6 biggest problems when working with an MSP

When working with an MSP, many clients run into the same problems. Managed services aren’t the right fit for everyone. But in many cases, the experience you receive from an MSP depends on who you are partnered with. All MSPs have a different approach to their services, and if they do not meet your needs, this can lead to many issues for your business. 

As an MSP,  we talk to many businesses looking to make a switch from their current MSP because they are not satisfied with the support and services they received. After working with so many clients who are unhappy with their MSP, we began to recognize that their issues are all very similar. 

To help ease your frustration of partnering with an MSP that could pose the same problems, we have put together a list of the biggest problems that many businesses have with MSPs and ensure that you find an MSP that will not leave you with the same experience. 

#1 - An MSP is not always on-site

When you work with an MSP, they will not be sitting in your office with you waiting for an issue to pop up. MSP’s typically manage many more minor issues remotely through a help desk support line. If something requires them to come into your business, they will, but you are usually not communicating with them face to face. 

Some companies may prefer having someone in-house that they can walk over to their desk to inform them of an issue they may be having. If this is a problem for you, you may want to consider hiring a team of in-house IT technicians. 

Although your MSP is not technically on-site, they should be very skilled at solving issues in a different location. If you want to have an MSP that you work with as a teammate, it is essential to ensure they can provide you with that support. 

This can mean constantly communicating with your business to ensure you are up-to-date on any issues or changes to your IT environment. You will want to have an MSP you can rely on collaborate and communicate with you even if they are remote. A well-managed MSP should be able to do this. 

#2 - Can’t scale your business

Many clients get very frustrated when they work with an MSP that can’t support their business during a period of growth. This is a prevalent issue we hear from companies. If you are a new or growing business, it is essential to have an MSP with the necessary tools to set you up for future growth.

To avoid having an MSP holding you back from future success, you will need to talk through this scenario before partnering. This can give you an idea of how they have dealt with similar situations with their current clients. 

For example, many managed service providers should have a success story to make you feel confident they can quickly and seamlessly onboard new users as your company begins to grow. This can help you avoid partnering with an MSP provider who will not support your long-term goals. 

#3 - Don’t have proper security measures 

A major problem you can face is if your MSP does not have the proper security measures. They must prioritize cybersecurity within your IT environment. When companies work with an MSP that is not putting in the proper tools to mitigate risk, this can increase your chances of cyber attacks, causing downtime and financial loss. Avoid this by ensuring you understand your MSP’s processes and the tools they will use to maintain a secure environment. Some of those processes and tools involve:

Firewalls

Firewalls are among the most basic forms of protection you need for your organization’s security. A firewall is a security device that acts as a form of protection between your internal network and outside traffic. It monitors everything and everyone trying to gain access to your network to keep out suspicious or unrecognized sources. 

Endpoint detection and response

Endpoint detection and response (EDR) is an integrated endpoint security solution that monitors your system for suspicious activity. The solution will monitor and collect information from your endpoints and look for potential threats. If a threat is recognized, the system will automatically respond by either removing or containing the threat. This ensures that threats are identified before they can cause harm to your network. 

Cybersecurity Training

One of the most essential things an MSP can do regarding cybersecurity is train your employees on best threat detection practices. Many cyber attacks occur simply due to human error. It doesn’t take a malicious person to accidentally click on an email that’s embedded with a virus. Cyber-attacks happen very frequently, every 11 seconds, to be exact. It is essential that your MSP trains employees on the latest cyberattacks to know how to recognize and avoid them. 

Multi-factor authentication

Your MSP should make MFA (multi-factor authentication) a requirement. MFA is one of the most basic yet effective security tools to block someone hacking into your secure network. Multi-factor authentication requires users to provide two or more verification factors to access an account, application, or VPN. Anytime that someone attempts to use your credentials to gain access to any of your devices, there will be another layer of protection to keep them out.  

#4 - Slow response time

An issue many clients face with their managed service provider is slow response time. For instance, when you are experiencing an issue, the first thing that you do is send in a service ticket to your managed service provider. How long does it take you to hear back from them when you do this? 

When minor issues occur, if it takes anything over 2 hours for your MSP to get back to you, this is a sign that they don’t have the resources necessary to support you. You should feel prioritized by your MSP, and if they aren’t taking your service requests as seriously as they should be, it’s time to make a switch.   

If you are experiencing an emergency, the response from your managed service provider should be immediate. If they are not prioritizing your situation to get you back up and running, this can be a sign that they do not have a well-mapped out process to deal with an incident or not enough resources to keep up.

If your MSP is not providing quick support when you need them, your business could incur more significant damage during downtime. Having an MSP with a slow response time to resolving issues can significantly affect your company’s ability to work efficiently. This problem should not be overlooked. Before partnering with an MSP, determine how big their support team is and their process to assist clients efficiently. It is essential that you set clear expectations of the service response time you expect for your business.

#5 - Frequent network issues and downtime

Having a strong reliance on your managed service provider to keep your network can go one of two ways. The first is you continue your business routine without even thinking about your network as it seamlessly runs in the background. The second is you are constantly noticing your network running slow or crashing. 

This can be very frustrating and put your productivity to a halt. There are several reasons your network is constantly experiencing issues. Those reasons could be network bottlenecks, outdated hardware, viruses or spyware infections, and wireless interferences. 

When businesses working with an MSP have these issues, it could mean they did not adequately assess and construct your network infrastructure. If you have an excellent MSP, they will ensure that you have the latest tools implemented to run a smooth network. 

They will also ensure your network is strategically configured to ensure everything is running smoothly. If your MSP does not adequately assemble your network with the right tools and solutions it can affect your productivity and open your business up to many security risks. 

#6 - Cultural differences 

Many companies face issues when working with their MSP because they are not a cultural fit for each other. If you and your MSP do not have aligned goals for your business, this can lead to a very unsuccessful partnership. Many MSP clients look to change their MSP because their expectations were not fulfilled. 

To avoid partnering with an MSP that is not the right fit for your business, make sure you have spoken clearly about your expectations for accountability, quality of service, and level of support. For example, if you want an MSP that is going to manage your IT without requiring any involvement from you, then this should be communicated before partnering.

Find an MSP that is the right fit for your business

Looking for the right MSP for your business can be a very overwhelming process. The last thing you want is to partner with an MSP only to be dissatisfied. You can always make a switch, but of course, it would be nice to get it right on the first try. 

As a managed service provider, we find it just as critical to determine that our clients are the right fit for us and we are to our clients. Having an unsatisfactory partnership should be avoided for both parties. For this reason, we highly encourage being very open about your expectations when speaking to a potential MSP. 

If you are looking for more information on determining what type of MSP is the right fit for your business, check out this article: 5 Tips to Ensure You’re With the Right Managed Service Provider For Your Business.