Interested in the idea of partnering with a Managed Service Provider, but don’t know where to start? We’ve got you covered! Here is our list of the pros and cons of your business working with a Managed Service Provider. No misleading here: these are the honest advantages and disadvantages of working with an MSP, written by a current Managed Service Provider.
Pros of working with a Managed Service Provider:
Expertise
Replicating the resources and expertise you gain with an MSP would be very expensive. Often having a dedicated cybersecurity specialist, multiple network administrators, a professional services team, provisioning team, and help desk.
Specialized and expensive suit of tools
Due to the economies of scale of the computers and networks they support, they can manage and monitor your network at a higher level than internal IT and (usually) at a lower cost.
Vast knowledge of technology at hundreds of locations.
They see what works and does not work in different settings. They are not "siloed" and can introduce you to new and better technology to improve your business operation.
Robust processes and documentation
The robust processes and documentation ensures tickets are completely in a timely fashion. There is a mutual incentive to fix problems quickly and ensure service tickets are minimized, which requires doing things right the first time!
Allows scaling up and down easily.
Pricing is often based on a per endpoint or per user. As you grow, your technology spending is easy to predict, rather than having to hire an additional IT team member that may not be working at full capacity or even close to it.
Cons of working with a managed service provider:
Less time with resources
You have access to the resources, but that amount of time you get is much less than if you had an internal team.
Less knowledge of ins and outs
They will not know the ins and outs of your business specific applications or vendor nuances like an internal IT person could.
Massive Variation
Massive variation in the quality and responsiveness of MSPs. It can be difficult to determine which MSP to choose. Support and pricing can vary greatly! To help more with this, check out 16 Top Questions to Ask When Evaluating a New IT Provider. The responses to these questions will tell you a lot and help you choose the right provider.
Contracts
Employees don’t have contracts usually… Even if you’re unhappy with a provider. Oftentimes, there is a minimum of a one-year contract in place.
Less direct management of your IT systems
Your provider will likely have a standard set of tools they implement. If you or your internal IT prefer a different set of tools, there will often be a mishmash. This is rarely an issue because most organizations hire a Managed Service Provider, so they do not have to consider these things. However, in rare cases, if they do want to stray away from the recommendations, it could be considered a con for both parties.
Read through our list and decide that working with a Managed Service Provider may be the right fit for your business? Still need a bit more convincing? Reach out today for a free consultation to identify your technology and goals!