Ready to outsource? then choose your MSP carefully

The right managed service provider (MSP) for your cloud journey should have more than just tech prowess – it should be a healthy business and be fun to work with, according to Nick Haynes at Quiss.

It appears the new working model, with some work-from-home time included for many knowledge-based employees, is disrupting the recruitment market. Problems are being reported across the board – something that law firms will recognise as they look to secure the associates they need to drive their businesses forward.

But the problems recruiting IT talent also make it tough for firms to create or add to their in-house IT teams, which perhaps explains why more and more are seeking to outsource their technology and IT-related services to a managed services provider (MSP).

When looking to outsource, it’s important to recognise that cloud has changed everything. Services offered by MSPs must be client-centric and focused on the solution, its delivery and ongoing management.

And in turn, solutions should be tailored to what law firms need, not what is easiest for the MSP to deliver. The best service providers will adopt new technologies, while investing in the people and associated infrastructure to support their clients’ current and future requirements.

The offering should include the deployment and management of cloud solutions – public, private, hybrid and even on-premises, depending on what works best for the law firm.

Critically, the chosen MSP must understand the legal sector and its unique challenges and be able to demonstrate experience deploying solutions and services for law firms of all sizes – from single office to multi-site firms, including overseas offices.

Does the selected MSP have the experience to consult on a firm’s future IT strategy and help advise on their digital transformation, having done it before?

Is the MSP a good business?

You must look carefully at an MSP’s financial and company position – not just the figures on the balance sheet or their credit rating but also whether the business and pricing model indicates an organisation prepared to survive the long term, or the contract term at least.

You want a good, cost-effective deal. But beating a business down on margin risks the survival of the very firm that is helping you achieve growth and success, so tread carefully.

Is the selected MSP investing in its people? Is it pursuing a growth strategy that complements your digital transformation? If you accept the technological expertise is a given, one of the important considerations is, do you like them? Will you enjoy working with them? Will they support you when the chips are down? Do you trust them?

You should accept that all MSPs will help keep your systems running effectively – with a greater or lesser degree of efficiency – but you can shorten the selection process if you take note of the considerations listed above. They will help you focus on the MSP’s business, not just the technology.

And don’t forget to call us. We’re always ready to talk and explain how Quiss has become the leading MSP in the legal sector.