7 Managed Services Challenges That You Don’t Need to Tolerate
Posted on Thursday, December 28, 2023 and filed under Articles
Managed service providers (MSPs) offer countless benefits to any organization that uses IT in their workflow. You’ll enjoy smoother network traffic, fewer tech glitches, and someone to consistently upgrade your system whenever needed. Yet, that doesn’t mean IT managed service provider challenges are non-existent.
| “Managed IT services are meant to make your workday easier. If they’re not, you have a problem.” – Jim Stackhouse, Founder & Chief Technologist, NeoLore Networks |
The good news is that most of these challenges can be avoided before they even become issues. All you need to do is know what to look for before you get in too deep with your managed IT partnership.
To help give you an idea of what to look for, here are 7 common managed IT challenges that you don’t need to tolerate. We’ll give you some tips on how you can avoid the frustrations that can come with these challenges before they can affect your business.
1. Too Much Upselling
Upselling is a common tactic in any business. It’s not always a bad thing. Upselling can show you new beneficial services that you may not have realized you could use. The problem arises when you’re working with an MSP who constantly upsells you for no clear reason.
Seek out service providers who prioritize client needs over aggressive sales tactics. A good provider will align their services with your business goals. Having confidence that your partner has your best interests in mind will make it easier for you to distinguish between necessary upgrades and unnecessary add-ons.
2. Lack of Support for Remote Work
Work from home options are now normalized in most of the Western world. So, there’s a good chance that you need an MSP that knows how to balance remote monitoring and protecting sensitive data. With 72% of remote employees fearing an invasion of privacy from remote monitoring, striking that balance can be crucial for talent retention.
To ensure your provider is up to the task, verify their experience and expertise in supporting remote work environments. Focus on providers who demonstrate a strong understanding of remote work dynamics and offer customizable services to support it.
3. Your Invoice Isn’t What You Expected
Unexpected invoices from managed IT services stem from unclear Service Level Agreements (SLAs). Strange wording can often be a way to conceal the true cost of service in order to land a deal with your business.
You can avoid this common challenge ahead of time by making sure the terms are clear before you sign anything. Ensure that the SLAs explicitly detail all services, response times, and costs. This clarity will help in managing expectations and avoiding any unexpected charges. If the candidate seems to be hiding something, there’s a good chance they are.
| What Else Should You Know About MSPs? |
4. Slow Support Response Times
Slow response times can severely impact an organization’s success. Delays in solving tech issues can lead to missed opportunities and financial losses. There’s also the lost productivity and increased employee frustration to worry about when support is too slow.
Choose providers known for quick support. Check the SLAs for any response time guarantees and look up some client reviews to see if they follow up on their promises. Working with MSPs should make your business processes faster, don’t tolerate it when it doesn’t.
5. Internal Security Issues
51% of small businesses do not have cybersecurity measures in place. Changing that for your business may be why you’re turning to MSPs in the first place. However, remember many MSPs are also small businesses. They need good internal security measures if you’re going to let them access your data.
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Look for more than simply an MSP that offers security services. Look for one that emphasizes the importance of their own cybersecurity as much as they’ll protect yours. During the selection process, inquire about their security protocols, incident response plans, and the different ways they manage data protection
6. Lack of Transparency
Transparency is key in any managed IT service partnership. Unclear SLAs can lead to misunderstandings and unmet expectations which present challenges for MSPs and their clients alike.
To avoid this, ensure that your provider offers clear, detailed SLAs that outline all aspects of the service offerings. This transparency will help in establishing a trustworthy relationship and ensuring that both parties are clear about their commitments and expectations.
7. Little Focus on Maintenance Strategies
A lack of proper maintenance strategies in IT services can result in increased system downtimes and reduced operational efficiency. While proactive maintenance may not seem like a mission critical issue, it can become one in the long term.
Proactive IT management is the whole purpose of the managed services model. If your potential partner isn’t showing that they have a clear, proactive strategy plan, they’re barely an MSP at all. Make sure you favour IT service providers that will prioritize system maintenance and upkeep as your business continues to grow.
| Additional IT Services From NeoLore | |||
| IT Helpdesk | Network Monitoring | IT Outsourcing | Cloud Services |
Avoid All of These IT Managed Service Provider Challenges & More With The Right Partner
As you may have noticed, most of these challenges stem from choosing the right partner. It’s important to know where to look for a competent provider. A provider who understands these challenges and has proven strategies to show that they won’t cause them is exactly what you need.
NeoLore Networks is the 3rd largest IT service provider in the Ottawa region. We have a long proven track record of client satisfaction without any of the aforementioned challenges. We offer flexible 30-day contracts to mitigate the risk of vendor lock-in and promise meaningful tech support response times of 5-15 minutes.
Think we might be a good fit? Reach out to find out.