6 signs it’s time for a new Managed Service Provider (MSP)
Is it time for your business to get a new Managed Service Provider (MSP)?
Today we see so many businesses not getting what they need from their MSP, and the flow on result is damaging to the organisation.
Competing in the current Australian market means that technology services can no longer be just a function. Technology needs to be enabling and supporting the business in delivering its objects.
How your MSP impacts your business.
An MSP that truly is engaged and understands your business will deliver solutions aligned to the goals of the business. When your MSP isn’t aware or doesn’t understand your business, the wrong services get prioritised (or worse, deprioritised), point solutions are implemented and delivered value from spend is low.
So how do you know when it’s time for a new service provider? These six signs mean it’s time to start considering…
Service levels have dropped
Service-Level Agreement (SLA) performance isn’t necessarily a measure of customer satisfaction, if you’re getting complaints from staff or customers, then it’s likely that there is a problem and it’s time to investigate!
Start by running through support tickets you have logged with your MSP in detail. Look at how the request came in, what was the description of the issue, the handling timing of the ticket and how did the engineer communicate. It is also useful to look at the follow up times and the processes in place to resolve the issue. After reviewing a handful, you tend to pick up some trends and it becomes obvious why your staff aren’t happy.
2. A service level rollercoaster
We see this all too often. You, as the customer, report an underlying dissatisfaction with service to your MSP. It seems to be received by the service provider, they come back to you promptly, promise to fix the problem and put together a plan to improve things (a.k.a Service Improvement Plan). This all goes well for a couple of weeks, but then the issues start to emerge again, and you are back to where you started!
Continually having to drive the provider to resolve ongoing issues is a real sign that the provider is struggling to support your business and/or they lack the expertise to manage your environment.
Look at whether reported ongoing issues are coming back after they have been ‘resolved’ by your MSP. Are you continually engaging and escalating to Account Manager/Service Delivery Manager/Managing Director, only to be back to where you started a few weeks later?
3. The relationship at the management level is weak
When was the last time your senior management team met with the provider’s senior management? Do you only hear from them if things go wrong? Do you have access to key contacts other than an Account Manager or Service Manager?
If these relationships don’t exist, it is a sign that your organisation might not be getting the attention it needs from the provider. This can be for a number of reasons, namely, your organisation is too small, the MSP lacks experience in your industry, or they don’t have the skills in-house managing customer relationships.
Without relationships at the different levels of the organisation the result is likely a misalignment between your organisation and MSP.
4. You are not comfortable sharing business strategy or plans
An MSP is more than just a black hole where things go to get fixed.
A truly strong partnership where you can leverage technology and improve the experience for your staff and customers must exist. If you’re reluctant to share your business vision and strategy, then this points to a lack of trust with the service provider. The partnership should see the provider sitting at the table with you discussing your goals and objectives and how technology can be leveraged to deliver these. With this visibility, the provider can make more informed decisions during business activities, as well as provide better aligned solutions to support business objectives.
5. You haven’t developed a suitable roadmap (or one that fits)
Without question one of the fundamental items your MSP should be developing with you is a technology roadmap - an outline of the technology items coming up for your business.
If you don’t have one, it’s a concern!
The roadmap doesn’t need to be set in stone, that’s not the idea, but it should be providing guidance. Not having one means that you’re like a ship without a rudder.
6. You’re reading this post
If you’re reading this post and looking for confirmation, well here it is.
Actively considering either outsourcing your current services or swapping out your existing provider, means that you probably should (or at least be having a formal assessment done).
It may appear to be a daunting task but in reality it’s achievable, no matter the complexity. There are a few fundamentals you need to have sorted to ensure the success of a transition:
really understanding your business drivers and goals
having the skills and expertise needed internally and externally to support the organisation achieve a smooth transition.
A key element to ensure the success of an MSP is having the right internal delivery model for technology delivery. Before going to market for a new provider or even re-negotiating with your existing provider, do you have the right internal structure to support the partnership?
This decision isn’t easy but in the long run securing an MSP that understands your business and how to achieve its goals will pay off!