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Engaging an IT managed service provider (MSP) is a positive step for any business and is a way of ensuring that your company’s IT systems are supported and managed by a team of experts. They will want to do a good job for you and will use their skills and expertise to do so. Advances in modern technology and IT systems move so fast that the benefits of aligning your business with an IT company are many. From providing proactive support and planning to implementing increased security measures, it will allow you to focus on running your business and your teams with the peace of mind that your IT is in good hands.
Once you’ve signed the contract and the work has begun, how do you go about holding your MSP accountable for the work that you have enlisted them to do? What are the criticalities and the things that really matter to your business? How can you ensure that you are getting a worthwhile service? Setting key performance indicators (KPIs) from the outset for your managed service provider will give clarification to both parties and set the scene for managing expectations and maintaining a good working relationship.
Your MSP’s main priority is to keep you happy by keeping your computers on and your teams working. A visit to your premises early on in the contract will allow them to see your workplace setup for themselves. They’ll have an opportunity to talk to your users and find out what they want too. This could be an expectation on the average time to answer the phone or how to avoid repeat issues and ticket reopens for jobs that weren’t sorted out properly in the first place. Whichever it is, these conversations will give them a valuable insight into how your company works and how they can make certain they support it.
There are three primary KPIs to set for your MSP, all of which will point out the important aspects which are unique to your business and help to keep the focus in the right areas.
Availability and response
Your service level agreement (SLA) is the fundamental contract and legal protection mechanism that will underpin your relationship with your MSP but you may find that it doesn’t really address service quality. More often than not, you will actually find that your MSP outdoes itself for service. At Lumina Technologies, our response time is quoted as being two hours in our SLAs but we have a track record of responding and starting work on the ticket within an average of fifteen minutes.
Essentially, you will want to know that when you call with a problem, how long it will take to respond and more importantly, how long it will take to fix the issue. Have a realistic conversation with your MSP account manager about their speed of response and whether it is aligned with your expectations. Systems do fail, power cuts happen, internet connections go down but how long would you tolerate your system being down? If the answer is half a day over a six month period, you will have a point of discussion and a measure for your MSP to work to, which will ultimately ensure customer satisfaction.
Backups and security
It is vital that you know that all of the required security measures are being taken to ensure a safe and protected IT environment in your company. You will want your machines to be available to work on safely and the data protected around the clock. Security compliance involving patching and antivirus updates and regular operating system updates are key parts of a robust cyber security plan and you should expect your MSP to keep you informed regularly with the details of how they are managing yours and give you that important seal of approval.
Measurable reporting
You should expect a level of regular reporting from your MSP depending on the service you have signed up for. A monthly report will give you an overview of the work that has been carried out and a track of the progress of any project work undertaken too. This is the best way to hold your MSP accountable for their work and by viewing their reports, you will be able to see how transparent they are being with you and if there are areas which require attention in the future.
Lumina Technologies are award winning providers of managed IT services and bring a high level of skill and resource to your organisation’s IT systems. Contact us to see how we can help.
Lumina Technologies have taken the time to understand the requirements of our business and work as our strategic IT partner, enabling us to concentrate on delivering a high quality service to our clients and focus on our growth strategy. They have delivered a 100% cloud solution to our business with no underlying infrastructure costs or maintenance, which gives us scalability for our planned growth. It also means our business critical applications and data are securely accessible from virtually all our user devices. Lumina’s professional approach and strategic expertise is highly valued and their management of our IT – based on their in-depth knowledge, leaves us confident that our systems are available 24×7.
Luke Harrison
Keidan Harrison LLP
Lumina have supported us so well through the difficult circumstances of 2020. They worked extremely hard to ensure we were able to work remotely and continue to operate our business successfully. The support team are very friendly and knowledgeable, and have excellent response times.
The team have also enhanced our cyber security which is so important in the legal sector, and they continue to provide high quality advice to help us move forward with our IT goals.
Robin Illingworth
Managing Partner, Adams & Remers LLP
The quality of IT Support provided by Lumina Technology is of the highest standard and is complemented by effective client liaison with impressive response times. Trap Oil Group plc has no hesitation in recommending Lumina as a dedicated and specialist group of IT professionals.
Martin David
Technical Director, Trap Oil Group plc
Richard and his team are a real inspiration to anyone who meets them and I have watched Lumina’s growth over the last few years with interest and admiration. Richard has been an amazing supporter of the Hospice of St Francis, being a Gold member of the Corporate Partner Network for almost two years. He takes an active interest in the community and is passionate about his company and his town: nothing is too much trouble, he is always willing to help, to give up his time and to provide business advice when asked. Lumina is an inspiration to any company wanting to set up business in Hertfordshire.
