Sometimes it’s just hard to know how to choose what’s best.
When you’re shopping for a watermelon, you give it the ol’ thump test.
When you’re looking for new appliance, you read the reviews and choose one with a high rating.
When you’re buying a car, you consider your budget, the kind of vehicle you need, and the gas mileage (and you kick the tires — whatever that does!).
For some decisions, there’s well-known criteria about how to “pick a good one.” Sometimes they work… and sometimes they don’t (We won’t go into how many times the watermelon thump test has failed us!).
But what should you look for when choosing a managed service provider (MSP) for your small business?
An MSP for Small Business Needs
If you’re reading this, chances are good that you’ve heard that the right IT support can help a business stress less, position for growth, and focus on what YOU do best instead of having to take care of technology issues. That’s all true!
But what kind of things do small businesses need out of their IT support?
To answer that, let’s look at some of the problems that frequently lead small businesses to call us at Varay:
- Slow response times from a current provider
- Experiencing data loss/cyber attacks
- Compliance and insurance requirements
- Outgrowing a current provider
- Losing trust in a current provider
- An overwhelmed in-house IT team
- A need to scale to accommodate business growth
Often, a small business’s primary experience with IT has been calling a tech when something’s not working. We call this the “break it, fix it” IT model. Managed IT takes a different approach.
Instead of waiting to react to a problem, a quality MSP for small businesses works to keep the problem from happening in the first place!
At Varay, we help small businesses minimize downtime and ensure business continuity with proactive monitoring and maintenance. We offer 24/7 monitoring and support to catch and respond to issues before they become headaches. And our help desk is always available to respond quickly when you need help — instead of having to wait for a tech to arrive!
IT Systems Maintenance
When it comes to IT support, quick fixes usually end up leading to more frustration. Many businesses put off prioritizing their IT support until something major happens, such as a server outage, data loss, or cyber attack. Instead of “putting Band-Aids” on issues like outdated infrastructure, the right MSP for small business support helps you make budget-conscious decisions to get long-term solutions.
Finding an MSP for Small Business Growth
Cyber security, “road-worthy” infrastructure, and proactive support are all very important — and an MSP worth their salt will help a business in each of these areas.
But what else should a small business look for when choosing an MSP?
Benefits Beyond Disaster Prevention
Access to Enterprise-Level Technology and Services
Big companies (with big budgets!) use advanced IT solutions that require significant knowledge and expertise to set up. These IT solutions can handle the bandwidth and security requirements and are centrally supported and managed.
Many small- to mid-sized businesses simply can’t access this enterprise-level tech and service because of the upfront costs and maintenance.
In considering an MSP for small business growth, can they offer you top-notch solutions (that you probably couldn’t get on your own) within your budget?
At Varay, our partnerships with our community and national distributors can help your small business get the latest software and products, special pricing, and the expertise to set up and manage these systems.
Support for Leveraging the Latest Technology
Technology is always changing and improving, but many small businesses are still operating like it’s 1999 (which was a great year, but tech is MUCH better now!).
An MSP can help you leverage tools like:
- Cloud computing
- Data analytics (tools to find patterns, trends, and insights to help you understand your customers, make informed decisions, and predict what might happen next)
- Digital transformation (strategically integrating technology to streamline your operations, improve customer experience, and come up with innovative solutions)
Does your MSP provide support for implementing and using the latest technology? Will they train your team (and you!) to use these tools securely and effectively?
Tailored Solutions for Your Needs and Goals
The best MSP for small business growth will get you customized solutions that fit your needs. They create personalized strategies to solve the unique challenges of each business.
To do this, a quality MSP (like Varay) gets to know your business — your current processes, needs, gaps in service, and goals for the future.
Tailored IT solutions can give your business an edge and help you remain competitive in your industry.
At Varay, we work with businesses across numerous industries and sectors — and can bring best practices and innovative ideas to get your business customized solutions.
Prepare to Grow
Is your MSP maintaining your status quo or preparing you for growth?
The right MSP for small business growth offers cost-effective and scalable IT support. By making effective use of budget and resources, an MSP can help a company adapt quickly to changes in the market. These solutions can easily grow and adjust along with your changing needs.
And with an MSP’s proactive service, your business is free to do what it does best — instead of getting bogged down with IT issues and bottlenecks.
Questions To Ask an MSP
When you’re on the hunt for a managed IT service provider, it’s really about a partnership and relationship. It goes without saying (but we’ll say it anyway!) that creating a request for proposal (RFP) is a vital step in finding the right MSP for small business needs.
If possible, meet a potential MSP face to face (or voice to voice). It’s important for you as a small business leader to have confidence in their ability and expertise and to feel that they project knowledge and competence. Here are some questions to ask (and some more):
- Are managed IT services their sole focus?
- How are their Google reviews? Ask for any case studies or satisfied clients that can provide referrals.
- Have they worked in your industry before? Although it’s not absolutely necessary, the MSP must be able to dedicate time to understanding your needs.
- Do they have experience with compliance requirements?
- Can they handle day-to-day issues AND larger projects that require extra time, capacity, and expertise?
- Do they offer after-hours support?
- How often do they re-evaluate your needs? (Once a year? Twice a year?) Do they have a system in place to consistently monitor needs and make recommendations when you require changes?
Getting the Tools to Thrive
At Varay Managed IT, we’re all about helping you find the right service for your needs. Choosing the right MSP for small business support can be tricky, but it’s all about knowing what to look for:
- Proactive service
- Expertise
- Partnership
- Trust
These signs make it much easier to choose the right MSP! We may not be great at picking melons, but we know how the right approach, resources, and expertise can help a small business thrive!
If you’re wondering if Varay can help you stay secure, streamline your service, and meet your goals, contact us today for a free assessment.
{{cta(‘be67b52a-b7f4-41ec-b1d8-d34b9cde46aa’,’justifycenter’)}}
