In our highly interconnected business environment, IT is no longer a backup service; it is central to your business, inventiveness, and development. However, there is a twist as will be discussed in the subsequent paragraphs; is your Managed IT Services Provider (MSP) delivering on what they are charging you? If you’re looking to evaluate managed IT services effectively, this checklist is your starting point.
What the real cost of misaligned IT Services?
Disastrously controlled IT is not only a sluggard: it can cost you very significantly. Gartner believes that the average IT downtimes cost companies some $5,600 in just a minute. It implies that not only the long-term, but also the temporary outages may result in serious economic loss, loss of reputation and frustration among the staff.
Constant technology failures, ageing backends, slow turnaround times and communications unfriendly providers are signs of the bigger picture of the situation at hand: your IT service provider might not be playing to your business requirements. To avoid that, it’s crucial to evaluate managed IT services on a regular basis.
In order to enable you to determine the position of your provider, here is a detailed but non-epic checklist to gauge the performance of your MSP.
Checklist Item #1: Proactive vs Reactive Support – Is Your Provider Really Preventing Problems?
Reactive approach implies responding to something that is already broken. When it comes to proactive IT, however, the areas of interest include:
- Round the clock surveillance
- Predictive maintenance
- Automation in patching and system update
Red Flag: Only when something goes wrong, do you hear your provider.
The cost of doing business may be causing lost time, resources, and productivity in case when your MSP is not utilizing data analytics or automated tools to extrapolate and fix problems. Businesses that frequently evaluate managed IT services are more likely to benefit from proactive support.
Checklist Item #2: Cybersecurity Standards, Are you covered or just exposed?
The world of cybercrime does not belong only to large firms. As a matter of fact, 43 percent of all the cyberattacks are directed at small-to-midsize companies (Verizon DBIR). Thus pose the question to oneself:
- Are you armed with adequate endpoint defence?
- Are you utilizing the Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) and Zero Trust Architecture?
- VAPT (Vulnerability Assessment & Penetration Testing) audit is carried out periodically?
- Do you abide by applicable formats, such as HIPAA, GDPR or ISO 27001?
Red Flag: Your provider only offers basic antivirus solutions and no formal security posture reviews. A key component when you evaluate managed IT services is identifying these cybersecurity blind spots.
Checklist Item #3: Service Level Agreements (SLAs) – Is Measuring and Delivery of Promises Occurring?
SLAs refer more than contracts, they are performance layouts. Look closely at:
- Response time and resolution time targets
- Escalation paths and severity classifications
- Penalties or credits for underperformance
Red Flag: You have a poorly defined, inexistent or poorly implemented SLA. This leaves you vulnerable when issues arise. It’s a critical area to assess when you evaluate managed IT services.
Checklist Item No. 4: Strategic Consultation – Is your provider a technology partner?
Are they simply repairing your technology or making you develop with the technology?
- Do you get quarterly review meetings?
- Do you receive a technology roadmap that is aligned to your business objectives?
- Do they get IT costs aligned to your ROI and business priorities?
Red Flag: You just hear of your MSP at the end of the contract to sign on again. That’s a sign it’s time to evaluate managed IT services and demand a more strategic approach.
Checklist Item #5: Reporting and Transparency – Can You See What they are Doing?
Transparency is the cornerstone of trust. You should have access to:
- Real-time dashboards
- Monthly or quarterly performance reports
- Metrics on uptime, resolution time, and security events
Red Flag: You are in the dark, and getting updates over the phone. Always evaluate managed IT services for visibility into operations.
Checklist Item #6: User Experience and Internal Feedback – Do Your Employees Feel Happy or Frustrated?
The end-user experience matters. An outstanding MSP is not only useful to the management but also to all the employees.
Check for:
- Internal IT satisfaction surveys (ITSS)
- Ticket closure satisfaction scores
- Clear helpdesk communications and timely resolutions
Red Flag: IT support is not good and your employees call it the slow IT. This becomes a major concern as you evaluate managed IT services from a holistic perspective.
Quality #7: Scalability and Flexibility – Can They Stay with You?
Your MSP must adapt as your business evolves. Evaluate:
- Cloud-readiness and migration support
- Flexible pricing and service tiers
- Resource provisioning for seasonal or sudden demands
Red Flag: The existing infrastructure/contract you have can do nothing about working remotely, distance, and expansion. Evaluate managed IT services to ensure they support your future.
Checklist Item #8: Cost vs Value – Are You Over Paying For Under Performance?
Price is only one half of the matter—it is the value you get. Consider:
- Downtime prevention vs cost of downtime
- Cybersecurity readiness vs cost of a breach
- Tech upgrades vs long-term savings
- Cyber insurance premiums potentially reduced by strong IT practices
Red Flag: You sense that it seems that you are paying more and more to receive the same poor service again after another. Businesses must continuously evaluate managed IT services to confirm they’re receiving true value.
How Often Should You Evaluate Your Managed IT Services?
At a minimum:
- Quarterly technical reviews with your MSP
- Annual formal audits of service quality, compliance, and value
Build a culture of continuous evaluation and improvement. Make it a practice to evaluate managed IT services routinely.
What to Do When Your Current Provider is Unable to Pass this Checklist
If your MSP falls short in multiple areas:
- Start documenting performance gaps and incidents.
- Initiate a transparent review conversation with your provider.
- Consider competitive bids for benchmarking and alternatives.
Emphasis on risk management: the longer you wait to implement a change the more expensive it will get to do nothing. That’s why it’s so important to evaluate managed IT services proactively.
Remember, an audit mindset isn’t about blaming your provider. It’s about protecting your business.
You are not only outsourcing IT activities, but you are giving the keys to the person in charge of running the motor of your business. No matter how big you want to become, how you manage remote teams, or even improve cybersecurity, your MSP ought to be a strategic partner that enables your future.
Use this checklist not once, but regularly. Anyway, being good at IT is not what you arrive at; it is a moving target. Stay ahead. Evaluate often. Demand more. Make it a best practice to evaluate managed IT services as your organization grows.