Hackers and threat actors have harmed numerous small and medium-sized businesses (or SMBs) over the past couple of years. According to research provided in a recent survey, there is no end in sight to these attacks in the coming decade.  SMBs are realizing they cannot protect against threats themselves. Many are looking for a new IT partner because they know it’s critical to have a managed service provider, or MSP, to effectively mitigate and monitor all possible threats. 

If you’re working at an SMB, how do you know if a potential MSP is the right one for your business now? Who can keep up with continual and ever-evolving changes in 2023 and beyond?

The Managed Service Provider Survey

In a survey, SMBs were asked the following:

• Does your MSP have the right technicians and resources to keep up with certifications?
• Do you trust in this MSP’s ability to deliver on its promises?
• Do you have confidence in your MSP to minimize loss and damages?
• Can you safely rely on the ability of your current MSP to respond to security incidents?

The survey results revealed that a large portion of SMBs don’t see their MSP partnerships as long-term and 42 percent actively expect to look for a new IT partner soon.

The biggest takeaway is that 94 percent of respondents would consider using or moving to a new MSP if they provided the “correct” cybersecurity solution.

Considerations for Your Team

While it may seem that most managed service providers offer comparable services, there is a significant gap between their expertise and their level of effectiveness. 

Make sure that your current or potential new IT partner is continuously monitoring:

• The complex legal and regulatory landscape.
• The ever-evolving technological landscape.
• The security market and the security product landscape.
• The emerging threat landscape.

How to Choose the Right IT Partner

There are lots of other questions to consider when choosing the correct MSP for 2023 and beyond. Effective communication is the key to finding, using and keeping the MSP that’s the correct one for your SMB.

Here are some resources that may help you on your path.

• Managed Service Provider Checklist
• Cyber Security Essentials Checklist
• Managed Detection and Response: What You Need to Know
• IT Support is Canceled. Why You Need IT Service Management

If you’re in the market for a new IT partner,  consider booking a meeting with us to discuss any questions you may have. Whether you decide to move forward with us or not, you’ll walk away with some tips and ideas on how to beef up your IT.