How to Choose the Right IT Managed Service Provider (MSP)

Over 93% of organisations now rely on IT managed service providers (MSPs) to handle IT complexities and support business growth. When preparing an RFP or going to tender, it’s about more than just ticking boxes. The right MSP can drive your business forward, help you achieve your goals and provide the expertise needed to adapt as your needs evolve. Here are five key factors to consider when selecting your next IT support partner.

Strong Incident Response and Downtime Management

One of the most important things to look for in an IT managed service provider is their ability to respond quickly and effectively to incidents. Downtime can affect more than just your systems, it can impact your customer experience, staff productivity and bottom line. A reliable MSP will have a well-documented incident response process, clearly defined SLAs and 24/7 support to keep disruptions to a minimum. Ask for examples of how they’ve handled past outages, what response times they commit to and how they keep your teams informed when incidents occur.

Key Questions to Ask:

• How good are the response times, issue resolution and uptime guarantees they are committing to?
• Do they have a tested incident response plan in place?

Comprehensive Security Coverage

The average cost of a data breach was £3.61 million in 2024, the highest on record, reports IBM. Security should be a core strength of any MSP you consider. With 60% of organisations citing security as their top IT challenge, it’s essential to work with a partner who takes a proactive, layered approach. Look for an MSP that offers 24/7 threat detection, endpoint protection and regular compliance checks tailored to your industry standards, such as PCI DSS or GDPR. Ask how they handle patch management, firewall configuration and vulnerability monitoring. A provider that actively prevents issues, not just reacts to them, can help reduce risk, protect your data and support long-term resilience.

Key Questions to Ask:

• Do they have strong business security expertise and protocols in place?
• Are they certified with relevant standards such as Cyber Essentials Plus or ISO 27001?

Clear Measures of Success and Service Performance

When choosing an MSP, it’s important to focus on the outcomes they deliver, not just the services they offer. A strong IT partner should be able to demonstrate their impact through defined performance metrics, regular reporting and strategic service reviews. Look for a provider that tracks KPIs like first-time fix rates, incident response times and uptime performance. This helps ensure they are aligned with your business goals and continually improving. Ultimately, the right MSP doesn’t just respond to issues, they drive measurable value by improving service quality, minimising disruption and supporting growth.

Key Questions to Ask:

• Do they offer visibility via dashboards and regular service reviews to discuss data?
• How do they measure success and performance, and how do they report on it?

Technical Expertise That Matches Your Environment

Technical capability is one of the most important factors when choosing an MSP. Two providers might offer cloud migration or infrastructure support, but the quality of delivery can differ based on their experience, tools and certifications. You need a partner who understands the specific platforms, environments and applications your business relies on, whether that’s hybrid cloud, legacy systems or specific software. Your MSP should be able to integrate seamlessly with your existing systems and tailor its offer to your organisation’s technological maturity. Ask how they’ve solved challenges similar to yours and what their approach looks like in practice. A skilled MSP won’t just support your systems. They’ll optimise them.

You can discover how Retail Assist, as a trusted IT partner, offers end-to-end services from responsive technical support and end-user computing to complex cloud migrations, designed to ensure seamless operations with minimal disruption.

Key Questions to Ask:

• Are they certified in the technologies you use or plan to use?
• How experienced is their team in the systems you’re using, like cloud, infrastructure or ERP?

 Look for Scalable, Forward-Thinking Support

The right MSP should help you scale confidently as your business evolves. Whether you’re opening new locations, adopting innovative technologies or preparing for seasonal peaks, your provider should offer flexible, adaptable support that grows with you. A lack of automation, cloud-readiness or adaptable support will prevent you from staying agile in a competitive market. It’s crucial to partner with a provider that offers flexible, scalable solutions, such as cloud infrastructure and automation, and can provide a clear roadmap for future growth that aligns with your business needs.

Key Questions to Ask:

• Can they provide a roadmap for future growth that aligns with your business needs?
• Are they able to support business expansions, new technologies or seasonal demands?

Work With a Partner Who Gets It

Partner with an MSP that truly understands your business needs. The right IT managed service provider can help you avoid operational setbacks, reduce costs and strengthen security as your business evolves. Your MSP should be a trusted partner that adds value and takes a proactive approach to support your growth. For over 25 years, Retail Assist has helped many businesses reduce downtime, cut IT costs and scale confidently with tailored, cost-effective IT support service.

Let’s discuss how we can help you mitigate IT risks and support your growth.