What MSP Services Do You Need? – A Seattle Business Owners’ Guide (Part 4)

By this point in the guide, you know what an MSP does (Part 1), whether you should rely on in-house or outsourced IT – or both! (Part 2), and how to determine if you should get an IT security assessment (Part 3). You may not know which MSP services your business specifically needs though, so that’s what we’ll be covering in this section. 

This is Part 4 of the 10-part Seattle Business Owners’ Guide to IT Security, so if you haven’t checked out Parts 1-3 yet, please click the links above to get up to speed. 

It’s time, so pour yourself a fresh cup of coffee — or order an espresso, we’re happy to wait while you get yourself your favorite caffeinated beverage — and let’s discuss your options for MSP services. 

Warning! Every MSP Offers Different Services

You know how when you’re at the grocery store, those little labels on the shelf tell you how much one type of pasta costs per pound and another tells you how much it costs per 12-ounce package? If you want to get an accurate apples-to-apples comparison (or “pasta-to-pasta” comparison, rather), you’ll need to break out your cell phone calculator and figure the ounce-to-ounce cost of the pasta. 

It’s frustrating, but that’s how comparing MSPs works too. They all offer different MSP services and different pricing, which means your job is to break down the service-to-service comparison of their offerings, so you can get an accurate understanding of exactly what you’ll be getting from your provider. 

The Most In-Demand MSP Services

Your organization is unique, so you may need some unique MSP services, such as software licensing management or HIPAA audit compliance checks for your industry. A good local managed services provider here in Seattle can help you sort through your specific industry needs, but the following are the most common services that a wide range of businesses rely on. 

• Desktop Support
  
  If a CIO’s main duty is to “keep the lights on,” an MSP’s main duty is to “keep the technology on.” Ensuring that your tech works well around the clouck is critical for Seattle’s modern businesses – but it takes quite a bit of work. Desktop (AKA “deskside:) support includes:
  • Tech support
  • Patching and updates
  • Virus protection
  • Backups (check out “Business Continuity” below)
  • Administration

• Business Continuity
  
  Previously known as Backup and Disaster Recovery (BDR), business continuity  provides a replicated backup solution that secures your data and can get you back on track within as little as 5 minutes after a security event, such as ransomware or a natural disaster.

• Mobile Device Management
  
  Smartphones, tablets, and laptops hold a lot of private company data… and, unfortunately, they’re easy to steal. Plus, if you have a BYOD policy like most organizations, those personal devices may be introducing IT security threats onto your network. Mobile device management can help you ensure that employee-owned devices are kept up to date and secure, as well as remotely wipe company data off of stolen devices instantly.

• Network IoT Device Identification
  
  The Internet of Things (IoT) has a disturbing number of security flaws – and it’s highly unlikely your employees know how to secure their IoT devices. However, it’s highly likely that your employees are bringing IoT tools into work without your knowledge. Network IoT device identification finds and blocks unauthorized IoT from accessing your network, keeping your business data safe.

• Asset Management
  
  You’ve purchased a lot of technology over the years. Some of it, you’ve handed out to employees. Other tech is used in your office, but it may or may not be updated, secured, and patched – which means it’s a hidden vulnerability in your network. Asset management helps you keep track of the tech you have, secure it properly, and plan in advance to replace obsolete hardware and software.

• CIO On-Demand / Strategic AdvisementIT is confusing. Business IT is even more confusing (and scary) because it costs a lot, is a pain in the neck to implement, and can leave your organization at a competitive disadvantage if you invest in the wrong tool – or in the right tool at the wrong time. Very few SMBs can justify the hire of a full-time CIO to make critical tech decisions, but having a CIO On-Demand gives business leaders the IT expertise and strategy they need, at a cost they can afford.

You Deserve a Personalized MSP Services Plan

Good MSPs will deliver the top MSP services along with a handful of industry-specific services, but the best MSPs will help you design a personalized services plan that meets your specific needs, now and in the future. That way, you can ensure you have exactly the IT services and support you need – nothing more and nothing less. 

The benefit to this approach is that you won’t have to worry that you’ll end up paying for costly “out of scope” IT support all the time, and you’ll be able to relax because you’ll know that all of your IT is taken care of. 

Get a Personalized Quote or Determine Your Needs Yourself – Choose Your Path

If you’re ready for your personalized MSP services plan now, you know that all you need to do is reach out to Interplay, Seattle’s award-winning IT support company and one of the area’s only true MSPs. 

However, if you’re not ready to get an actual quote and you’d like to do more research on your own, we also offer a DIY approach you can use to plan for your MSP needs. 

 

Check out the Network & IT Health Self-Assessment to learn where your IT setup is working and where you could use some help. As soon as you need us, we’ll be there for you.