundational knowledge you will require in order to make an informed decision later.    

Step 2: Identify

Identify the MSPs in your area, their service offerings, your specific business objectives, what business technology solutions you require to meet said objectives, and whether or not these local MSPs provide the solutions that you will require.  

Step 3: Seek

Seek out more information on the local and relevant MSPs you have detected: their clientele, their relevant experience, their references, the scalability of their solutions, their infrastructure, their technical competence, certifications they may possess, number of years in the field, their areas of expertise, et cetera.

Step 4: Evaluate

Now that you have all of this information at your disposal, you need to proceed to evaluations.  Which company or companies seem to be the best fit, seem able to provide you with exactly the solutions, pricing, scalability and client service that you require?

Step 5: References

Always check references! You want to be certain that the company and their employees are only making the best of impressions: that all client testimonials are nothing but 100 percent positive. Ask management for a list of relevant references (where the service provided best matches what you are looking for) and be sure to follow up and call.    

Step 6: Select

It is now time to make your selection.  Be sure that you pick the MSP that best provides the solutions you require and that had the best references.  Ideally you want an MSP who will become your trusted business partner, ready to embark upon a long-term, reliable, quality relationship.

Step 7: Try

Your best way to test out a new MSP is to start small, with only one or a few solutions, and then expand if all goes well. This pilot is meant to help you determine whether or not the MSP you have selected is the best fit regarding suitability, commitment, and competence.  

Step 8: Scale-up  

Once you are certain that this is the MSP for you, then scale-up and integrate all of the available solutions that you require.

Resources

This list brought to you by Innominds Software: www.innominds.com   

Want to learn more?

Contact Bryley Systems today. Call us at 888.280.5799 or email us at Sales@Bryley.com

Access Markets International (AMI) Partners, Inc. is a market consulting firm based in New York. AMI’s market intelligence of SMB trends and strategies specifically in the realms of IT, Internet, telecom, and managed services has them leading their industry.

Every SMB that relies on information communication technologies (ICT) is obviously aware of the following 2010 trends such as the increase in the use of software as a service (SaaS), managed services (MS), virtualization, and mobile applications.

Well here are 6 more trends for 2010 that AMI has identified while analyzing the global SMB arena.

1.       SMBs will finally loosen up their ICT budgets

The fourth quarter of 2009 showed that SMBs were finally allocating room in their budgets for ICT purchases, and so in 2010 we will see a rise in this trend as SMBs switch from survival mode to business expansion.  ICT technologies obviously facilitate this shift as they all around enhance business efficiency, making it easier to strengthen existing customer relationships as well as generate new ones through referrals and an impeccable image. ICT tools that will assist in employee collaboration, improved customer and prospect networking, and ICT tools for data backup and disaster recovery will become more important to SMBs in 2010.

2.       All SMB ICT purchases will have tangible value in 2010

Due to the economic recession, business decision makers are now completely hands on with regards to their ICT purchases, and now in 2010 these decision makers will need complete justification for all ICT purchases that will guarantee tangible, measurable results.   SMBs will be doing business with ICT vendors and managed service providers (MSPs) that have established themselves as trusted advisors in their field, professionals that can prove with quantifiable data the ROI attached to their products and services. Brand familiarity will also be key in 2010, as SMBs will make ICT purchases from well established leaders in the industry.

3.       Cloud Computing Solutions will struggle to fully capitalize on the ICT industry potential in 2010

This third trend goes hand in hand with the aforementioned trend # 2. SMBs need stronger justification for all ICT purchases nowadays. They need tangible, measurable, guaranteed results from all of their investments.  And with ICT that still appears somewhat ambiguous in the eyes of SMB decision makers, such as Cloud Computing Solutions, SMB decision makers are not only going to require justification for their purchases, but clarification on what these products and solutions entail.  There is still much confusion for business decision makers who are not IT savvy on how exactly Cloud Computing Solutions will benefit their companies.   ICT vendors and MSPs need to be perceived by SMBs as trusted advisors now more than ever, as these Cloud Computing Solutions deliver a tremendous ROI.  They are cost effective, improve all business efficiencies, and now there are data backup and disaster recovery plans as well in case of emergencies. 

4.           Social Media’s popularity with SMBs will continue to grow in 2010, increasing its scope from      just a promotional and networking tool to a source of business intelligence

Social Media obviously has become quite popular over the past few years, first with individuals, and now with businesses.  As of 2009, the primary use of such sites as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn were for brand promotion and business networking.  2010 will see an increase in these prior trends as well as usher in a new era of Social Media for business, where businesses will be monitoring, measuring, and managing their brands, products, and services.

5.       The number of “Total IT Providers” will increase in 2010, putting pressure on IT Specialists

Two factors are responsible for this trend. 1) The consolidation and convergence happening in the IT industry.  The consolidation of leading vendors in the industry in the form of mergers and acquisitions and the convergence between hardware, software, and services translates into traditional value added resellers transitioning into full service, end-to-end managed technology providers.  2) With the economic climate the way it is, SMB are making fewer IT purchases, forcing traditional VARs to seek new outlets of revenue.  What does this mean for the SMB looking for a MSP? It means that they will be adding even more value to their services in the way of product training and constantly available support.

6.       There will be a “capabilities chasm” between MSPs in 2010

Now that the MS industry has matured, those MSPs who are seasoned will pull away from the pack as they will continue to adapt to meet the latest needs and goals of SMBs and a large imbalance of abilities and competence in the MSP realm will ensue. Not to mention, the more seasoned MSPs are more likely to be Partners with the big leaders in the industry, such as Microsoft, HP, and Cisco, and in 2010 AMI predicts that there will be more co-branding to the tune of “our product their service,” again putting the seasoned vets ahead of the pack.  AMI has also noted that SMBs in general prefer one MSP that will provide full, end-to-end IT solutions as opposed to out-tasking different IT needs to different providers.  And so once again, the more seasoned MSPs will be victorious in 2010 as they have been the ones to adapt their business model into one that is “total solutions” to meet their client’s needs.      

