Stepping into the world of managed services is a big milestone for any organization. Whether you're taking the leap to outsource your IT needs for the first time or making the change to a new service partner, the success of this journey greatly relies on one pivotal element: a kickass onboarding experience!
A seasoned MSP understands that the more time and effort put in during the onboarding process, before service commences, the better the client experience will be afterwards. In this article, we dive into 4 key elements of the onboarding process that lay the groundwork for a successful, collaborative partnership between an organization and a Managed Services Provider (MSP).
1. Clear Communication
Effective communication is the foundation for a successful onboarding experience, fostering collaboration and understanding between your organization and our managed services team. Setting clear expectations regarding goals, timelines, and deliverables is crucial for a smooth transition.
Moreover, the onboarding process serves as a critical phase for knowledge transfer. Through transparent communication, we ensure that your internal team is well-equipped with the necessary information about new tools, processes, and best practices associated with managed services.
2. Comprehensive Documentation
Documentation in IT managed services onboarding is not just a formality; it is a strategic necessity.
The main reason is that comprehensive documentation facilitates the transfer of knowledge from the client to the managed services provider. It ensures that critical information about the IT infrastructure, systems, and processes is well-documented and helps the new managed services team understand the existing setup efficiently.
When troubleshooting is necessary, complete documentation provides the necessary insights into the system, expediting the resolution process and minimizing downtime.
3. The right resources to guide you
An onboarding manager with a well-defined plan and clear milestones helps both parties stay on track. Effective coordination between all the various departments; NOC, Security, Support team, ensures that the onboarding process is systematic, minimizing disruptions to ongoing operations,
A virtual CIO provides their strategic guidance to ensure the organisation will reap benefits of their investment in managed services at a much faster pace. It's all about making sure the selected managed services align with organisation's business objectives and enabling the client to see returns sooner rather than later.
All the guidance must be grounded in a human-centric approach. A successful partnership between a MSP and client goes beyond the technical aspects and also takes into account the human factors that contribute to a positive transition.
4. Security, security, security
Securing your IT should be the commitment of any managed services provider. The onboarding process is the time to do a thorough evaluation of the client's existing IT infrastructure, systems, and security protocols and identify potential vulnerabilities and assess the overall risk profile. Then it will be the job of your account manager and vCIO to work with the organisation's budget and timeline to mitigate the risks.
Conclusion
Onboarding is a crucial step in ensuring that our services are delivered quickly and efficiently. It provides us with a deep understanding of our clients' environment, systems, processes, and unique requirements. With over 300 steps, we meticulously cover every aspect to ensure that nothing is overlooked and everything is well-documented. We also offer recommendations to enhance security, upgrade equipment and software, and optimize procedures. In summary, our goal is to make our customers' work easier and provide them with a clean, up-to-date, and secure environment. That's the essence of our onboarding process!
In summary, an exceptional IT managed services onboarding is a well-orchestrated and collaborative effort. It involves effective communication, comprehensive documentation, the right resources that have a human centric approach, and an unwavering commitment to security.
Partner with us, and experience what a kickass onboarding process entails! We ensure the managed services journey is exceptional – because your business deserves nothing less!