5 Signs of a Quality MSP
MSP’s, or managed service providers, offer an excellent solution for companies looking to improve their IT performance without having to invest in hiring internal IT staff. With the exponential growth currently taking place in the managed IT industry, companies are not without options when it comes to choosing a provider.
With more providers to choose from, it’s important to note that not all managed service providers are created equal. Here are 5 ways you can tell that you are working with a quality MSP.
1. They Communicate and Respond Quickly.
Your business has hired IT specialists to make sure that your technology is taken care of. When an incident arises, you expect your IT provider to resolve the issue as quickly as possible. You also want to feel like your MSP is available to assist with technology problems, big or small, whenever you need them.
At Kotman Technology, constant communication and quick response time are integral to our business model. We keep our clients in the loop at every step of the process and make sure issues - major or minor - are taken care of quickly, so that you can get back to doing what you do best.
2. They Tell You No.
Look, we get it, nobody likes to be told “no”. But the truth is, sometimes it's necessary. A quality managed service provider will tell you things you don’t want to hear, and have the really difficult conversations. This is because they ultimately know what is in the best interest of your organization’s technology needs.
They also won’t make promises they can’t keep or tell you “we will figure it out”. If you want something done in two weeks, but the MSP knows a project like that will take months to complete, they will tell you so. And sometimes, technology just doesn’t work the way you want it to.
We’re not afraid to have those tough conversations when necessary, and we do everything we can to manage our clients’ expectations. Because, at the end of the day, we know that your long term success and security is far more important than just saying “yes”.
3. They’re not cheap.
It's a fact that cost is a major factor in almost every business decision. Especially during tough economic times, every expense has to be scrutinized and the value of that expense has to be justified. But, the old adage, “You get what you pay for” couldn’t be more true when it comes to choosing an MSP.
If you’ve ever eaten at one of those restaurants where the prices are just too good to be true - $9.99 lobster - you know you’re probably taking a food poisoning risk. The same is true for a managed service provider. The value you get out of a higher investment is less downtime, more productivity and the security that someone else is mitigating the unseen risks.
We also know that your technology investment needs to be manageable. So there’s a fine line of paying a premium for quality service, but not so much that it affects your profitability.
At Kotman Technology, we’ve created an MSP model that takes all of this into account. Our services are offered on a per-user monthly basis that is both affordable, but still allows us to perform the necessary tasks to keep you connected, knowledgeable, and secure. When you partner with Kotman Technology, you’re partnering with a company that can deliver results every time.
4. They take Security Seriously.
You don’t want your MSP just hoping nothing bad happens. Not a day goes by that another security breach isn’t in the news. Because of this, it’s more important than ever before that organizations of all sizes are protected against cybersecurity breaches. In addition, many industries are subject to strict compliance requirements when it comes to corporate or customer data.
For us, security is not an afterthought, but a pillar of what we offer our clients. From onboarding to ongoing management, cybersecurity is woven into everything we do on your behalf. In fact, it’s so important to us that we engage an outside security firm to perform a cybersecurity audit on our own network every year.
5. They move forward with you.
A quality managed service provider should be growing with you, driving your technology forward, and helping you get to that next step. They should be managing your current needs, while also thinking about how to manage your future technology needs. A good MSP feels like a strategic partner - not only in technology, but in your business development as a whole.
At Kotman Technology, that’s exactly how we view our relationship with our clients. We do the really hard things - even when they’re hard - because we know it’s necessary to your success. We pay attention to all of the little details so that everything works, all the time. We’re also constantly developing our bench strength to ensure we have the right people, to do the right thing, at the right time. It’s our team helping your team to succeed together
We pride ourselves on being “the last technology partner you’ll ever need”. With a client retention rate of over 98% for the past 10 years, Kotman Technology offers an MSP experience like no other.
Kotman Technology has been delivering comprehensive technology solutions to clients in California and Michigan for nearly two decades. With a customer retention of over 98%, we pride ourselves on being the last technology partner you'll ever need. Contact us today to experience the Kotman Difference.