Want to learn more about SMB business technology trends?  You can visit the AMI Partner website and learn all about the company and their methods of analysis.

www.ami-partners.com

Want to learn more about managed services and how they can benefit your SMB?  Call Bryley today at 888.280.5799 or Email us at Info@Bryley.com with any and all questions. 

When searching for a Managed Service Provider (MSP) be a smart shopper: find the best fit for you and your company.

You want Managed Services that are custom tailored to your company's specific needs and goals.  Be sure to keep yourself and your company in mind while in your consultations with potential MSPs: will their services be able to solve my problems and/or will they create new business opportunities?  

The following 10 questions, provided by Bryley's partner Cisco, will help you figure out which MSP is the right fit for you and your company.

1. Are you prepared to offer only the features and functions that my business needs, instead of the ones that you include in your one-size-fits-all service bundle?

You want a service plan that is custom-tailored to your company's specific wants and needs, so be sure to ask what items come in the standard coverage and what services are optional and can be either added or subtracted from the base package.  Be sure to check out the managed technology packages Bryley Systems offers under Solutions on our site.  At Bryley, we offer flexible agreements and service options to match client preferences.

2. Can you describe the services that you offer-and their business benefits-in terms that I, and the other members of my executive team, will understand?

Do not make an uninformed decision!  If you do not understand what the sales person is saying, ask them to describe it in other ways until you do.  Have them address how their company's services will directly benefit your company and make certain you have them explain any terms that you do not understand. Our sales personnel at Bryley Systems are both personable and relatable.  You can email us anytime at sales@bryley.com or call at 888.280.5799.

3. Will you provide case study materials to demonstrate how you delivered a managed service solution that solved a business challenge similar to mine?

Customer success stories, especially customers that parallel your business - your industry, your size, your needs, your business goals - will help you to better understand the benefits of managed services.  They are also excellent reference checks. Finding an MSP with years of experience under their belt, that can explain their methodology to you in terms you understand, and that have many loyal customers willing to give testimony is what this is all about.  Bryley Systems, now 23 years in business, will offer you case studies and references during your consultation and you can check out client testimonials on our site's home page anytime.

4. What is the depth and breadth of your current managed service portfolio? 

Can the MSP explain to you their service migration path?  Should your company's managed service needs expand, is this MSP prepared to expand with you? And if there comes a time when there is a service that the MSP simply is not equipped to handle, do they have Partners they work with that will take over?  Our service team at Bryley is ready to grow with you: comprised of certified technicians, we are constantly learning about, certifying in, and deploying the latest in proven services and brand-name and cost effective technology. Be sure to check out our service team as well as an all-inclusive list of our partners on our site under About Bryley.

5. How can I be sure you will apply the best people, processes, and tools? Is your company certified by a leading vendor, and are your offerings delivered using industry-leading technologies to meet the highest quality of service?

MSPs should provide you with data on how they are qualified to meet your company's needs.  MSPs are often required to obtain "qualification levels" that are tiered from their vendors and partners.  Be sure to ask!  You can check out Bryley's qualifications at About Bryley under Service Team and Partners.

6. Where are your network management facilities located, and what are the hours of operation? Describe your escalation process, in the event of an outage.

Is the MSP only available to you Monday through Friday, 9 to 5?  Or will they be on call for any IT emergency your company may have?  Where are they located?  Are they close enough to you that you can rely on them to be there for you on site when needed?  Bryley Systems is located at 12 Main Street, Hudson MA 01749.  Our hours of operation are the standard Monday through Friday, 8:30 to 5, but we are on call for our contracted clients.  Check out our managed technology contracts under Solutions or email us at sales@bryley.com or call at 888.280.5799 to learn more about our after hours availability.

7. What are the assurances for levels of availability, serviceability, performance, and operation? What is the process for remedy if and when levels aren't maintained? 

You want to be assured that the level of coverage you are paying for in your contract is met, and when it is not for some reason or another, how it will be rectified. At Bryley, our service contracts will detail the metrics for you, and our references will provide you with their own testimonials and data, proving our efficiency. 

8. What are the type and scope of management capabilities that you routinely offer?

Examples of typical basic management tools include a service desk and management of various activities including assets, configuration, change, release/update, performance, capacity reporting and planning, and trend reporting complete with recommendations for the future.  Call or email Bryley today to learn about the type and scope of our management capabilities.

9. If required, how will you support existing or acquired IT/networking infrastructure?

Service providers could have policies that limit the device types they support or they only support devices that they install and configure themselves. If you are like many managed service users, then you have an environment where a combination of self-managed and out-tasked infrastructure will need to coexist. Service providers should be able to explain how their responsibilities start and end in this case. They should explain their role in the event that they are asked to operate in a multi-vendor or multi-service provider environment. Call or email Bryley today to learn how we will support your company's existing IT infrastructure.  

10. How do you price and deliver professional services, beyond the scope of the managed service contract?

Be sure to ask for examples of non-contracted services that have been provided by the MSP in the past and the associated fees attached. Call or email Bryley today for such examples.

Call or email Bryley Systems today for a consultation.  Learn about our flexible service packages, our capable, certified technicians, our seasoned management, and our strong relationships with our clients, partners, and vendors. 

Want to learn more about Managed Service Providers and finding the right fit for you and your company?  Check out the full article from Cisco. http://www.cisco.com/en/US/solutions/collateral/ns341/ns121/ns852/qa_c67-508933.html