The Definitive Guide to Selecting the Right Managed Services Partner
Managed services providers have become indispensable allies for businesses seeking to streamline operations and stay competitive. These strategic partnerships offer expert support and capabilities across a wide range of disciplines, freeing your team to focus on core business objectives and bridging capability gaps that would be costly to fill individually in-house.
However, selecting the right managed services partner requires careful consideration, balancing support for your IT infrastructure with your organisation's broader goals and business strategy.
In this guide, we'll explore six critical factors to consider when choosing a managed services provider that aligns with your business needs.
Key Considerations for Selecting a Managed Services Partner
Prioritise security and compliance
In an era of evolving cyberthreats, robust security measures and relevant certifications are non-negotiable for managed IT services partners. Protecting your organisation’s data and reputation is paramount.
According to IBM’s Cost of a Data Breach Report 2024, “breaches involving stolen or compromised credentials took the longest to identify and contain of any vector (292 days).”
This underscores the critical need for comprehensive security functions, from email and endpoint security to identity access management.
Recommended steps: Request important security information from the organisation’s support team, including data protection compliance. Ensure that they have recognised data security accreditations, such as ISO27001, that are externally validated or audited.Customise solutions to your business needs
Your ideal managed services partner should offer tailored solutions that address your unique business needs. The ability to customise can help fill any capability and organisational gaps—enabling your business to respond quickly and cost-effectively to market changes.
In our complex digital environment, your partner should be equipped to quickly address issues that your in-house team might lack the resources to handle, ensuring business continuity and maintaining your competitive edge.
Recommended steps: Inquire about what the discovery phase looks like when your potential provider is onboarding a customer. Find out what information they will collect to create a comprehensive support offering. Ensure their tools can integrate with your organisation’s current infrastructure, and if not, provide a remediation plan to rectify that.Scale with growth
Long-term success hinges on your partner’s ability to grow alongside your business. As your challenges evolve, a scalable managed services partner should provide flexible solutions that adapt to your changing needs.
This scalability ensures you have the necessary resources to support your organisation’s journey without encountering unnecessary obstacles.
Recommended steps: Look at the organisation's history, size, and health to ensure the longevity of your potential partner. Evaluate the configuration of their help desk, tools, and support staff—do they employ automation that makes scaling easier?Ensure responsive support and uptime guarantees
Partnering with a provider that guarantees timely support and high uptime is crucial for minimising downtime. Operational disruptions can significantly impact productivity, leading to revenue loss and diminished customer trust.
A responsive partner safeguards your operations, improves business productivity, and enables your team to focus on core business activities rather than technical issues.
Recommended steps: Seek out a detailed explanation of SLAs from potential partners, including metrics for response times, resolution speed, and uptime guarantees. Compare these SLAs with your business needs and consider conducting a scenario analysis to understand the implications of these SLAs in real-world situations.Manage risk proactively
A proactive managed services provider offers constant protection for your IT infrastructure. This approach includes continuous monitoring and regular security checks to identify and prevent issues before they disrupt operations.
Reactive measures, such as replacing outdated hardware, can be time-consuming and potentially lead to additional complications if not managed effectively.
A comprehensive proactive strategy should include a robust disaster recovery (DR) plan, ensuring business continuity even in the face of catastrophic events like natural disasters or ransomware attacks.
Recommended steps: Request examples of your potential partner’s risk assessment and DR plan and protocols. Ask for documentation of their monitoring and response capabilities, such as their monitoring tools and typical alert response. Verify if they have samples of proactive roadmaps in replacing equipment or software before becoming liabilities.Seek proven experience and track record
Choosing a partner with a proven track record and industry experience is essential. An experienced managed services provider brings the knowledge, resources, and skills necessary to deliver effective solutions that align with and support your business goals.
Recommended steps: Ask for case studies of similar businesses in your industry from your potential provider. Conduct interviews with these references to validate all the information given and gauge your option’s reliability, problem-solving approach, and overall satisfaction.
How Managed Services Providers Support IT Infrastructure
Managed services providers like Ricoh’s Regional Operations Centre (ROC), play a crucial role in modern organisations. By offering robust and cost-effective IT infrastructure and services, the ROC facilitates secure and seamless operations while scaling to meet your business size and support needs.
From comprehensive IT management to advanced cybersecurity measures, server maintenance, and expert technical support, our flexible solutions are designed to bridge any gaps in your IT capabilities.
Beyond reactive support, we provide proactive care to keep your systems updated and responsive to emerging cybersecurity threats. This ultimately improves system performance and prevents costly downtime, effectively enhancing and supporting your digital environment.
Conclusion
Choosing the right managed services partner is a strategic decision that can propel your organisation towards significant growth and innovation while aligning with your broader business objectives.
By partnering with a capable managed services partner, you can strengthen your organisation’s strategic capabilities, address capability gaps, and ensure access to timely technical expertise and support. This collaboration puts your IT infrastructure in capable hands, allowing you to focus on what matters most: driving your business forward.
Elevate your IT infrastructure with Ricoh. Discover how our comprehensive managed services can optimise your operations and drive business growth.
Let’s connect
Get in touch with one of our consultants and find out how we can help you create your hybrid workplace.
Recommended resources for you
Creating a Destination Workplace for Hybrid Work
Learn how Ricoh NZ used RICOH Spaces to create a tech-driven hybrid workplace fostering collaboration and innovation.
Streamlining Collaboration and Workday Experiences With RICOH Spaces
Learn how RICOH Spaces improved collaboration and hybrid work for a global pharmaceutical company, tailored to local needs.
Fueling Innovation in the Hybrid Workplace With RICOH Spaces
Discover how RDx transformed their hybrid workplace for innovation and collaboration with RICOH Spaces.