Following October's SME Month, run in association with BT, we
have assembled a panel of experts to answer questions sent in by
small businesses. The SME strategy special will run throughout
November
I am considering approaching a managed service provider to
support my desktop, network and IT maintenance. What issues do I
need to address when negotiating with my shortlisted
suppliers?
Find a firm with experience of your type of
business
Mick Hegarty, IT general manager, BT
Business
Standards and capabilities in the support industry differ widely
and it is important to ensure that the firm you select has a depth
of knowledge right across the spectrum. If a support firm's real
skill is in supporting desktops and you have a networking problem,
you want to be able to find a cure quickly without employing a
third party.
It is important to look for a company that can offer guidance and
advice on what may be needed in the future. Look for a firm that
understands your business and has a good track record in supporting
similar companies. Be very clear about the service levels you
expect.
You should also be aware of what you want from a managed service in
the long-term. How much will your firm grow, and can the supplier
manage any future needs? You may want to build a growth contingency
into the contract.
Finally, discuss the total cost and remember the old adage about
the cheapest quote not necessarily offering the lowest cost in the
long term.
Consider the infrastructure, helpdesk and
maintenance
Trevor Lucas, managing director, SME reseller,
TAL Computer Services
When employing another company to look after your IT, there are
three main things you should consider:
lBespoke developed helpdesk applications are much harder to
support, as they require in-depth knowledge of the product and your
business.
lInfrastructure needs to be monitored and closely managed so that
any problems can be detected early. A remote service provider can
deliver this requirement securely.
lMost IT equipment comes with a standard three-year warranty, but
make sure you have the correct level of cover, such as a four-hour
response on important items such as file servers.
Preparation is key to selecting the right company. You must take
care to define which services are most important and select a
supplier with a proven track record and qualifications. The
Microsoft certified partner programme has helped raise standards in
the industry and this is a good starting point.
Make sure you get more than just emergency
cover
John Coulthard, head of small business,
Microsoft UK
Although managed service providers can offer cost-effective
support, the need to negotiate the right terms is crucial.
Before signing, decide the level of support you require. Do you
want the company to cover all applications, or can you handle some
of the basic support yourself? Once you come to the negotiations,
make sure you ask about the detail of the service. For example, is
there a process for dealing with issues as they arise, or will the
contract cover remote workers?
Your service provider should not just provide a reactive service
when things go wrong. You should ask about routine healthchecks,
such as assessing whether PCs have enough disc space, carrying out
anti-virus updates and ensuring security patches are installed
quickly.
Support timeframes should be spelt out in the service level
agreement. If a problem cannot be resolved in a given time, will
the company give you alternative equipment?
Remember, a contract that does not support the needs of your
business in the longer term, or leaves you to fend for yourself,
will do more harm than good.
Think about all your options and avoid hidden extra
costs
Stephen Benson, Business Link Hertfordshire UK
Online IT centre
Systematic and reliable maintenance of IT systems is key to your
total business strategy, so look into the proposition in
detail.
- Do you do maintenance in-house? If so, when outsourcing there
may be issues about the Transfer of Undertakings Protection of
Employment legislation. You may be unhappy with the service your
own staff provide, but you could end up using the same people, even
if they work for an outside contractor.
- What service levels do you need? Depending on how many
machines/users are supported, you may find you need a contractor
permanently on site.
- What should be the response times for user queries or fixing
equipment? Consider whether you need out-of-hours support. If the
service provider has a helpdesk, name the people who can call
it.
- Will your out-of date equipment or software be upgraded? Find
out who is responsible for bespoke applications.
- What is the disaster recovery plan? Plan the level of safety
you will need for data back-ups, virus protection and
websites.
- How long is the agreement period and are there cancellation
costs? Make sure you find out about any hidden extras.
Investigate your supplier shortlist on the
internet
Mike Lucas, regional technology manager,
Compuware
You should do your own investigation into possible service
providers. Look up your shortlisted companies on the internet and
see if there is any news on their level of service.
Find out if the supplier will charge high ongoing maintenance
costs, or if there are any hidden extras. You should ask for
details of all payments that are not in the contract.
Ask the service provider for names of other customers who operate
in the same business area as yourself for a reference. That way you
can get an idea of the type of service it has provided.
You should get the service provider to benchmark your current
service levels and get it to agree to either maintain these levels
or increase them. At this point you should also check the service
level agreement is measurable; this can be done by looking at
end-user response times, for example.
Check that you can get out of the contract if you need to. Always
set a review period and keep suppliers on their toes.