How to Find the Right Managed Service Provider
A complete guide to selecting an MSP that protects your business, delivers real value, and becomes a trusted technology partner—not just another vendor.
Why Finding the Right MSP Matters
Your Managed Service Provider isn’t just your IT support—they’re responsible for protecting your business from cyber threats, keeping your systems running, and ensuring you can operate without technology roadblocks. The wrong choice can cost you hundreds of thousands of dollars in lost productivity, security breaches, and failed backups.
The challenge? Most business owners don’t know what questions to ask. MSPs all sound the same in their marketing, and it’s hard to tell the difference between a competent provider and one that’s just collecting a monthly fee.
The Stakes Are High
We’ve documented real cases where businesses lost $185,000 from backup failures, $92,000 from security breaches, and countless hours of productivity because their MSP wasn’t doing what they promised.
The good news? These disasters are preventable when you know what to look for.
Do You Even Need an MSP?
Before we dive into how to choose one, let’s address the fundamental question: should you hire an MSP, or handle IT differently?
When an MSP Makes Sense:
- You have 10+ employees and technology is critical to daily operations
- You lack in-house IT expertise and don’t want to hire a full-time IT person
- You need 24/7 monitoring and support to minimize downtime
- Cybersecurity is a concern and you need professional-grade protection
- You want predictable IT costs instead of emergency repair bills
- Compliance requirements demand documented IT security controls
When You Might Not Need an MSP:
- You’re a very small business (under 5 employees) with simple tech needs
- You have a capable in-house IT person who can handle everything
- Your business isn’t technology-dependent and occasional downtime is acceptable
For most businesses with 10+ employees, an MSP provides better value than hiring a full-time IT person. A good MSP gives you access to an entire team with diverse expertise for less than the cost of one employee.
The 20 Questions to Ask Before Hiring an MSP
These questions will help you separate professional MSPs from vendors who are just collecting checks. Pay close attention to how they answer—vague responses or defensiveness are red flags.
Backup & Disaster Recovery
What to listen for: They should test restore procedures regularly (monthly or quarterly). If they say “we just monitor the backup software,” that’s not enough. Ask: “When was the last time you actually restored a file from our backup?”
What to listen for: RTO (Recovery Time Objective) = how long until systems are back up. RPO (Recovery Point Objective) = how much data you might lose. They should give you specific numbers based on your business needs, not vague promises.
What to listen for: You need BOTH. Local backup for fast restores, cloud/offsite backup for disasters (fire, theft, ransomware). If they only offer one, that’s incomplete protection.
Security & Monitoring
What to listen for: Modern MSPs use EDR (Endpoint Detection and Response), not just basic antivirus. Ask about DNS filtering, email security, and patch management processes.
What to listen for: They should have a documented patch management policy with testing procedures for critical updates. Automatic patching without testing can break systems.
What to listen for: They should monitor servers, network devices, backup status, security alerts, and system health. Ask: “What happens if an alert triggers at 2 AM?”
What to listen for: They should have a documented offboarding process that disables accounts within 24 hours (ideally same-day). We’ve seen companies lose $92,000 because a fired employee retained access.
Documentation & Communication
What to listen for: Professional MSPs maintain current documentation: network diagrams, IP addresses, passwords, software licenses, vendor contacts, and hardware warranties.
What to listen for: They should offer at least quarterly business reviews (QBRs) to discuss performance, upcoming needs, and IT roadmap planning. If they say “we can meet if you want,” that’s reactive—not proactive.
What to listen for: Monthly reports should include ticket summaries, backup status, security alerts, patch compliance, and upcoming hardware/software renewals.
Support & Response Times
What to listen for: They should have defined SLAs (Service Level Agreements) for different priority levels. Example: Critical = 1 hour, High = 4 hours, Normal = 24 hours. Get this in writing.
What to listen for: Multiple options are best. A ticketing portal helps track issues, but phone support should be available for urgent problems.
What to listen for: If your business operates outside standard hours, you need 24/7 support. Clarify if after-hours support costs extra.
Technology Roadmap & Strategy
What to listen for: They should track hardware lifecycles and provide advance notice (6-12 months) before equipment needs replacement. This helps you budget appropriately.
What to listen for: Good MSPs explain WHY an upgrade is needed and provide alternatives. Bad MSPs push unnecessary upgrades to increase revenue.
What to listen for: Professional MSPs invest in training, certifications, and partnerships with major vendors (Microsoft, Cisco, etc.).
Contracts & Pricing
What to listen for: Get detailed breakdowns. Some MSPs have low monthly fees but nickel-and-dime you for every small task. Others offer all-inclusive pricing.
What to listen for: Typical contracts are 1-3 years. Understand early termination fees. Some MSPs require 90 days’ notice.
What to listen for: Most MSPs mark up hardware 10-25%. Reasonable markup is fine (they provide warranty support and installation), but excessive markups (50%+) are a red flag.
What to listen for: Professional MSPs have an offboarding process that transfers all passwords, documentation, and data within 30 days. Get this in writing before you sign.
🚩 Red Flags to Watch For
- They won’t provide references from current clients
- Vague answers to technical questions
- No documentation processes or standardized procedures
- They badmouth their competitors excessively
- Pressure tactics to sign immediately
- No SLAs or guarantees in the contract
- Reluctance to let you test backups or verify their work
- They can’t explain their security tools in plain English
How to Compare MSP Proposals
Once you’ve interviewed 3-4 MSPs, you’ll have proposals to compare. Don’t just look at the price—that’s how businesses end up with cheap MSPs that don’t deliver.
Create a Comparison Spreadsheet with These Categories:
- Monthly Cost: Base fee + estimated additional costs
- What’s Included: List everything covered in the monthly fee
- What Costs Extra: Projects, after-hours support, hardware
- Response Time SLAs: Guaranteed response times by priority
- Backup Testing: How often they verify restores
- Security Tools: EDR, DNS filtering, email security, etc.
- Reporting: What reports you’ll receive and how often
- Strategic Planning: QBR frequency and format
- Contract Terms: Length, cancellation policy, termination fees
- Years in Business: Experience level and stability
The cheapest option is rarely the best. Focus on value: what are you getting for your money?
Use Our Free MSP Assessment Tool
Evaluate potential MSPs with our 70-point assessment covering backup, security, documentation, and 4 other critical areas. Get an objective grade before you sign a contract.
The Onboarding Process: What to Expect
Once you’ve selected an MSP, the onboarding process typically takes 30-60 days. Here’s what a professional MSP should do:
✓ Professional MSP Onboarding Checklist
- Complete network assessment and documentation
- Deploy monitoring and security tools on all devices
- Set up backup systems and test restores
- Document all passwords, licenses, and vendor contacts
- Create user accounts and access permissions
- Establish ticketing and communication processes
- Schedule initial QBR to set expectations
- Provide training on how to submit tickets
If your new MSP just starts answering tickets without doing discovery and documentation first, that’s a warning sign.
How My IT Support Report Card Can Help
Finding the right MSP is just the beginning. Once you’ve hired one, how do you verify they’re actually doing what they promised?
My IT Support Report Card provides independent tools to:
- Assess MSP candidates before you sign a contract
- Request monthly documentation to verify backups, security tools, and patches
- Validate pricing on quotes and proposals
- Compare multiple vendors side-by-side
- Plan better QBRs with structured agendas
- Track MSP performance month-over-month
Think of us as your independent IT advisor—we don’t sell MSP services, so we have no incentive to recommend expensive solutions you don’t need.
Ready to Find Your Perfect MSP?
Start with our free assessment tool to evaluate candidates, then use our platform to ensure they deliver on their promises.