Bringing in a managed services provider changes how your organization handles technology. Instead of calling someone only when something breaks, you are trusting an outside team to monitor, secure, and support your systems every day.
Done well; that partnership stabilizes your IT, improves security, and frees your staff to focus on core work. Done poorly; it leads to slow responses, unclear responsibilities, and surprise costs.
The difference often comes down to what you clarify before you sign. The following areas and example questions help you evaluate whether an MSP like IPM is the right fit for your business.
Clarify Scope: What Is Included, What Is Not
Start by making sure you understand exactly what you are buying. Managed services can mean very different things from one provider to the next.
Questions to ask:
- Which devices and systems are covered by the agreement (desktops, laptops, servers, network equipment, cloud services)?
- Is support for mobile devices or personal devices included?
- Does the agreement cover both on site and remote support?
- What services are considered out of scope and billed separately (office moves, major migrations, new server builds)?
You should be able to see a written list of included services. If something is not documented, assume it may not be covered.
Understand Support: How Will Issues Be Handled
Response and communication are where you will feel the day-to-day quality of an MSP.
Questions to explore:
- What are your standard service hours?
- How can staff contact support (phone, email, ticket portal, chat)?
- What are your typical response times by priority level?
- Do you have a formal service level agreement?
- How are urgent or after hours issues handled and billed?
It’s also worth asking how you will be kept informed:
- Will we receive regular ticket summaries or reports?
- How do you communicate during a major incident?
You want a provider who can explain their process in plain language and provide real examples, not just general promises.
Examine Security and Compliance: How Do You Reduce Risk
Your MSP will have deep access to your systems and data. Their security posture becomes part of your security posture.
Questions to cover:
- What baseline security stack do you deploy for all clients (endpoint protection, firewall management, email security, web filtering)?
- How do you manage patching and updates across servers and workstations?
- How do you handle user access controls and multi-factor authentication?
- What is your standard approach to backup and disaster recovery?
- What is backed up, how often, and how often do you test restores?
- Can you support regulatory or client requirements (HIPAA, PCI, cyber insurance controls, or other frameworks)?
You should also ask how they protect themselves:
- How do you secure your internal tools and remote access to client systems?
- Do your staff receive regular security training?
An MSP should have documented security standards, not just a collection of tools.
Get Clear on Pricing and Contracts: What Will It Really Cost
Managed services are meant to give you predictable costs, but only if you understand the pricing model.
Questions to pin down:
- How do you calculate the monthly fee (per user, per device, tiered, or flat rate)?
- What exactly is included in that monthly fee?
- What types of work are billed as additional projects?
- How do you handle on site visits, travel, or hardware procurement?
- What is the minimum term of the contract?
- How do we cancel if the relationship is not working?
Ask to see a sample invoice. It should be easy to map the line items to the services described in your proposal and agreement.
Evaluate Onboarding and Ongoing Strategy: How Will You Learn Our Environment
A quality MSP relationship is about more than break fix. It should include documentation and planning.
Questions that help you gauge this:
- What does your onboarding process look like and how long does it usually take?
- How do you document our systems and network?
- Where is that documentation stored and who can access it?
- Will we have a primary account manager or technical lead?
- How often will you meet with us for IT reviews or planning?
- Do you help with budgeting and roadmap planning?
If a provider cannot describe a clear onboarding plan, it’s likely that the first few months will feel disorganized.
Check Experience and Fit: Are We the Right Type of Client
Technical ability matters but so does experience with organizations like yours.
Questions to confirm fit:
- What size organizations do you typically support?
- Do you have experience with our industry or similar compliance needs?
- Are you familiar with our core business applications?
- Can you provide references from clients with similar environments?
Pay attention to how they answer. A provider that regularly works with businesses like yours is more likely to have processes that fit your needs.
FAQs
What is the main benefit of moving to a managed services model?
The primary benefit is shifting from reactive to proactive IT. Instead of only addressing problems after they disrupt your work, a managed services provider monitors and maintains your systems, applies updates, manages backups, and responds to issues before they become major outages. That usually leads to more stability, better security, and more predictable costs.
How long should it take to onboard an MSP?
Onboarding timelines vary by environment size and complexity. For a small to mid-sized business, a realistic range is 30 to 90 days. During that time, the MSP will document your systems, deploy their tools, stabilize any urgent issues, and align your environment with their standards. It is reasonable to ask for a timeline and key milestones as part of your agreement.
Why not choose the cheapest MSP proposal?
Price is important, but it should not be the only factor. A very low proposal may reflect limited scope, minimal security coverage, or reactive only support. Compare what is included in each proposal, the quality of the processes described, and the support and security posture offered. Often, a slightly higher monthly fee that includes strong prevention and planning costs less over time than a cheaper contract that leaves gaps.
Can we keep some IT functions in house and still work with an MSP?
Yes. Many organizations use a hybrid model, where internal staff handle tasks such as desk side support, hardware installs, or user training, while the MSP focuses on monitoring, security, infrastructure, and higher level planning. The key is to clearly define responsibilities on both sides so nothing falls through the cracks.
How do we know if an MSP is really doing what they promised?
Look for regular reporting and communication. This can include ticket summaries, patch compliance reports, backup status, and security findings. Scheduled review meetings are also a good sign. You should have visibility into the health of your environment and be able to see evidence of ongoing work, not just hear that everything is fine.
Making A Thoughtful Managed Services Choice
Signing with a managed services provider is a strategic decision, not just a quick way to offload IT headaches. The questions you ask up front shape that relationship and help you avoid misunderstandings about scope, cost, and responsibilities.
By focusing on service coverage, support processes, security standards, pricing clarity, onboarding, and experience, you gain a clearer picture of whether a provider like IPM Computers can support your organization in the way you expect.
Taking the time to dig into these details now reduces the risk of surprises later and sets the foundation for a partnership that supports your business instead of holding it back.
