Over the last several years, the IT support industry has largely repositioned its core service offerings in response to the changing needs of businesses. The old, reactive IT support model of break/fix has been ostensibly replaced by comprehensive, end-to-end managed service plans (MSPs). These plans are supposed to be designed to fully manage an organization’s computing needs. Unfortunately, many fail to do so.
In fact, some MSPs are actually just extensions of the old break/fix model. How can you tell the difference? Here’s how to tell if your MSP is a break-fix model in disguise:
- Ask to see a list of monthly maintenance items that are taken care of on-site. Any full-service MSP provider should be able to provide a comprehensive list quickly upon request. This maintenance list ensures uninterrupted use of your systems and is a critical component of any managed service plan.
- Another way to spot inauthentic MSPs is to ask a provider if there are any circumstances when you should expect an additional bill besides your monthly MSP fee. Some MSPs provide only a limited number of hours for on-site and remote support, as they hedge their bets on how well they can actually keep your systems up and running. If they fail to keep your systems running and they need to dispatch additional assistance, they may require you to pay for it. I’m not sure about you, but that doesn’t sound like a “comprehensive, full-service MSP” to me; it sounds more like putting lipstick on a pig!
There are many other aspects of MSPs that a savvy buyer must understand when looking for a new managed service provider. Check out some of our other blog posts or give us a call if you’d like to learn more.
Authored by Donald Nokes
As President of NetCenergy, Don Nokes is responsible for ensuring client satisfaction, and overseeing company performance and direction. Prior to co-founding the firm with Dan Charland in 2003, Don held senior leadership positions with IT service firms ranging in size from $3 Billion to $10 Million in annual sales.
Nick Eckman joined NetCenergy in 2016 from an international gaming company. Nick’s experience with supervising and implementing secure, fiber and copper wire infrastructure services provides our clients with a team of highly trained and experienced technicians. In addition to the skills required to manage our infrastructure services department, Nick brings a very experienced and focused approach to project management and is a stickler for accurate documentation for every project designed and built by his team.
Peter Lachapelle joined NetCenergy in 2015 and is responsible for leading all of NetCenergy’s operations and accounting functions. Each department within NetCenergy reports through Lachapelle. He brings his years of experience to maintain a pragmatic, efficient, client-focused team at NetCenergy. Lachapelle joined NetCenergy after completing a 27-year career with a Rhode Island, federally-charted bank which culminated in his senior management position as COO and CFO for the bank.
Peter Nelson has 25+ years of technology and management experience and has been with NetCenergy since inception. Peter serves as the VP of Engineering at NetCenergy. His role consists of managing the engineering staff, driving the companies technology strategy, and ensuring NetCenergy keeps up to date on new technologies and solutions.
As a Founding Partner, Dan is a result oriented individual who is always focusing on what is best for his client. He understands that business applications empower an organization and that technology must support those critical business applications. Dan’s technology career started in 1990 at EMC Corporation. Through the years, he has represented technology and consulting services for several organizations until 2003, when he and Don Nokes founded NetCenergy.
With decades of hands-on HR experience, Margery Ahearn is our Director of Human Resources, overseeing all hiring of new positions for NetCenergy with a careful eye on sourcing technology savvy engineers and skilled office-based professionals who fit our company culture, understand our commitment to our clients, and bring their time and talents to our team. Margery has both a BA and MBA in Business Administration from Southern New Hampshire University.