There is a reason that there are quality control departments in companies and editors in the writing world. Having an extra set of eyes looking at your work can mean the difference between something good and something great. That logic and our mantra of “Continuous Improvement” led to our decision to pursue the MSP Verify certification.
In the past few weeks, we have talked about our journey going through the MSP Verify certification process, the company foundational objectives and the core managed services areas that were reviewed. But what does this all mean for ZAG and its clients and customers? We boil it down:
Transparency and trustworthiness
Being transparent isn’t a comfortable thing to do for most. By its very definition, transparency implies communication, openness, and accountability – all of which sounds simple, but also require a level of vulnerability that can make being transparent uncomfortable.
Having said that, transparency also builds trust. Trust is not only the foundation of a great partnership – but it also should be a requirement when looking for a Managed Services Provider (MSP). When you partner with an MSP, you essentially hand over the keys to your kingdom and should want to ensure that they are in good hands. Getting a recommendation or referral from someone else who uses that provider can be one way to get a stamp of approval. But another way is to look for MSPs that have taken that extra step to have a third party evaluate their work.
Knowing that the MSP you’re considering went the extra mile to ensure they have the proper procedures in place should provide you with confidence that your organization’s best interests will be a priority – especially when they’re sharing the experience and the various pieces of the puzzle related to certification so openly.
Continuous improvement
We often refer to our continuous improvement efforts both internally and in discussions with our clients. But it isn’t just something we discuss; We act! That means we take every opportunity to ask ourselves, “How can we make this better?” We are never satisfied with “ok” or “good.” We consistently aim for exceptional. In fact, one of our values is Exceptional the Goal.
MSP Verify was more than just an opportunity to improve. It was a chance for us to have someone trained to focus on all things MSP operations, come in and review our procedures to ensure that we have the right ones in place.
Addressing risk
Security should be top of mind for any organization – especially with Cyber Attacks on the rise. This is an area that no MSP can afford to ignore. MSP Alliance’s Cyber Verify certification was created to evaluate to MSP’s cybersecurity practices. It’s not enough to simply say that we follow the basics to help protect our client’s data; we must also be willing to step out of our comfort zone and allow a trained professional to examine how we handle our own data so that we may learn how to implement ongoing data protection and cybersecurity strategies going forward.
When MSP Alliance examined our cybersecurity policies and procedures, it was done on a particular day, which means at any given moment, ZAG is following its best practices for handling client data and systems in an effort to thwart attacks. But that’s not the only benefit. ZAG goes above and beyond to remain proactive in identifying potential threats and addressing them before they become problematic. As a result of these efforts, our customers and clients can rest assured that we’re looking at all aspects of their IT programs, policies, and systems to ensure their safety. This means protecting revenue, data, and brand reputation.
There is an old saying that “Hindsight is 20/20.” Looking back on ZAG’s journey to the MSP Verify certification, the only regret is that we didn’t engage prior to 2020 (when the pandemic provided us with plenty of other distractions). Going through this exercise not only allowed us to look for additional areas to improve, but it also gave us a sense that we’re taking the right steps to fulfill our mission, “Enabling Our Clients to Succeed.”
MSP Verify and Cyber Verify certifications allow you to realize the work and process oversight that goes into protecting data. Want to learn more? Click here.
