Signs You’ve Outgrown Your MSP – Should You Stay or Go?

How good is your MSP relationship for business? What are the signs you’ve outgrown your MSP?

Businesses rely on strong and effective relationships. Employees, managers, leaders, and stakeholders all contribute to the strength and success of a company over time. Positive business outcomes come from building strong relationships based on communication and transparency. The relationship between a business and a Managed Service Provider (MSP) is no different. 

Good MSPs provide strategic business value that increases productivity while being cost-effective. When an MSP is ineffective, the business suffers. Security and network management may experience more issues and fixing these issues takes time, adversely affecting productivity. 

This guide provides tips for improving business growth and productivity by recognizing when you’ve outgrown an MSP and how to select a new one.

Key Takeaways:

• What are the signs you’ve outgrown your MSP?
• What are the risks of an MSP that no longer fits your business needs?
• What to look for in a new MSP?
• Learn tips for making the transition to a new MSP

What are the signs you’ve outgrown your MSP?

You’ve outgrown your MSP when: 

1. There’s no relevant strategic input or partnership
2. Network and system management is no longer proactive
3. Complaints about IT service and performance increase
4. New technology is not introduced
5. MSP to business communication has stalled 

A good MSP partner serves the business at every level. For example, some MSPs often only give high-quality service to executives or upper-level managers. Whereas regular employees trying to get their work done get a response to a help desk ticket days later, adversely affecting productivity. Check with employees across the business and find out the true quality of the MSPs service. 

As an executive or leader, do you have regular, effective meetings with your MSP? Are those meetings productive? MSPs are needed to help your business thrive. Thriving means introducing new technology options, streamlined processes, plus open and constant communication. For example, if the only time you hear from your MSP is for cost increases or billing, it’s time for a new MSP.

The cause of MSPs failing to meet expectations or contractual terms stems from many possible failures, including:

• Insufficient resource numbers or expertise levels
• High employee turnover or low morale
• Constant change in leadership or core values
• Ineffective strategic growth plan

Whatever the reason, your business thrives with an MSP that has a wide breadth of technical expertise, and sufficient resources that value serving your business. 

What are the risks of an MSP that no longer fits your business needs?

Change is difficult and time-consuming. However, if your MSP is ineffective, the risks to the business's health are far greater than the pain of changing MSP. If your MSP is behind on issue resolution, and not updated on technology, where else is your business vulnerable? For example, the security of your systems and devices may be lacking, leaving you open to a security incident. Systems may be going down and adversely affecting employees' ability to complete work. Your competitors may be getting ahead of you and leveraging updated technology to improve their workflow processes and attract more customers. 

Meanwhile, you’re stuck in the mud with an ineffective MSP. Good MSPs are strategic partners, which means you communicate regularly to discuss options and new technology. Communication should include an MSPs advice on how to leverage new technology based on the existing business system or offer opportunities for improvement. An MSP needs to be a partner that assists the business by helping it grow and innovate. 

What to look for in a new MSP?

When looking for a new MSP, do a deep dive and understand your current system and needs. From there, have a general idea of where the business is moving to for the future. Understand the technology stack that exists and identify areas for improvement. Once you’re ready, then start looking into quality MSP providers. 

Look for an MSP with services that include: 

• A flexible service model that’s scalable for future growth
• Experts in a wide variety of technology
• Continuous and regular communication focused on your business strategy and growth needs
• Proven expertise in all the technology necessary for your business
• Resources with specialized skill sets, including IT maintenance, security, cloud technology, cross-platform support, and customer service are critical. 
• Offers proactive support and strategic business reviews and guidance
• Proactive maintenance, support, and security that prevents downtime and security issues
• Offers system reviews for improving productivity using technology
• An account or project manager that’s effective and communicates regularly
• A straightforward pricing model with multiple options
• Provides a clear pricing structure
• Accurate and understandable billing at regular intervals
• High-quality support that’s truly 24/7 for end users
• Performance-based SLAs for service levels
• Measures customer satisfaction using industry-standard metrics
• Fast and effective response and resolution times

Find the MSP provider that can best meet your needs consistently and with high quality.

Tips for making the transition to a new MSP

The first step in transitioning to a new MSP is concluding that you need one. The second step is choosing an MSP and then coming up with a migration plan as a team. 

Before selecting a new MSP, find out the following: 

• Current customer satisfaction rating
• If they offer both end-to-end solutions with customizable features?
• How many years have they been an MSP? Ask for a list of current or past customers
• If they use the system or plan, they’re offering you?
• Are they affiliated with proprietary systems like AWS, Microsoft Azure, or others? If so, ask about the benefits
• Where will your business data be housed?
• How much migration experience do they have, and what support packages are available?
• Get the details on applicable SLAs, including actions if the SLAs are not met
• Get details on service hours and service availability
• Are they compliant with all regulatory bodies?
• Are they SSAE compliant for security?

Consider asking about a trial period and review all billing practices to ensure the plan meets your budget. Ask around professional circles for feedback on communication and response quality. Find out if anyone has benefitted from the MSPs' strategic reviews and advice. Essentially, poke around before you sign the contract. 

Once a contract is signed, communicate. The best place to start is a migration plan. Communicate the change to employees and ensure they’re ready for system migration. Then, sit back, work hard, and revel in the glory of your positive MSP relationship and the business rewards of a robust strategic partnership.

Are you ready to benefit from a true MSP strategic partnership? 

Have you outgrown your current IT provider? If your MSP isn’t a close, communicative, and effective business strategic partner then it’s time for a change. Your business deserves a strong MSP relationship that moves the business forward now and into the future. 

Are employees complaining about IT service or system performance? Time to find an MSP that cares about your employees and your business. Endsight is your MSP partner, 24/7. 

Endsight keeps your business up and running using the latest advanced technology for all IT tasks. Get your free assessment today and see how Endsight can help your business grow. 

Leaving your current MSP due to employee service complaints and a lack of strategic leadership? Endsight is the managed cloud partner you can trust, all day, every day. We’ll keep in touch and communicate with you to keep your business securely moving forward. Check out why our clients chose us to help their business.