When your organizational IT needs have outgrown your team, you know it’s time to hire the right managed IT service provider (MSP) in Nigeria to help. Even so, getting the right managed IT service provider can be difficult, at times, frustrating. This is because there are a plethora of MSPs in Nigeria, with all fronting as the ‘best in the business.’
You will agree with you me that it is difficult to make a decision when you have many options. However, this article will teach you about the things to look out for when choosing the right managed IT service provider in Nigeria. And also, what not to prioritize in your search.
Without further ado, let’s get in.
According to one survey by CompTIA, 50% of companies who engaged an MSP saved 1-24% in annual IT costs, 33% saved 25-49%, while 13% reported savings of more than 50%.
4 Factors to Consider When Choosing the Right Managed IT Service Provider in Nigeria
1. Check for Reputation & Reference
You’ve probably heard the popular phrase ‘success leaves clues’, well, it’s true. Not just true for life, but also in the corporate business world. That said, every outstanding managed service provider always has clues of past results, also known as testimonials or references.
And by looking at their past results, you’ll know if they are the right fit for your organization or not. However, this works hand in hand with reputation. Their reputation is what people are saying about them and their services. You can check their website, third-party business listings, and ask your colleagues in other industries to find out about their past results.
2. Check their Location
The second criterion to consider when choosing a managed IT service provider in Nigeria is their location. As basic as it may sound, without this factor in place, there’s bound to be a conflict of interest with your MSP.
Location is critical because IT services are mainly on-site issues. And, you need to have your IT support personnel available on-demand, so it doesn’t disrupt your flow of work. Most times, IT issues arise in the middle of important work, that’s why you need someone handy to help out.
Even though, you might meet the managed IT service provider online, ascertain where their office is situated. This singular step will save you from a lot of stress.
Every week, 125,000 hard drives experience data loss in the Nigeria. When you consider a simple, out-of-pocket drive recovery (that may or may not be successful) can cost millions of naira, having a Managed IT provider already in place starts to look pretty valuable.
3. Alignment of Needs
The truth is that there is no ‘supernatural’ or overall best-managed IT service provider in Nigeria. An MSP is only as good as their ability to solve your problems and meet your immediate needs. While some organizations might need an MSP that specializes in hardware and software issues, others might desire an MSP that focuses on intranet and network issues.
Looking at their website or brochure will help you decide if there’s an alignment of needs with the MSP. Similarly, some might claim to do everything perfectly, but don’t fall for such hype. Scrutinize them to find out their core strength before making a decision.
4. Availability and Support
As earlier mentioned, IT technical issues come unannounced and preparation is your best defense. When searching for a managed IT service provider in Nigeria, go with the one that is readily available and supportive.
Of course, you wouldn’t expect a 24 hours support due to the fact that their services are time-bound. But, at least, they should be readily available during the usual business hours to attend to your IT needs
451 Research discovered that out of 451 large businesses surveyed, 45% plan to partner with a managed security services provider and 42% deploy additional security software to protect data and applications in the cloud. As a result, the industry itself is shifting. Now, 59% of IT services have transitioned from the traditional break-fix model to a managed service contract model.
Choose Multiskills NG today…
With over 10 years of concrete experience, Multiskills NG is Nigeria’s leading managed IT service provider. We have a reputable reference having worked with over 50 organizations including Schlumberger, Aveon Offshore, PrimeWash, and Rivers State Government, to mention a few.
Our service offerings are cloud assessment & planning, migration, deployment, infrastructure operations management, monitoring, security, support, and much more. We have offices in Port-Harcourt and Lagos with staff scattered across Nigeria and available on demand.
