The Managed Services Provider Is A Partner
Posted on Mon, Jan 17, 2011
When I left DocuTech in 2003 I had been there for 12 years. We were a Technology Systems Integrator and Solutions Provider and we were very good at it. Call it the seven year itch that took twelve years but I no longer wanted to just keep going from one opportunity to the next. I wanted a vehicle that would allow me to truly partner and add business value and accountability for my clients. DocuTech now has a set of tools and processes in place to be able to do just that. So here I am back again.
A “for-profit” business grows by increasing its’ net profit. That is the most meaningful measurement of the health of any ongoing business. It is how you keep score. Sounds simple eh? How do you increase your revenues? How do you lower your cost of doing business? This is not an “either-or” scenario. Striving to positively affect both sides of the balance sheet is constant. This is what DocuTech does. 
IT outsourcing of the proactive management of some or all of the aspects of an organization’s technology and network infrastructure can effectively lower a companies’ IT costs of doing business. The Managed Service Provider (MSP) puts in place Service Level Agreements and processes that allow them to take true governance for the quick resolution of problems that arise. This IT outsourcing also allows an organization to leverage their IT staff to work with management in concentrating more on the business initiatives and strategies aimed at moving the company forward.
The MSP is more than an outside contractor. Theirs is a service that provides both technological and business accountability. They are a partner.
Because IT outsourcing of these managed services can have can have impact on a companies’ business model the managed services provider must be looked upon as a partner. Downtime, compliance regulations, network and data security are areas should be positively affected by this IT outsourcing. That is why all parties need to enter this relationship with both eyes open and both ears listening. In this way everyone gets up from the table satisfied and continues to sit at that table together in the future.
Decision makers need to understand the vendors’ capabilities. Are they financially stable? Do they have the industry certifications and references indicating their commitment to the ITIL standards of managed services best practices? Can you do a walkthrough of their facility? The answers to these questions and more are important. Choose a partner that will help move your companies’ business strategies and objectives forward.