Posted On:

Your managed services provider (MSP) should be your partner in all things related to employment, staffing, hiring and management. So, what kinds of questions should you be asking to ensure you’re getting the service you need in your business? Before you make that call, or even after you’ve already established a managed service provider relationship, here are the top five questions you should be asking.

  1. How do you bill for services?

When it comes to managed services of an employment nature, you’ll want to know the company’s billing cycle. How do they handle the billing for each of the contractors working on site? What are their terms of payment? What are the standard prices, and what might cause the pricing to increase?

  1. How does the process work?

You will also want your representative to take you step by step into a typical day in the life of a managed service project. What can you expect day to day in your office with this type of service? Are you expected to be “hands off” while your MSP is working on site, or will they expect assistance from within the office?

  1. How quickly will problems be resolved?

You called for an MSP for a reason, and your provider certainly knows that. So, how quickly do they see the problem being solved? What is their best estimate? Look at the time frame they’ve provided and determine if that is suitable for your workflow. Keep in mind, your MSP is trained to handle this as quickly and efficiently as possible, and your team may not be as equipped.

  1. What kind of insurance do you have?

Any company providing services on site is required to have certain insurance. It is completely ok for you to ask to see and verify this information. Ask for copies of their insurance, what it covers, and do some research of your own. Your own business insurance may interact or overlap with what their insurance covers, so do your homework before making any agreements.

  1. What is the length of the contract?

This will certainly vary based on each project, but it is helpful for you to get an idea of what the MSP believes will be the length of the project. This will help you in terms of budgeting and allocating resources. You will also be able to determine if the project is on track halfway or three-quarters of the way through. It will also give you a framework to create your own oversight processes.

Do you have questions about managed service providers?

service providers?

About Anserteam Workforce Solutions

 

The ANSER to your North American workforce management needs starts with A-Team solutions. Anserteam is the alliance of North American staffing and employment resources. Since 2004, Anserteam has grown to service over 1,500 locations across the United States and Canada. Are you a best-in-class staffing firm looking to increase your client base and secure a greater market share?  Find out how to become part of Anserteam.