Companies, whether big or small, run on technology. Computers talk to each other, printers talk to computers, employees talk through computers and everything needs to be in sync for it work properly. Technology is fallible, and mishaps happen every day whether it is user error or equipment error.
A Global Managed Service Provider (MSP) is like a guardian angel watching over the whole thing. It is comprised of a dedicated team whose job it is to take care of those misfortunes (sometimes before you even realize they are there) by monitoring your systems every day, all day.
For corporations, government organizations, hospitals, and educational institutions, having an MSP means saving money, time and headaches. An MSP can provide the equipment, monitoring, maintenance, repair, and replacement you need when you need it, all for a monthly or annual fee. It can easily take the place of or relieve some of the burden of any in-house IT team. The best part is that a Global MSP can provide this service no matter where the business is located. In a case where an MSP is unable to solve your problem remotely, many MSP companies will dispatch a repair technician to care of malfunctions on-site.
Benefits Of A Global MSP
A Global MSP proactively monitors and, in most cases, manages a company’s system remotely and in real time. Audio, visual and collaboration needs are monitored by certified engineers, which allows your employees to focus on what they do best, work.
If a break occurs within the framework, the Global MSP will know immediately through their real-time, 24/7 monitoring. The first course of action will be to see if a repair can be made from the Network Operations Center or NOC. If the engineers monitoring the system can’t fix the issue remotely, then they will dispatch a service team to manage the on-site repairs. The benefit is the peace of mind the company has knowing their framework is watched all the time and that problems will be dealt with immediately.
Reporting is a vital service that Global MSP’s offer. Companies need to be able to gauge whether the Global MSP they are contracting with is performing as promised. MSP reports should include the performance of the equipment, the monitoring, the breaks that happened and how quickly they were detected and resolved, statistics surrounding the success of conferences and live events and detailed information about service performance.
If your MSP is reasonably experienced, the reports are linked to Service Level Objectives or SLOs – these are business outcomes which, really, most companies should expect when they contract for service. What really matters is not monitoring, or managing – it is resolving problems before the business is impacted. Many MSP contracts today stipulate contractual SLOs, and put money at risk for the MSP if they fail to meet them.
Training is also a service that is provided by an MSP. On-site teams can be trained on how to use the equipment and resolve any questions that seem to come up all the time. An MSP with a user help desk to guide employees on how to use the AV equipment or fix a minor glitch allows collaborations to go quickly and smoothly.
Remote management of the audio, visual, and collaboration needs by the Global MSP’s engineers is a huge benefit. With remote management, the MSP can verify that all systems are working properly, catch any problems early, and fix all issues before the end user knows they exist. The Global MSP can also manage all equipment and ensure it is all working at peak performance. If the equipment is not calibrated or working correctly, it can be reconfigured remotely as needed.
MSP services may also include Managed Video Conferencing services with a live video technician to remotely schedule, produce, and make certain that every AV aspect of the conference runs smoothly. The MSP is able to do this by providing conference production experts that are already on staff with their teams. These experts can help companies control the video conferences successfully, allowing the tech to integrate seamlessly with the presentations being given.
An MSP can also manage the audio and webcasting for meetings and events. By using conference production experts, the audio and webcasting your company needs will be taken care of remotely and will be one less worry.
Hiring A Global MSP
Let’s talk about what you should know before you hire a Global MSP.
First, take time to explore the different packages the MSP offers. Some are just remote, and some do it all, from equipment to on-site repairs. Be sure the MSP can cover the locations you need – when it comes to sending someone on-site, many MSPs don’t have the capability. It is also a good idea to find out if their engineers are certified and/or licensed. And, finally, ask for references to affirm if the service they promise is the service they consistently deliver.
Explore how HB Communications can help with your Managed Service Provider Needs.
Photo Credit: alberthobbs Flickr via Compfight cc
This article was first published on HB Communications.
Lisa is the marketing manager at HB Communications, among the largest and most innovative Audiovisual System Integrators in North America. HB designs, builds, and supports audiovisual communication environments for organizations around the world.