Seek legal specific breadth and depth when selecting a managed service provider

A suitable managed service provider will not only offer a wide range of solutions, but will be deeply knowledgeable about everything that they provide – according to Nick Hayne, head of professional services at Quiss.

Engaging a managed service provider (MSP) is a significant business decision for any law firm. The relationship is usually long term and should be considered a strategic partnership, critical to the success of the business.

Important when choosing your next partner are the breadth and depth of service they provide. Breadth refers to the range of technologies and partnerships offered. It benefits your business as it grows, ensuring that as you add new elements to your environment, you do not need to seek extra support.

This is especially true when you engage an MSP that can demonstrate considerable knowledge of your sector and its unique challenges, the technology used and important vertical relationships. An MSP with breadth will readily work with on-premise infrastructure, public cloud or hybrid cloud solutions. Partnering with an MSP agnostic in its approach to deployments not only supports flexibility but also allows you to truly understand what is right for you as a business.

If they predominantly sell public cloud, would their advice be best for their business or yours? As you grow and adopt new business technologies and models, you need a partner with the breadth of portfolio to support your ambition – and if they excel in your sector, this only adds further value.

Depth is where you find it

How well do the engineers, support staff and service desk know the technologies that they work with? Are you looking at just a few individuals with the knowledge to support you or is there sufficient knowledge at every level? This defines an MSP’s depth.

Within your decision making, you must ensure there is not only surface understanding of your technology, but well-rounded knowledge from all parts of the MSP’s operation. If your MSP has breadth, but little knowledge, it can impact your business, as it may need to use third-parties or outsource for engineering talent.

You need a partner that can support you when issues arise and not only support new technology decisions but a partner that can install, manage and service the right solutions.

Find the right balance between breadth and depth and you will find the right partner. Some have a breadth of technology you suspect that they cannot fully know, while others focused on a few core solutions will probably be unable able to support all your requirements.

At Quiss we believe we have the breadth and depth in balance for our chosen verticals. We have the required specialists, but still offer the highly personalised approach of a boutique operation. And being fiercely independent delivers real advantages too.