When the time is right for your business to bring on a managed service provider, there are several things to consider before signing a contract. Businesses both large and small have certain needs that are better managed by professionals. Contracting with a managed service provider allows owners and upper level management to focus their attention on growing and managing the business. Teaming up with a provider has several benefits if you choose the right partner. Conversely, bringing on a provider who doesn’t understand your needs or one that is unable to provide the level of service required can be an expensive mistake. Here we look at the things you should consider before signing on the dotted line.

Common Mistakes that You All Should Eliminate for Healthy Business Performance

It is no secret that automating a business is an intricate task and it has the potential to impact various correlated operations of a business for about 4 to 6 years. Roughly, if all expenses are to be calculated, including the cost of the time your employees spend during a period of time, the cost will be around $30,000 to $400,000 or even more. Considering the mentioned figure, it is really baffling how some organizations do not focus on critical aspects when making a decision for their respective businesses. Below are a few steps that will help you know the common mistakes followed by their remedies:

1. Every Managed Service Provider is Different

One of the misconceptions that exist in the mind of most of the end-users is that the tool or technology they have purchased from a recommended hosting benefactor is absolute and that is why they cannot go wrong at any time. This is like assuming that a bullock cart and a car are same. Only if their purpose is to use for carrying goods from one place to another, both of them can perform a similar function. However, if they are looking out for speed and agility, only the latter proves a befitting solution. The same goes with a business automation solution. There is a big difference between two solutions. Here is the solution: you need to first understand the company’s goals and priorities. Chart down all the requirements, applications, and processes that are required to fit your IT setup.

2. The Cheapest Solution is the Best

Selecting a service provider just because it offers the desired services at relatively low costs is not a good idea at all. Remember, a lack of advanced technology, expert assistance, and service availability can have a direct impact on the company’s bottom line. A managed service provider is a viable alternative as they can help bolster productivity and ensure efficacy in ongoing business operations.

3. Outsourcing a Managed Hosting Service is Not a Viable Option

Some organizations are reluctant to outsource their critical IT operations to third-party vendors as they assume that they can manage operations on their own. If you have experts, resources, and talents to manage your IT system, go ahead. If not, rethink your decision. Professionally managed hosting benefactors have expertise that can help you deliver business value. They have the right performance monitoring techniques and hosting professionals to keep your business going.

4. Forced Selection of Vendor

If you decide to establish an association with a host without conducting proper investigations, the chance to fall prey to a bogus benefactor is no less. Recommendations from friends and colleagues will certainly be beneficial; however, you should not rely upon them completely until and unless you yourself have evaluated them.

Now let’s move to the other important factors that you should consider when making a decision.

Portfolio of Services:

It is essential to ensure that the service provider has the breadth of capabilities to handle your dynamic business demands. To put it simply, the provider’s data center facility should be equipped with a scalable network infrastructure so that your growing business demands can be efficiently handled. Plus, it should offer a host of services such as cloud hosting, email hosting, and hybrid cloud services so that if in the future you want to add them, you can easily do it.

Company Profile:

Have a look at company’s profile and ensure it has rich industry experience in the same domain. Compare it with the other hosting providers for comparison and better understanding.

Technical Support:

A data center provider that has employed experts to assist clients in case of emergencies will be of great help as it ensures that your business stays functional and in the right state in all the scenarios.

Apart from this, there are many other factors as well such as:

• What provisions does the service provider have to protect your business against natural calamities like flood, hurricane, tornado, and fire?
• What SLA does the provider offer and what are the services that are covered?
• What Tier certification does the provider’s facility fall under?