Valentine’s Day is right around the corner. While it is a day of love & affection, it’s also a chance to reflect.
Relationship challenges happen, even between businesses.
Like any relationship, both sides must nurture one another to maintain happiness. And your business’ relationship with your managed service provider (MSP) is no different.
You see, your MSP should be working with you, not against you.
And today, we’re going to take a look at 5 warning signs that show problems within your IT relationship. Let’s get started.
They don’t communicate well with you or your staff.
Nothing signals relationship problems as clearly as poor communication.
Communication with your MSP should be accessible and friendly. And your MSP should have routine scheduled calls and site visits with your company.
But more so, they should be willing to discuss your needs and concerns about your IT.
They can’t keep up with your company’s growth.
Your technology shouldn’t prohibit your growth. As your company grows, your IT company should be able to scale your technology.
And if you feel like you aren’t getting enough options, you might have outgrown your MSP abilities.
Also, your MSP should contribute to your business growth. The best providers will help their clients be at the forefront of big technology waves. This way, their clients can stay ahead of the competition.
They haven’t tested and verified your backups.
Data losses can be a total nightmare for businesses of all shapes and sizes.
More often than not, we find backups are not correctly working, and the business owner has no idea. The most critical function of data backup is recovery.
And data loss can take the shape of many forms. It can be as simple as an end-user accidentally deleting a spreadsheet. Or as serious as cybersecurity attack wiping your systems. Either way, your backups must be able to restore data as quickly and accurately as possible.
They aren’t taking cybersecurity seriously.
Cyberattacks on SMBs is at an all-time high. If your MSP isn’t talking cybersecurity with you, run.
At the bare minimum, your MSP should offer firewalls, spam filters, anti-virus, and anti-spyware solutions.
But that’s just the tip of the iceberg!
To be secure, you also need security policies, vulnerability assessments, security awareness training, and the list goes on and on.
And if all else fails, what will your MSP do if your business got hacked?
They aren’t working on their compliance.
Lastly, if your organization deals with a regulatory body, your MSP should be able to assist you. And they should be able to provide you with the documentation needed to pass an IT audit.
In fact, your MSP may need to meet those compliance regulations as well. At least, that’s the case when it comes to CMMC.
So, don’t settle on “just-okay” IT Services.
What is your business’s number 1 asset? It’s your data. (Well, after your people, of course!)
That is why it is worth thinking about your relationship with your IT service provider. Don’t settle for anything BUT the best. And if any of these red flags ring true, then it is time to start looking for a new provider.
As painful as it is, it will be worth the effort.
That is because terrible IT services can cost you in the long run.
And under the worst circumstances, you could lose your entire business to negligent IT infrastructure.
How to find a new MSP?
If you do your research, you can gain great insight into your future IT service provider. But if you are unsure where to start. You can start with us, MRW Systems! We will help take the IT burden off of your shoulders.
When it comes to IT Services, our managed services rank among the best in the world. We understand what it means to provide excellent, world-class IT support.
At MRW Systems, our mission is to create a better tech world for small and medium-sized businesses. We picture a world where companies can thrive because their tech is not only functional but smart, scalable, and secure as well.
If you would like to learn more about our managed IT services, please follow this link.