Most IT Managed Service Providers (MSP) have generic, standard contracts with an annual commitment for their services. On the face of it, this makes sense. The cost for an MSP to onboard and support a customer is often significant. The traditional MSP then needs to recoup that cost over the duration of the contract.

We have a different take. To us, entering into a managed IT service contract isn’t about “risk mitigation.” It’s about partnership.

We look for the classic win/win. We provide a service that enables our clients to succeed, and they pay us a reasonable fee for that service.

When we engage with a client, we do it without a tethered agreement. If the arrangement is not a right fit for either party, we prefer to part ways gracefully without disrupting the business. We always view our engagements as an opportunity for future business. In many ways, we earn your business every day.

It is worth noting our services aren’t a fit for every client. There is a maturity required when entering into an MSP relationship. Approaching this relationship by keeping this in mind is critical for the success of the client and the managed IT service provider.

Vetting a provider: Measure twice, cut once

Our advice to anyone looking at entering into an MSP relationship is to measure twice, cut once. Fully vet the contract to avoid getting trapped in a situation you cannot easily remove yourself from. Make sure that the MSP isn’t just looking to do the basics only, and is not looking to be a true business partner.

Oftentimes, managed IT service and security providers look at cost reduction instead of the value that a more mature MSP can offer. How can you have a partnership when one organization is chained to the other? This is the price of the limitation of a tethered relationship. Your managed IT and security provider should have the confidence and experience to offer a no contract, no limits, trusted partner relationship. And they should be adding value to your existing MSP agreement by adding benefits.

Since our first managed IT service offering was introduced years ago, we have added features and capabilities every year. The biggest area of need for most organizations is IT security, since it is now practically impossible for organizations to keep up with using existing staff resources and tools. If every company is “now a software company” (as Marc Andreessen suggests), then “every MSP is a security company.”

Over the years, ZAG added regular internal and external security vulnerability scans, a security awareness training program, and implemented policies and processes that protect against spear phishing, password hacking, administrator permission vulnerabilities, and many more security risks.

Your managed service provider should earn your trust and deliver more value every day. No Tethered Contracts. No Limits. Learn more about ZAG’s approach to managed IT services and security.