Managed services involve third-party providers handling many IT functions. This model frees small-and-medium sized businesses to spend more time focusing on core operations. It’s also an easy way for organizations to fill skill gaps, which is helpful since 78% of businesses face skill gaps. Still, IT managed services challenges do exist.
“The benefits of working with a managed IT provider greatly outweigh the risks, especially because most managed IT challenges are easy to avoid through a strategic partner vetting process.” – Duane Maas, Director at MC Services
With the right managed service provider (MSP), businesses can streamline operations, improve cybersecurity, and prioritize strategic initiatives. So, the potential benefits greatly outweigh the potential challenges. Additionally, most managed services provider challenges are avoidable if you choose the right partner from the start.
So, this article will explore common challenges some businesses face when they work with managed services providers (MSPs). We will also demonstrate some of the key warning signs that tell you that you should avoid a certain partner to avoid the challenge.
Balancing Cost & Quality Services
Cost-efficiency remains a challenge for businesses using managed services. While outsourcing IT can save money, achieving the right balance between cost and quality is key for optimal performance and efficiency.
Signs of a poor provider include hidden fees, sudden price hikes, and limited service offerings that require frequent add-ons. Plus, if an MSP consistently upsells services that don’t deliver measurable value or provides minimal oversight, this is also a red flag.
By contrast, a good MSP provides a transparent pricing structure that outlines all costs upfront, and delivers comprehensive services within a clearly defined scope. They also monitor service performance to ensure you’re getting the most value for your investment.
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Reducing Cyber Threats
As cyber threats grow more sophisticated, advanced security measures become more essential. Furthermore, 64% of employees aren’t sure how to react to data breaches, which can compromise your business continuity.
An MSP that lacks experience in handling the latest cyber threats or provides only reactive security services can leave your business vulnerable. It’s also important to seek comprehensive consulting services to ensure your team knows what to do if a cyber incident occurs.
A good MSP offers customized, proactive cybersecurity solutions designed to meet your specific threat landscape. They continuously monitor for potential threats, implement adaptive security measures, and regularly update their tools and practices.
Maintaining Work From Home Environments
In a remote working environment, employees access company resources from various locations and devices. Home networks typically lack business-grade security, which makes consistent protection difficult. That’s why a strategic IT plan is very important if you allow work from home.
A good MSP ensures secure access, uses strong authentication like VPNs and MFA, and provides reliable remote support to keep both security and productivity high. Look for the following services from an MSP if you want to choose a good fit for remote work.
| Secure Remote Access | Ensures employees can safely access company resources from any location. |
| Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) | Adds an extra layer of security to prevent unauthorized access. |
| Virtual Private Network (VPN) Setup | Creates secure connections for remote employees, protecting sensitive data. |
| 24/7 Remote Technical Support | Provides ongoing support to resolve technical issues remotely at any time. |
| Regular Security Audits | Regularly checks and updates security measures to protect against new threats. |
| Endpoint Security Solutions | Protects employee devices used in remote work environments. |
| Cloud-Based Collaboration Tools | Offers secure cloud tools for team collaboration and document sharing. |
| Remote Monitoring and Management (RMM) | Monitors systems remotely to detect and resolve issues proactively. |
| Data Backup and Recovery Services | Ensures data is backed up regularly and can be restored in case of loss. |
| Compliance and Data Protection | Helps ensure compliance with industry regulations and protects sensitive data. |
Integrating New Systems With Legacy Infrastructure
Few legacy systems are designed to integrate well with modern solutions. Furthermore, 61% of organizations acknowledge that their legacy systems are holding back their growth. Still, you need to be practical when it comes to adapting your infrastructure.
If an MSP can’t integrate new technologies with your existing setup or suggests replacing everything without reason, they may not have the right experience. An effective MSP stays current with technology advancements, but also stays aware of your business needs.
Seek partners who will offer actionable advice on how you can keep up, avoid those that push new solutions without good explanations of why you should use them.
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Managing Communication Between In-House Teams & The MSP
Poor communication between your internal teams and the MSP leads to misunderstandings and delays. If they’re hard to reach, unresponsive, or unclear in their communication, it’s difficult to get problems resolved quickly.
A good MSP ensures regular updates, easy contact, and seamless collaboration with your in-house team. This practice keeps everyone informed and aligned on goals. Here is an illustration to help you understand what to look for when managing your MSP relationship.
This graphic shows how communication and effectiveness impact collaboration between IT teams and MSPs.High communication and effectiveness result in clear documentation that ensures both teams are on the same page. Low communication and effectiveness lead to weak feedback loops that cause misalignment.
Frequent but ineffective communication leads to misaligned goals, while highly effective check-ins are straight to the point with little “fluff” in the communication.
Protecting Sensitive Data Across Multiple Platforms
When businesses store data across multiple platforms, protecting sensitive information becomes a major challenge. Each platform may have different security standards, which can create gaps that cybercriminals can exploit. Additionally, managing access controls, encryption, and data visibility across various systems can be complex.
If an MSP lacks strong encryption, fails to audit systems regularly, or struggles with data protection across platforms, your sensitive information is at risk. Instead, seek partners that use advanced encryption and regularly audit security practices across your whole network.
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Choose a Partner Who Helps You Avoid Managed Service Challenges
Finding the right partner can feel overwhelming given the many options in the managed services market. We have previously written a guide on how you can strategically select a good partner, but we also believe in putting our money where our mouth is.
So, we invite you to book a consultation with MC Services. Feel free to ask our consultants directly how we can help you avoid all of the managed IT challenges discussed in this article. We will gladly show you our plan to help you avoid challenges and solve issues before they even become problems.
Contact us today to learn more.
