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How does a managed services provider partner selection affect your business

Everyone knows technology is important however you should know how does a managed services provider partner selection affect your business? This has a long-term effect.

When it comes to IT security, 2016 was a rollercoaster ride for many with record numbers of ransomware payments, security vulnerabilities, and Microsoft security bulletins.  Many organizations were hit by cybercrime and hackers but most of it could have been avoided depending on the technology they use internally.

Channeliser which is a business technology community for companies building the tech solutions that will drive the future of business released some interesting numbers.  As part of their Channeliser IT Partnerships Survey 2016, they want to showcase what IT companies want from their partnerships and if these companies are living up to their expectations.

Here are some results of the Channeliser IT Partnerships Survey 2016:

  • 71% of IT companies are looking for new partners in the next 6 months
  • Over 50% say it takes longer to establish a partnership than they expected
  • Over 70% say that trust is more important than technology when it comes to IT partnerships
  • Only 12% are currently happy with they partner portal

These numbers are a clear representation of how does a managed services provider partner selection affect your business?  Managed IT services providers must perform multiple steps when creating these long-term partnerships as in the end, the client will be affected.  They must ensure the product or services will deliver as promised for the client as well as ensure the Total cost of ownership (TCO) makes sense for a period of four to five years unless the company experiences unexpected growth.

Here are several categories on how does a managed services provider partner selection affect your business?

  • Selection – Managed IT Services providers need to not only evaluate the organization, but also their hardware, software, and services to ensure the right fit. Most companies offer an excellent sales and marketing system, however, fall short when it comes to technical support. This is where it matters most as not only will it affect the managed IT services provider, it will also cause unnecessary downtime for the client that has invested in a five-year IT plan.
  • Requirements – Does your company need our client requirements? What is the upfront cost if any to your solution? Managed IT services providers must always consider associated expenses when dealing with a long-term partner including the cost hardware, software, space, IT resources as well as maintenance of the IT infrastructure.  Does the solution match the client portfolio and expectations or will this increase management as well as costs for clients? If they company cannot show value to the managed IT services provider and client, this will not be a good investment.
  • Costs – Like any other business, there is always costs involved and it can be a fine line. What is the per user? What is the cost per system? Is it an on-site solution or subscription fee? Are there ongoing maintenance costs for patches, bug-fixes, upgrades or included? Many times, a Total cost of ownership (TCO) will make these solutions fail to result in a bad investment for the managed services provider and client.
  • Administration – This is very important when considering the Total cost of ownership (TCO). Many solutions require a lot of administration, management, and maintenance which requires resources. Resources cost money and it will trickle down to the client resulting in higher costs per month to run their IT infrastructure. Managed IT services provider always look at how much time, resources and money they will need to invest to manage, upgrade, trouble-shoot, and patch over the lifecycle of the IT investment.

Managed IT services is a great business service as it is truly a win-win solution and for this reason, we must consider all factors prior to committing to a long-term partnership including contract terms, service level agreements, data security requirements and integration as our long-term partnership affect our clients.

Unfortunately, many managed IT services providers under-invest when it comes to thoroughly evaluating IT solution requirements and options for clients resulting in a bad Total cost of ownership (TCO).  When partnerships are evaluated properly, the managed IT services provider and the client will save time, money and aggravation down the road.

365 iT SOLUTIONS is a 100% Toronto-based IT consulting firm that delivers industry leading Managed IT ServicesIT Support ServicesIT Outsourcing ServicesTech Support Services and Cloud Services. Let our complimentary network and security assessment put your company to the test.