- Ben Marosa
3 essential factors when selecting an MSP
Technology has progressed at a remarkable rate since the start of the millennium. Today, people and businesses are now more reliant on tech and digital infrastructure than ever, whether it’s for grocery shopping online or staying connected through email and connectivity applications for enterprises when working remotely.
For enterprises to survive in today’s fast-changing digital landscape, they need to adapt quickly with the right hardware and software platforms to process vast amounts of data.
But how much data does the world produce? According to Tech News, global data has grown to an estimated 147 zettabytes in 2025. That has grown from 18 zettabytes only 10 years ago. In more recognizable terms, “If every gigabyte in a zettabyte were a meter, it could span the distance of the Amazon River (the world’s longest river at 6,992 kilometers) more than 150,000 times,” says Cisco’s Usha Andra.
Enterprises big and small contribute to this constant growth in data, with advanced cloud applications and infrastructure requiring greater network bandwidth and compute capacity than before. The demand for web hosting services worldwide has grown rapidly, with the market size expected to reach $355 billion by 2029, with a CAGR of 23.6%, according to World Metrics.
The enterprises that had the means to prepare well through this crisis have seen the benefits of having a reliable technology partner. However, not every enterprise has the internal expertise, people power, or resources to successfully navigate and manage their IT environment. With more enterprises going digital and moving to the cloud, having a service provider such as a Managed Service Provider (MSP) you can count on has become crucial.
What is an MSP, and why does your enterprise need one?
As outlined by Gartner, “Tech CEOs establishing managed services must invest in supporting technology to build / acquire new key capabilities. High-performing managed service providers (MSPs) invest in service automation tools, processes and operational AI that support repeatable and scalable services.”
Simply put, an MSP allows an enterprise to spend less time on maintaining its IT infrastructure and services, leaving more time to focus on its core business functions. Additionally, MSPs may have their own portfolio of services that they provide in parallel, creating a customized solution tailored to their clients’ needs.
In today’s digital world, an MSP is a highly valuable partner to ensure that your enterprise can run day-to-day operations smoothly. It provides a dedicated team of experts to help progress your networking strategies and address any unexpected issues that may occur.
While using an MSP can bring you a broad range of benefits, like flexibility, scalability, greater affordability, and knowledgeable people taking care of your IT infrastructure, there are three essential factors to consider before choosing your MSP. These factors include experience, expertise, and value, as well as customization and customer support.
Experience, expertise, and value: what to look for
A proven track record and ample experience are important if you’re looking for high-quality service in general. This is no different when it comes to finding the right MSP for your enterprise. The team should ideally possess the necessary technical and industry experience to meet all your enterprise’s needs and have clear insight into your enterprise’s network architecture and industry.
The MSP must have the right connections with industry-leading vendors who will ensure that you’re getting the best possible solutions. In addition, the MSP should have a deep understanding of both cutting-edge technology and legacy systems and environments.
This is advantageous for two reasons: firstly, it allows the MSP to ease a complex transition between legacy infrastructure like MPLS to a next-generation network, by ensuring compatibility throughout the deployment and navigating around expiring contracts.
Secondly, it enables the MSP to provide support to internal IT teams who are not familiar with legacy program languages and processes, and next-generation networking technologies. The breadth and depth of experience an MSP has gained across many deployment and management scenarios each and every year is virtually impossible for a team running one network transformation project every few years in one environment.
The right MSP who demonstrates good listening and strong consultative skills will be able add value to your enterprise. This means evolving its service offerings past administration and management to unlock greater value through strategic planning and long-term optimization. Your MSP should be your strategic IT partner, not a simple service provider.
Key Takeaways
Choose an MSP with proven experience and strategic expertise to support both current infrastructure and future transformation.
Prioritize providers that offer tailored, flexible solutions aligned with your business model and long-term objectives.
Strong customer support and clear communication are critical to ensure rapid issue resolution and a trusted partnership.
Customization options for your business needs
When you’re getting a new suit, a tailored fit will feel and look much better than the one you find off the rack. Similarly, the MSP you choose should be the one that can provide a customized service with a deep understanding of your needs, business model, and future direction, so you get the best-fit solution(s) for your enterprise.
Be discerning – while an MSP with more direct and basic solutions may be more affordable, an MSP with more comprehensive and tailored solutions can complement your internal IT team so your company goals can be accomplished more easily.
