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What’s the most Cost-effective Way to Find an IT Managed Services Provider?

May 4th, 2023 by Kevin Box

You ask Function4 answers

Finding the most cost-effective IT managed services provider doesn't have to be difficult or time-consuming. Here are five steps you can take to find the perfect IT managed services provider that won’t break the bank:

1. Get Recommendations: Ask colleagues, friends, and family who they use and what they think first. Referrals are often the most cost-effective way to get in touch with a reliable IT managed services provider.

2. Vet Vendors by Background and Performance: Trust is essential when it comes to IT managed services providers. Do the extra work to research their background, performance history, and customer reviews. Rely on the experiences of business contacts and others that have used their services.

3. Ask About Their Service Level Agreement (SLA): Make sure you understand the scope and implications of vendor service agreements, particularly as they relate to quality and cost. Be sure they are willing to commit to specific, measurable service goals, rather than general statements of service, so you can get an accurate assessment of potential costs and performance.

4. Review Your Setup: Having a clear sense of the IT infrastructure in place will help the IT managed services provider develop a solution and cost estimate that fits the needs of your business.

5. Prioritize Unique and Uncommon Ideas: Prioritizing unique and uncommon ideas can help you get the most bang for your buck. Consider how you can go about customizing your IT managed services provider's services and solutions to improve their use, efficiency, and cost. This may include re-engineering your processes and software to explore ways to lower operating costs and the overall cost of ownership.

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Posted in: IT Services, You Ask, Function4 Answers

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