How Maslow s Hierarchy of Needs Helps You Pick the Right MSP

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Archibald Sullivan
6 years ago
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1 How Maslow s Hierarchy of Needs Helps You Pick the Right MSP Remember Maslow s Hierarchy of Needs? His theory of motivation outlines basic and security needs as prerequisites to fulfilling one s potential. Likewise, as you search for the best managed service partner (MSP) to extend your IT capabilities, there are prerequisites on the path to the highest level of partnership. This checklist takes you up the pyramid of MSP attributes. It will help you distinguish between partners to whom you can simply outsource a function and those who can truly take your IT capabilities to another level.

Basic Requirements: Ensuring that the MSP Is Truly in the Business to Serve You 1 2 24/7/365 Support: This is the fundamental requirement in any MSP relationship.

2 Basic Requirements: Ensuring that the MSP Is Truly in the Business to Serve You /7/365 Support: This is the fundamental requirement in any MSP relationship. Walk away if an MSP doesn t answer your call live anytime of the day. A pager rotation and call back system is not enough. They must be open for business at all times. Action: Ask if they answer their own calls or use a service. Automated Processes: The MSP must also have an automated tool that is built upon ITIL best practices. Without one, they ll lack mature processes and consistency in service levels. Action: Ask which tools they license and ask to see samples of process documentation. Security: Looking for Signs of Reliability and Stability as a Partner Solid Reputation: Look for a firm with financial stability, a good reputation, and enough resources on their team to serve you effectively. Action: Ask questions about their past and present ability to serve as a partner. For instance, do they conduct regular external audits for both financials and processes? Service Levels: How quickly do they respond and resolve incidents? Action: Ask for reports that prove actual client service levels. Documentation: The right MSP will have solid standard operating procedures and documentation unique to each client. This knowledge base ensures that every MSP employee can provide consistent, quality service. Action: Ask to see samples of client-specific documentation. Belongingness or Trust: Determining If the MSP Can Truly Become a Trusted Extension of Your Team 6 7 Client Focus: The right MSP will make the relationship all about you. From the outset, they ll ask the right questions about you, your goals, and your business. They ll develop a plan specific to your needs. Action: Determine if they seek first to understand you before they strive to educate you about all their offerings. Access: There are advantages to regional firms with whom you can have a face-to-face relationship. No matter where they are located, they should make you feel like they re right around the corner and accessible when you need them. Action: Ask to visit and observe the operation. See first-hand how they respond to other clients. Does a member of the executive team greet you to ensure that if a problem ever arises, you will be able to access senior management?

Respect and Achievement: Learning about What Makes Them Successful with Other Clients Like You 8 9 Certification: Staying current in IT is table stakes.

3 Respect and Achievement: Learning about What Makes Them Successful with Other Clients Like You 8 9 Certification: Staying current in IT is table stakes. Make sure the individuals and the firm have earned certifications that indicate they are on the leading edge. Action: Ask about both technical certifications and the firm s levels of partnership with Tier 1 manufactures such as IBM, Microsoft, Cisco, and VMware. Ask about industry or process certifications such as the ITIL Foundation. References: Is the MSP serving organizations in your industry that are of a similar size and culture to yours? Action: Ask for case studies or references from current clients. Fulfillment: Ensuring that the Partnership Will Take You to a Higher Level of IT Service for Your Organization 10 Continuous Service Improvement: If your prospective MSP partner has high scores on 1-9 of this checklist, your final assessment is to determine if they can help move your organization forward. First, are they committed to your growth? Are they analyzing trends and finding ways to improve? Will they provide recommendations from their experience with other clients? Do they have a broad range of services so you can extend the relationship as your requirements change? Managed services should bring incremental value and serve both current and emerging needs. Don t settle for commodity-based offerings. Seek expertise and a proactive approach. Action: Ask yourself if you ve found a partner you can trust not only for 24/7 operations, but also for continuous improvement to help you achieve your strategic priorities.

4 PARTNER CHECKLIST Use this checklist to compare partners you re considering. MSP #1 MSP #2 1 Action: Ask if they answer their own calls or use a service. 2 Action: Ask which tools they license and ask to see samples of process documentation. 3 Action: Ask questions about their past and present ability to serve as a partner. For instance, do they conduct regular, external audits for both financials and processes? 4 Action: Ask for reports that prove actual client service levels. 5 Action: Ask to see samples of clientspecific documentation. 6 Action: Determine if they seek first to understand you before they strive to educate you about all their offerings. 7 Action: Ask to visit and observe the operation. See first-hand how they respond to other clients. Does a member of the executive team greet you to ensure that if a problem ever arises, you will be able to access senior management? 8 Action: Ask about both technical certifications and the firm s levels of partnership with Tier 1 manufactures such as IBM, Microsoft, Cisco, and VMware. Ask about industry or process certifications such as the ITIL Foundation. 9 Action: Ask for case studies or references from current clients. 10 Action: Ask yourself if you ve found a partner you can trust not only for 24/7 operations, but also for continuous improvement to help you achieve your strategic priorities.

5 Before working with an MSP, make sure they fulfill Maslow s Hierarchy of (MSP) Needs. This checklist should put your mind at ease about whether you are choosing the right partner for managed services. Contegix strives to meet these criteria, so we can build long-term relationships with our clients. Schedule an assessment with Contegix today and find out which of our managed services you need to meet your business goals. Contegix.com

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