When it’s time to choose a managed service provider for your business, you will probably have a lot of choices. Indeed, there are many companies out there offering these services, but not all of them are created equal. You should take the time and effort to thoroughly evaluate any MSP that you might potentially employ, as this can save a lot of headaches down the road. Here are some of the more important factors to consider when choosing Managed Service Providers in Florida.
The Company’s Track Record
Every company will promise you the best. However, the correct way to judge anything is by examining its results. Thus, when choosing an MSP, you should make sure to look up plenty of reviews and testimonials. If you can identify specific companies that have employed this MSP in the past, you might try reaching out to them for comment. This all comes down to the simple principle of doing your homework before paying for services.
Of course, we should mention the existence of “review bombing.” This is a practice in which disgruntled people attempt to sabotage a person or business with lots of bad reviews. By using a pre-arranged network of people or bots, it is possible to make a business look far more popular (or unpopular) than it has ever actually been. This is why you need to actually read the reviews instead of going by the star rating alone. If you see unreasonable complaints or obvious lies, you are probably looking at a fake reviewer.
Service-Level Agreements
Any good managed service provider should offer you an SLA (service-level agreement) when setting up your account. This is a contract that firmly spells out the obligations of both parties, and it will become highly important in the event of a data breach or a long-term internet outage. The most important part of any SLA is the uptime guarantee. Your chosen company should offer an uptime guarantee of at least 90%. Thus, they are guaranteeing that your network will be functional at least 90% of the time. For a business that does a lot of online business, 95-98% would be much better.
Easy Scalability
Your business probably won’t stay the same size forever. As it grows, shrinks, and/or changes focus, your IT plan will need to be adjusted accordingly. The IT needs of a large business are much different from the IT needs of a small one, and vice versa. That is why you need a service plan that allows for easy scalability.
This term just refers to the flexibility of an account plan. If your MSP doesn’t allow you any opportunity to alter your service plan, you should probably look elsewhere. Not only that, but you want people who don’t place a lot of unnecessary roadblocks in the way of that re-scaling process.
Familiarity With Florida State Laws And Regulations
There are certain laws that govern IT services, and they vary considerably by state. As such, it is good to try and get a company with plenty of operational experience in your state. The company wouldn’t necessarily have to be based in your state, but they do need to have conducted a lot of business in that state.
The purpose of this is to ensure that your MSP is familiar with all the data and privacy regulations that apply to you and your business. Even if you find a good MSP that offers affordable rates, they won’t do you much good if they aren’t familiar with the regulatory environment in Florida.
Billing Methods
In most cases, it is better to avoid MSPs that charge a per-hour rate for services. If you are going to do things that way, you might as well go with an independent contractor. One of the best things about an MSP is the opportunity to get top-tier IT services for a flat monthly rate, so don’t give up that advantage.
Not only is per-hour employment generally more expensive, but it also presents some incentive problems. If a technician does the job wrong and then has to go back and do it again, that means the technician will basically get paid twice as much for doing a bad job the first time. Again, you should only be paying for the goods and services that you actually want and receive.
Insurance
MSP companies should always have some sort of insurance. This will often take the form of a cybersecurity policy, but there are other variations. Regardless, you will want to make sure that your chosen MSP company has cyber insurance, including cybersecurity insurance. This helps the company deal with the costs of a major cybersecurity incident or some other digital disaster. If a company doesn’t have any insurance, that represents a huge red flag and a possible violation of the law.
Conclusion
As with any other type of service provider, an MSP should be evaluated with a “big picture” approach. Even if you find one or two small issues, you should look at the overall picture in order to make a decision. There are lots of good MSP companies out there, but only a small percentage of those can be considered to be top-of-the-line.
If you are looking for top-quality IT companies in Florida, PCH Technologies is the company to call first. You can call PCH anytime by dialing (844) 754-7500.
Our Florida Office
As of 2022, PCH Technologies has opened up a new location in Fort Lauderdale, FL in order to serve the South Florida Market. This expansion into the South Florida market aligns strategically with our plans to continue to grow a national presence as a managed service provider (MSP).
The growing South Florida region includes Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and West Palm, creating an opportunity for PCH to fulfill the expanding needs of the market.
Florida Office
101 NE 3rd Ave Suite 1500, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 954-777-8830