How to Choose a Managed Services Provider

A company that’s struggling with technology problems will show some obvious and some not-so-obvious symptoms. Sure, there are the dropped calls and awful audio during conference calls, the internet always seems slow, guests to the office can’t get their equipment to connect, users have to wait hours or days before they get the support they need. These are the obvious things, but what are the hidden factors? How safe are your networks? Do your employees know what to do when they get emailed a suspicious PDF from a sketchy source? How often is your data backed up, and where does it go? Are you and your employees stuck using old and outdated hardware, applications, and processes? And, perhaps the biggest question, are you getting the most out of your technology?

If this sounds like your business, if the above questions are hard to answer, or if you cringe at the thought of the honest truth about the state of your technology, it is clear you need some help. Luckily that help is easily available. It is affordable, it aligns with your business goals, it modernizes your entire organization, and it turns your technology from a daily problem into an indispensable asset. The right managed services provider (MSP) is an outsourced solution to the hundreds of struggles that are the product of dozens of poor IT support and unplanned technology decisions.

This blog will take a look at how to choose a managed services provider and how Blue Net Inc. is the Twin-Cities premier MSP.

What Does An MSP Do?

Chances are if you’re experiencing problems, your business is operating under one of three scenarios: 

• Your technology has evolved through temporary solutions that have become permanent ones. It’s also very likely your IT staff consists of employees that belong to other departments, and technology is a secondary part of their jobs simply because there is nobody else to do them. 
• Your business is growing and changing, leaving your in-house IT department simply under-staffed, overworked, and unloved. 
• You pay an IT company for support, and they see your organization as another invoice, or their solutions fall short of your expectations.

All of these situations weaken your business, frustrate your employees, and leave you vulnerable to countless security threats and business risks that can threaten your future. A managed services provider will solve all of these situations, but the first thing to ask is what your needs are. An established MSP like Blue Net can deliver advanced IT solutions such as:

Managed Support Services – From local on-site maintenance to offsite support, the right MSP is one that responds quickly to IT issues. The right partner doesn’t forward calls to a call center, leaving problems for later, they get their best people in the issue immediately, and they don’t quit until the problem is solved. 

Security Testing and Monitoring – Sure, you’ve heard all the horror stories, so it should be no surprise that security is important, but how are small and medium businesses to know the best ways to protect themselves? Your MSP will. In fact, security-oriented managed service providers like Blue Net will put security first always. We start with a security assessment that weighs your weaknesses against your strengths, uncovers your vulnerabilities, and delivers a security roadmap that suits your business and your budget. 

Modern Business Solutions – Do you know the benefits that Microsoft Sharepoint can provide your organization? You may not because you haven’t had an IT partner that can competently explain what it is, how it can help you, and implement it seamlessly into your existing infrastructure. Sharepoint is just one application that streamlines processes and reduces costs, and it takes a trusted MSP to assess your technology, understand your business weaknesses, and suggest powerful tools like Sharepoint that will bring your IT to the next level.

How Does the MSP Align With Your Goals?

The well-known secret of modern managed services in 2021 is that IT is now a proactive activity. The old way of doing things involved a call to “the computer guy” to come to fix what was broken and then berate your staff for breaking the computers. It didn’t take long for the industry to understand that this was a stupid way of doing things for both the IT provider and the company. A better way is for the women and men of your MSP to build technology that is reliable and trustworthy and proactively support it so that it rarely fails, if ever. This means fewer service disruptions and fewer calls.

The right technology partner is one that not only offers the services your business needs but also aligns those services with your business goals.

What Does Your Business Need to Accomplish?

The right MSP is one that can provide the service offerings your business needs to not only satisfy the needs of today but also deliver a roadmap for the future. A good MSP will sit down with you and assist you with yearly planning to help you look for ways you can save money on your technology and still deliver the high level of service your customers have come to expect. 

This is the value that a managed services provider can deliver to your organization—real, tangible results from a trusted ally that aligns their goals with yours.

Find a Trusted Technology Ally with Blue Net

The right MSP is one that can provide the service offerings your business needs to not only satisfy the needs of today but also deliver a roadmap for the future. A good MSP will sit down with you and assist you with yearly planning to help you look for ways you can save money on your technology and still deliver the high level of service your customers have come to expect.

We have been in business for a long time, and we are here to show you that your technology shouldn’t ever be a fight. IT should be an integral part of your business that helps you deliver the best possible product to your customers, no matter how big you are or what industry you operate in. 

If you’re done with poor technology, are growing to the point that your technology is out of control, or are being served by an MSP that just doesn’t seem to meet your needs, call us today. We have a better option.

This is the value that a Minneapolis managed services provider can deliver to your organization—real, tangible results from a trusted ally that aligns their goals with yours.