On top of that, experienced MSPs must be able to provide integrated networking solutions tailored for industry verticals. Having a solid foundation and holistic understanding of the prevalent issues in your industry means the MSP already has a good grasp on what needs to be addressed. This way, you can be certain that your MSP can craft a customized strategy and develop unique approaches to tackle obstacles specific to your enterprise.
Customer support and communication: why it matters
When you encounter a technical issue, time is of the essence, and it’s critical to get the problem solved as quickly as possible.
However, this can be difficult if you don’t have a dedicated team to provide incident management at all times – which is why the MSP you choose should offer top-notch customer service with high levels of responsiveness in times of crisis, so technical issues can be appropriately handled and fixed as they arise. This means selecting an MSP that is available around the clock and has convenient lines of communication.
The MSP should also be able to communicate clearly with you without the use of technical jargon. While necessary at times, an MSP should be able to effectively relay important information in simple terms so that stakeholders of all knowledge levels can understand what’s going on. This is vital when it comes to establishing trust and building a partnership to reach the same objectives.
As with any effective partnership, the MSP should also have a collaborative mindset and work towards a shared goal with your enterprise, whether alongside your internal IT team or independently. This ensures that both parties are aligned in terms of the company’s vision and the steps required to reach this goal.
How to evaluate an MSP
Experience & expertise | Proven track record including delivery, multi-vendor capability and knowledge of legacy and next-generation network and security technologies
| Ensures the ability to support complex environment today but also future transformation |
Customization | Tailored solutions aligned to business goals and requirements | Avoids one-size-fits-all services and ensures a better business fit |
Customer support | 24/7 support, fast response times, clear and simple communication | Minimizes downtime and builds long-term trust and reassurance |
How Coevolve can meet your enterprise’s needs
Finding the right MSP for your company can be a daunting endeavor, especially when there are numerous options available. As we’ve said above, an MSP needs to bring to the table the right blend of experience, customizability, and customer support – attributes that we at Coevolve value highly when providing services to our clients.
As a pioneer in co-management and a leading provider of co-managed SD-WAN solutions since 2015, and co-managed SASE since 2020, Coevolve is constantly looking for the best ways to deliver more value through our services and to address our clients’ requirements.
At Coevolve, providing the highest quality service is a top priority. That’s why we have invested in developing a multiskilled global team that includes our Coevolve Response Center, which provides 24/7 incident management.
If you’re looking for an MSP that can meet all your needs and provide added value to your enterprise, talk to our team today.
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FAQs
What is a managed service provider (MSP)?
A managed service provider (MSP) is a third-party partner that remotely manages and maintains a company’s IT infrastructure, networks, security, and internal systems. MSPs help businesses reduce operational complexity, improve performance, and access expert support without building large in-house IT teams.
How do I choose the right managed service provider?
To choose the right MSP, focus on three key factors:
- Proven experience across both legacy and modern environments
- Ability to customize solutions to your business needs and requirements
- Strong customer support with clear communication and fast response times
Also assess the MSP’s scalability, security, and ability to act as a strategic advisor.
What are the benefits of working with an MSP?
Working with an MSP enables organizations to improve operational efficiency and strengthen network performance through:
- Reduced IT costs and predictable pricing
- Access to specialized expertise
- Improved security and compliance
- 24/7 monitoring and support
- Scalability as your business grows
These functions allow internal teams to focus on core business priorities instead of managing complex network and security environments.
What is the difference between an MSP and an in-house IT team?
An in-house IT team is responsible for managing and supporting technology environments internally, typically within the constraints of available resources, budget, and skillsets.
An MSP delivers external expertise and operational capability, providing broader coverage, 24/7 monitoring, and access to specialized skills across multiple domains. MSPs offer scalability and structured service delivery models that can be hard to replicate in-house.
Many organizations adopt a blended approach called ‘co-managed’, which leverages an MSP to augment internal teams, address capability gaps, and improve operational flows.
Can an MSP work alongside my internal IT team?
Yes. Many organizations adopt a co-managed model, where an MSP works in conjunction with internal IT teams.
This approach is designed to augment existing capabilities, with access to helpful external partners who address skill gaps and support the delivery of complex, large-scale change initiatives. The approach boosts operational capacity without diminishing internal control.
In practice, a co-managed model enables organizations to retain strategic oversight while benefiting from external scale, experience, and structured service delivery.