Managed services are the practice of outsourcing the responsibility for maintaining, and administering, complex infrastructure and end-user systems. The service provider becomes an extension of the company's IT department, providing comprehensive services that allow businesses to focus on their core competencies. When assessing a managed services provider contract, it is important to consider the following factors:
1. The Service Level Agreement (SLA): The SLA should spell out the specific services that are covered by the contract, as well as the levels of service that the provider is obligated to deliver.
2. Availability and uptime: Make sure that the service provider can commit to the levels of availability and uptime that are required by your business.
3. Response times: Find out how quickly the service provider can respond to incidents and problems.
4. Support hours: Determine what hours of support are available and whether after-hours support is included in the contract.
5. Reporting: Ask about the reporting mechanisms that will be used to keep you informed of the status of your IT systems.
6. Pricing: Managed services contracts can be priced in a number of different ways, so be sure to understand how you will be billed before signing on the dotted line.
By taking the time to assess a managed services provider contract carefully, you can be confident that you are making the best decision for your business.