Key Questions to Ask When Evaluating an IT Partner

Published on

September 9, 2025

When it comes to choosing the right IT partner, it’s worth taking the time to evaluate your options carefully to ensure they’ll truly support your business goals and long-term success. Whether you're looking to reduce costs, offload complex technical challenges, or free up your internal team to focus on strategic initiatives, outsourcing to experienced professionals can deliver serious value. But not all managed service providers (MSPs) are created equal.

Here are 10 essential questions to help guide your decision:

Do they provide access to senior IT consultants or a vCIO for strategic oversight and long-term planning?
A strong MSP should be more than just a help desk—they should act as a strategic partner. Look for a provider that goes beyond technical support and offers executive-level guidance for long-term planning, budgeting, and aligning technology with your business goals.

Is their support truly 24/7/365?
Ensure they offer round-the-clock assistance—not just during business hours—so you're covered in any situation. True 24/7/365 support means live support from real engineers when you need it. Your business should be covered day and night, weekends and holidays

Can they deliver on-site support when needed?
Remote help is great, but sometimes you need boots on the ground. Ask if they can dispatch technicians to your location.

Do they have strong partnerships with leading third-party vendors you need?
Vendor relationships can impact the quality and speed of service. A well-connected MSP can offer better solutions and faster resolutions with partnerships like Microsoft, Azure, Dell, or Cisco.

Do they strengthen your security posture and address your cybersecurity needs?
Your MSP should be proactive in protecting your business, not just reactive when issues arise. A security first mindset includes monitoring for vulnerabilities, performing regular risk assessments, and implementing measures to prevent threats before they impact your business.

Do they go beyond simply closing tickets?
You want an IT partner who’s thinking ahead, not just keeping things running today. A great MSP will help you plan for the future, offering strategic guidance and technology road mapping that aligns with your business goals.
Reactive support - just fixing the problems after they happen.
Proactive support - they look for root causes, offer insights, and help prevent future problems.

Are they regularly reviewing your IT risks, cybersecurity posture, and technology lifecycle management?
Ongoing evaluations and reviews of your environment aren’t just technical, they’re strategic. They help you make informed decisions, stay compliant, and plan for upgrades or replacements before issues arise.

Do they complete an independent audit to verify their own compliance and cybersecurity posture?
Independent audits add an extra layer of accountability and ensure your MSP is meeting industry standards. A trustworthy MSP should be able to prove they practice what they preach. Independent audits, such as a SOC 2 attestation, adds a layer of accountability and show that their internal security controls are regularly reviewed and validated. This gives you confidence that your IT partner is secure, reliable, and transparent about their practices.

Is there a disaster recovery plan in place?
Ask about their approach to business continuity and how often they validate recovery procedures. A dependable MSP should have a clear strategy for keeping your business running during unexpected outages or cyber incidents. Business continuity isn’t just about having a plan, it’s about knowing it works when you need it most.

How will this partnership help reduce overall IT costs or improve ROI?
A good MSP should help you get more value from your technology investments. That includes reducing downtime, optimizing licensing and cloud usage (like Microsoft 365 or Azure), and avoiding surprise expenses through better planning and lifecycle management. The right partner helps you spend smarter, not just less.

In Case You Didn't Know

Why Outsource?

Managed IT is when a third-party provider takes care of your company’s technology, everything from daily support to long-term planning. Think of it as having an “IT department on demand” without the overhead of hiring a large in-house team.