MSP Insights - Why proactive onboarding is key to successful service delivery

Are you planning to move your unmanaged IT environment to a Managed Services provider? Here’s what you can expect to bring your environment and processes up to speed.

A one-off service take-on exercise is required prior to the commencement of the service to ensure that the customer environment conforms to a minimum baseline level of manageability and security, allowing the managed services provider to deliver the service seamlessly from day one.

This onboarding process is crucial for several reasons:

Establishing Security Standards: Ensuring the environment meets a minimum baseline of security protects both systems and data from potential threats. For example, implementing multi-factor authentication (MFA) adds an extra layer of security to prevent unauthorised access. In the UK, this can be particularly important for sectors like finance, where the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) mandates strong security measures to protect sensitive financial data. Regular vulnerability scans can identify potential weaknesses in the system, allowing the managed services provider to address them before they can be exploited by malicious actors. Ensuring Compliance: Many industries have regulatory requirements that mandate specific security measures. The onboarding process ensures that the managed services provider follows best practices that support compliance with these regulations, helping to avoid potential legal and financial penalties. For instance, healthcare organisations in the UK must adhere to the Data Protection Act 2018 and NHS Digital's Data Security and Protection Toolkit. By establishing a secure environment from the start, the managed services provider can help clients avoid hefty fines and legal repercussions associated with non-compliance.

Optimising Manageability: Setting up the environment with a standardised baseline allows for easier management and monitoring. For example, using a centralised management console enables the managed services provider to monitor system health, deploy patches, and manage configurations efficiently. This uniformity simplifies troubleshooting and maintenance, keeping the environment up to date from a patching perspective and leading to more efficient service delivery. In the UK, this can be particularly beneficial for educational institutions that need to manage large numbers of devices and users across multiple sites.

Building Customer Trust: A thorough and professional onboarding process builds customer trust by ensuring that their environment is secure and well-managed. For instance, conducting regular security assessments and sharing the results with clients demonstrates transparency and commitment to their security. This trust is essential for fostering a long-term business relationship. Providing detailed documentation and training sessions can also empower clients, making them feel more confident in the security measures in place. In the UK, this is crucial for businesses looking to build strong relationships with their customers in a competitive market.

Enabling Advanced Support: With the basics in place, the managed services provider can provide higher levels of support such as:

1. Microsoft 365 User and Licence Management: Once the foundational security measures are established, the managed services provider can manage user accounts and licences efficiently, ensuring that users have access to the tools they need while maintaining security protocols. For example, automating the provisioning and de-provisioning of user accounts can save time and reduce the risk of human error. This is particularly relevant for UK companies that must ensure compliance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) regarding user data management.
   

2. User and Device Security Management: With a secure baseline, the managed services provider can implement advanced security measures such as mobile device management (MDM) to ensure that all devices accessing the network comply with security policies. This includes enforcing encryption, remote wipe capabilities, and regular security updates to protect sensitive data. In the UK, this is particularly important for government agencies that handle sensitive citizen information and must comply with strict data protection laws.
   

In conclusion, the service onboarding process is an essential step in setting up a secure, manageable, and compliant environment. By establishing strong foundations, the managed services provider ensures that the service delivery is efficient and effective from the very beginning, paving the way for advanced support and a trustworthy, long-term partnership.

Does your company have devices 'running amok' in the wild with no management plan? How are they kept up to date and most importantly how are they secured from unauthorised access?

Contact V1C to learn more about how to bring your It environment up to a secure baseline.