Carolyn Addison
Corporate Fundraising Manager, The Hospice of St Francis
Lumina Technologies Prism Hosted Desktop has allowed our business to centralise our global corporate data, allowing much faster access for all our staff – regardless of their location. We have also been able to simplify and reduce our infrastructure and management overhead. With the new Prism Hosted Desktop solution all staff now have simple and secure access to corporate data using any device they choose. Prism Hosted Desktop has increased the productivity of our staff and given us a single, consistent and familiar experience for all users from any device, in any location, 24/7.
Katherine Roe
Chief Executive Officer, Wentworth Resources PLC
The commercially sensitive and regulated nature of Lambert Energy Advisory’s business requires an IT provider able to maintain the highest levels of integrity and confidentiality, Lumina Technologies has consistently been unimpeachable in this regard over the nine years we have employed them.
Patrick Agar
Lambert Energy Advisory
It has been a great pleasure working with Lumina Technologies over the past two years. They have fully committed to being involved in the local community with volunteering and with professional advice and commitment, helping many local charities along the way. As a growing company it proves that being involved in the local community is helping them attract and retain a talented workforce and I look forward to working with them well into the future.
Cindy Withey
Connect Dacorum
Hawkstone Management Services Ltd is a small company for which IT Outsourcing is realistically the only viable option. Lumina Technologies have successfully performed this role for over fifteen years. They also provide innovative solutions to keep pace with technological progress. I would have no hesitation in recommending Lumina to similar sized businesses.
Stephen Pembury
Hawkstone Management Services Ltd
Charles Douglas Solicitors LLP have been using Lumina Technologies for a number of years now and continue to be impressed by the technical know-how and contemporary knowledge of their senior management, who provide a timely, efficient and friendly service. Whether it is a small issue with one computer, or a strategic IT decision, they maintain a current knowledge of available technologies. Lumina are always at the other end of the phone to help resolve issues and minimise business interference. The technical knowledge of Richard and his senior team means that there has not been a problem that they can’t solve to date. I am sure we will continue to use them in the years to come.
Charles Douglas
Managing Partner, Charles Douglas Solicitors LLP
The team at Lumina Technologies have made the Amoun Travel & Tours office IT transition seamless and problem free. The office set-up has been vastly improved and the IT Support services are flawless. No issue goes unresolved, which is extremely reassuring.
Adam Helmy
Amoun Travel & Tours Ltd
Lumina Technologies has been Salamander Energy plc’s IT provider since start-up in 2005 and has supported us in London during our expansion across operational offices in SE Asia. Their professional approach, strategic advice and close co-operation have been essential in making this a success.
John Bell
Group Technical Director, Salamander Energy plc
Richard and his team at Lumina have provided Perrett Laver Limited with high quality strategic and practical IT Services for over ten years. During this period, Perrett Laver has grown from 10+ colleagues based in London to nearly 100 colleagues located in six offices across the Americas, EMEA and Asia-Pacific. Richard and the Lumina team have not just been responsive to our ‘everyday’ IT needs, but have proactively sought to work with us on developing an infrastructure suitable for the type of operation we are today, and are planning to be months and years down the line. I would not hesitate to recommend Richard, especially for small to medium size business with growth in mind.
Clementine McKinley
COO, Perrett Laver Limited
Society Limited has been supported by Lumina Technologies since our earliest start-up phase. From large logistical challenges like an office move, through to smaller fiddly issues like fixing a faulty e-template, we know we can count on their support and advice. They’ve also been able to engage with us strategically on the challenge of scaling-up our infrastructure as the firm continues to grow and evolve. We always feel confident going to Lumina with a problem, since we know they genuinely care about sorting things out and helping us to get on with our core business.
Simon Lucas
Managing Director, Society Limited
The Vita Group HQ staff have worked with Richard McBarnet and Lumina Technologies for over 9 years, with Lumina providing all our PC, server, phone, and software support. The services have included C-level executives based in London, Manchester, the US, as well as supporting home office IT as well. The service provided and intellectual capabilities are outstanding and we would highly recommend Richard and his Lumina team.
Joe Menendez
CEO, The Vita Group
We worked with Lumina on a GDPR Audit. Richard was knowledgeable and professional throughout, and did the best he could to bring a dry topic to life through lots of real life examples and analogies. We were so impressed with the service Lumina provided and the value we got from partnering with them on this project – we couldn’t recommend them enough.
Holly Cottingham, Vintec Laboratories
We’ve been so well supported by Paige and the Lumina team. They’ve been highly professional, very responsive, friendly, supportive. It’s really validated the decision to engage an IT partner, and we’re glad it’s with Lumina.
Bruce Storey
Chief Operating Officer, Estu Global Ltd
