Q&A

How to Select a Best-Fit Managed Service Provider

The following 10 candid questions will help you determine if a provider of managedservices can meet and exceed your expectations. Also included are examples of specificdetails that you should seek.

How do you select a best-fit service provider? Ask all the right questions. Where do you start theselection process? Focus primarily on how the service offered will help to solve problems or createnew opportunities—not merely what it does (its features and functions).

1. Are you prepared to offer only the features and functions that my business needs,instead of the ones that you include in your one-size-fits-all service bundle?

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Ask for a list of all the “standard” items included in the base bundle

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Request details of all optional items that can be added and/or subtractedAccording to recent market research, decision makers at companies of all sizes now prefer thatservice offerings only include essential features as mandatory elements in a bundle. All otherfeatures may then be selected from a menu of options.

2. Can you describe the services that you offer—and their business benefits—in termsthat I, and the other members of my executive team, will understand?

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The salesperson or sales support person should address your specific needs

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Ask the service provider to explain any terms that you don’t understandIf you can’t determine how the managed services will directly benefit your business, then you’ll beunable to make an informed decision. Qualified service providers should be able to describe theirofferings within the context of your specific business requirements.

3. Will you provide case study materials to demonstrate how you delivered a managedservice solution that solved a business challenge similar to mine?

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Documented customer success stories provide useful insight

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Reference checks should include details on the business impactWhile a service provider with limited experience may be able to meet your application needs,those that can clearly articulate the methodology they use to meet their existing customer needswill likely provide a better fit. Moreover, a basic knowledge of how your industry operates will helpto avoid misunderstandings.

4. What is the depth and breadth of your current managed service portfolio?

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A service migration path provides the means to adapt to your growth needs

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Service providers that are specialists may offer services through their partnersIt helps to have a forward-looking view of your needs when selecting a service provider.Sometimes a specialist is preferable to a multi-service provider. Otherwise, try to anticipate futureservice requirements, and consider giving preference to a provider with those combined skills.

Q&A

5. How can I be sure you will apply the best people, processes, and tools? Is yourcompany certified by a leading vendor, and are your offerings delivered using industry-leading technologies to meet the highest quality of service?

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Service providers have data on how they’ve qualified to meet standards

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Providers are often required to attain a “qualification level” that is tieredThe good service providers will achieve basic industry-standard technical certifications. The betterservice providers will comply with the ITIL foundation practices. The best will have passed thestringent qualifications of a service designation process that requires an independent third-partyaudit of their performance. They must pass rigorous annual assessments of their networkoperations center. Technical design and operations staff must also complete advanced training.6.

Where are your network management facilities located, and what are the hours ofoperation? Describe your escalation process, in the event of an outage.

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Service providers typically have both primary and backup facilities

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Find out whom to contact when your primary support contact is not availableDepending on your needs, service support during regular business hours may be enough.However, some businesses have requirements for 24-hour operation. Help desk coverage, staffinglevels, and backup planning are important aspects to consider in this scenario.

7. What are the assurances for levels of availability, serviceability, performance, andoperation? What is the process for remedy if and when levels aren’t maintained?

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All service providers establish and maintain benchmark measurements

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Service contracts detail the metrics, and references have results dataIt is now common for service providers to offer service-level agreements (SLAs) as an integral partof a service contract, where the “level of service” is formally defined. The SLA can include thecommon understanding about services, priorities, responsibilities, and guarantees—sometimesspecifying financial remedies as a result of failure to comply with SLAs.

8. What are the type and scope of management capabilities that you routinely offer?

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Request a list of capabilities and associated benefits, relative to your needs

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Historical reporting is essential, forward-looking insight is valuableExamples of typical basic management tools include a service desk and management of variousactivities including assets, configuration, fault, change, release/update, performance, capacityreporting and planning, and trend reporting with recommendations.

9. If required, how will you support existing or acquired IT/networking infrastructure?

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Service providers may have policies that limit the device types they support

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In addition, some providers only support devices they install and configureIf you are like many managed service users, then you have an environment where a combinationof self-managed and out-tasked infrastructure will need to coexist—at some point in time. Serviceproviders should be able to delineate how their role and responsibilities start and end in amultifaceted scenario. Likewise, they should explain their role in the event that they are asked tooperate in a multi-vendor or multi-service provider environment.