Modern MSPs differ from those still using legacy technology
In the past, Managed Service Providers (MSPs) used local servers for files, print, and accounts, with employees mostly in the building. Known as the “castle-and-moat” strategy, it relied on keeping everything good inside and everything bad out. This model worked before, but with COVID-19 and hybrid work, it doesn’t work anymore.
In parallel, cloud-first technologies have matured during COVID and bring about features and capabilities to address modern security challenges and modern work. Cloud-enabled technologies are designed for employees who work in and out of the office, who check email from their personal smartphones, and who need to be as efficient and safe on the go as they are in the office.
The shift to modern work and cloud-based infrastructure has created an opportunity for MSPs to support modern employees while providing a better end-user experience and stronger security – all while cutting costs. Unfortunately, a majority of MSPs have refused to adjust – forcing their customers to be less secure, less efficient, and overpay,
If you have been working with the same MSP for an extended period and have not noticed an evolution in their day-to-day operations, it is time to start looking for another partner.
Below are some tell-tale signs that your MSP may be taking you on a ride you can’t afford.
1. Onboarding new staff is slow and painful
Traditional MSPs can take a long time to give new employees the tools they need to work efficiently. This wait is both costly and avoidable. If your MSP is taking an unreasonable amount of time to get devices set up and in the hands of your new hires, it is likely because their practices are outdated, and they are not using modern technology.
Bad onboarding creates issues for new employees on their initial day. Do your employees spend days wasting time or do they become productive within the first 30 minutes?
In the wake of the great resignation, many employees leave their positions because of unnecessary discord that hinders productivity. Closing the gaps where friction occurs saves your company money, plain and simple. A lower employee turnover rate and a proven process for immediate employee productivity will, undoubtedly, benefit your group financially in the long run,
Modern MSP services offer Zero Touch Provisioning. Zero Touch Provisioning means a laptop can be shipped directly to a new hire. The new hire opens the box, powers on the device, signs in, and the device configures itself over-the-air in about 30 minutes.
2. You have low confidence in your security posture
A key indicator that you’re working with the wrong MSP is you’ve lost confidence in your company’s security posture. Most legacy MSPs are using antiquated security practices designed for a traditional workplace. These practices put your business at a higher risk of a ransomware and/or malware attack. A tell-tale that your security posture is lagging is your remote connectivity architecture. MSPs who are still reliant on VPNs are exposing their customers to more malware and ransomware attacks.
Modern MSPs embrace Zero Trust in order to provide their clients with the best possible defense against malware, ransomware and other cyber-attacks. A zero-trust architecture is far more secure. Zero Trust follows the principle of “guilty until proven innocent.” With Zero Trust, every access request is checked and verified. Riskier requests require Multi-factor Authentication (MFA) or get blocked completely – protecting your business and your employees. If your MSP hasn’t embraced Zero Trust, you’re getting less than the best.
3. OS Updates are few and far between
MSPs that have fallen behind still use a legacy architecture to update their clients’ devices. This strategy requires that devices be on-premises to update. Did you have challenges with updating devices during COVID?
As we enter the age of the modern workplace it’s no longer adequate. Employees need updates regularly on their devices to protect company data against malware and ransomware. Employees can’t and shouldn’t have to wait to receive these updates until they physically visit an office. The reality is, to stay secure, you need to be able to have devices updated from anywhere and everywhere.
If your teams’ devices are not receiving over-the-air updates as needed, it means your MSP is using dated technology. Consistent updates should be happening. If they are not, it is likely that your employees’ devices are missing features and bug fixes, or even worse, they may be vulnerable to breach.
4. You feel like you are overpaying
If you feel like you aren’t getting your money’s worth from your legacy MSP, you’re probably not. In 2022, a modern MSP should be able to provide you with a streamlined IT experience that’s more secure and empowers your end-users to be more productive. Instead, most legacy MSPs are raising their prices and their services are scaling down, not up. If the results are not matching up with your investment, it may be time to start exploring elsewhere.
Modern Managed Services leverage more efficient technology, tactics, and workflows, which result in a better performing, more secure and frictionless computing experience for the end-user at a much lower cost. You’ll save by needing fewer utilities like VPNs, you’ll save because the overhead to manage devices is lower when they get updates over-the-air, and you’ll save because your cybersecurity insurance will cost you less.
