Hiring a managed service provider is crucial for most businesses nowadays, but with the competition being so high, it might be a little difficult to choose the right one. When you’re considering your options, it’s always important to ask the right questions and get all useful information out of your managed service provider. What kind of questions you should ask? Well, that’s exactly what we’re here for today.
In this article, we’re providing examples for some of the most useful things that you should ask your managed service provider, so if you are currently in the process of choosing one, this will come in handy.
In which area do they operate the most?
Chances are that you’ll be starting with your local managed service providers, but if you live in an area where there aren’t any good ones, or you’re not satisfied with what they’re offering, you can try online business. If you start negotiating with a foreign company, this is the first thing that you should be asking.
The area in which they operate the most is pretty important for many things, and if you happen to be at least near that area, that’s a big plus for you. If not, well, you’ll have to discuss the rest with them. Ask if being far away makes it any more of a problem, and make sure that they’re being honest.
What does their workflow look like?
Learning more about how the company operates and which methods they use in certain situations is important. And, since not every business is the same, you’ll need to ask them if they’re able to help with your cases, and situations that you might be facing tomorrow. Being transparent and open about every little detail while talking with your service provider is crucial for success. Feel free to read more at CSP, Inc.
Can I get regular reports?
Knowing what’s going on behind the curtains is an absolute must, so a managed service provider that regularly shows you reports of what’s been going on with your case is very important. Also, make sure they give you an entire list of possible updates to their infrastructure and ask them if any downtimes and maintenance periods will also apply to your business while they’re doing this.
Remember that downtime means losing revenue, so a service provider that can bring these times to a minimum is the one you should be aiming for.
Is my data secure at all times?
Choosing a managed service provider with a history of cyber-breaches and other types of hacker-attacks is not smart since, in the corporate world, a data leak can lead to an end of your career. According to many experts, in 2019 and 2024, hacker attacks and other sorts of cyber-criminal will be greatly increased, so make sure that your managed service provider has at least a few layers of protection and a high-skilled team behind their firewalls.
No matter what kind of business you run, your data must remain secure at all times. Otherwise, your competition will use this as an advantage over you, and you might get overrun by them.