5. Your employees continuously have a poor IT experience
Your employees want to be productive without IT slowing them down. The problem is that many legacy MSP models are built on a framework that doesn’t fit modern work. Your legacy MSP may mean well and want to respond faster, they want to resolve problems faster, and they want less IT disruptions, but their architecture is flawed and not capable of delivering an end-to-end frictionless computing experience.
If your end-users are consistently having a poor IT experience, your legacy MSP is underdelivering.
A modern MSP will cut your service desk tickets by 25%, give you new benefits like passwordless authentication, live file collaboration, automatic file backups & versioning, and give you more time to work on building your business – rather than waiting for an issue to get resolved.
6. Your MSP measures performance by “Reply Time” rather than “Resolution Time”
Replying to an issue and resolving an issue are two very different things. If your MSP technical support doesn’t understand that, consider it a red flag. Modern MSP architecture runs on a technology that delivers a real-time resolution, not just a fast response.
7. Your current MSP doesn’t manage Apple and Android and can’t protect data on personal devices
No more days of having a Windows PC on your desk and leaving work at the end of the day. Legacy MSPs, however, have not adopted modern tools and cannot manage and protect data on non-Windows devices.
Modern MSPs understand that macs, iPhones, iPads, and Android devices are an important part of modern work. Failing to secure these devices leaves companies with a huge security hole. People read emails, edit files, and work on their smartphones and tablets.
Modern MSPs use technology that can secure all corporate devices: Windows, macs, iPhones, iPads, and Androids. Further, modern MSPs can protect corporate data on personal smartphones and tablets without requiring employees to give up control of their devices to the MSP.
If your MSP isn’t talking to you about protecting data on all your devices, personal and corporate, it’s time to look for a new MSP.
8. Your employees are still struggling with passwords
Most security breaches come from compromised passwords. If your MSP hasn’t encouraged your team to use multi-factor authentication, password management tools, or better yet, to go passwordless with biometrics, they are putting you behind the 8-ball.
The reality is that even complex passwords are no longer secure enough in the current cyber climate. It is imperative to move beyond password reliance and towards biometric authentication (passwordless) to achieve a more secure future.
Modern MSPs know how to bring passwordless authentication to your workforce.
9. System failures and machine crashes leave your team incapacitated
If your MSP is still using dated architecture and technology, a system failure or machine crash will bring an employee’s productivity to a swift halt. Conversely, modern architecture allows for the opposite.
With a Modern Managed Services architecture, if a machine malfunctions or a crash occurs on an employee’s device, it’s easily fixable with zero-touch provisioning. If a crash occurs, a Modern MSP has the ability to reprovision the existing device or have the employee switch to a replacement instantaneously. This means the employee who experienced the crash will be up and running with all apps, data, files, and security without a loss in productivity.
With the wrong MSP, this type of event can take days to resolve and may result in permanent data loss, leaving the employee unproductive and down for days.
10. Your MSP hasn’t evolved as your business has evolved
Amazingly most legacy MSPs haven’t evolved at the same rate as their customers. The cause is due to their technology foundation, which is often powered by outdated technologies and processes.
So, why don’t they simply update their technology and processes?
It’s not easy for them to do so. Retooling and upgrading their foundational framework requires a major overhaul that may halt the MSP’s operations and cause major financial disruption. Essentially, it would be equivalent to changing a tire while driving down a highway at 70 mph.
The modern work climate has created a scenario where legacy MSPs must evolve in order for their customers to stay competitive with peers. If it feels like your MSP hasn’t evolved, chances are they haven’t. And if that’s the case, they are now likely too far behind the curve to catch up. With a legacy MSP, your business will be less safe, and less productive, and you’ll fall farther behind your competitors.
Moving to the right partner
When seeking out a replacement for your legacy MSP, look for a partner that is has a model to deliver a secure, frictionless experience for your employees. If you find an MSP that caters to modern work, you’re on the right track. If their business model looks like it did prior to the pandemic or every other Legacy MSPs model, it’s time to head for the hills.
Contact us to learn more About Modern Managed Services
