There's good news and bad news when it comes to determining the right mobility managed service provider for your business and that itself is bad news. As it turns out, the good news and bad news are the exact same point: there is a vast array of options out there in terms of available mobility managed services. It means that the chances of finding the right provider for your needs are good, but you may have to sift through a lot of possible choices before you find the right one. With that in mind, we've put together a list of basic points to keep close as you analyze the various choices available to you.

How to Determine the Right Mobility Managed Service Provider for Your Business

With a few key points kept close at hand, you'll get a leg up on telling which of the many potential choices is the right one for you.

Determine what you need right now. It makes no sense to pick a provider without seeing how they line up to your current needs. Analyze your own operations and set up a wish list from there. What services would you like to have? What tools would help you do business better? The more you understand your current needs, the more likely you are to know how a mobility managed services provider can fill those needs.

Determine what you're likely to need soon. Don't just stop at the needs of today, either. While it's vital to know what's required at this moment, if you shop for a provider based only on your current needs, you'll run the risk of that provider not having what you require down the road. Instead, future-proof your operations by considering your needs down the line as well; while you can only predict so far out—you'll never be able to guess the development of new technology—the more foresight you exhibit today, the better the chance your eventual choice will be able to stick with you.

Determine what services can provide both of those needs. Once you've figured out what you'll need today, and what you're likely to need tomorrow, you've got a good start on figuring out the best provider to meet those needs. Start analyzing your options against these and you'll be able to tell who won't work and who's likely to work. This is just the first stage of your analysis, however, and it's likely you'll still have several options to choose from. That's where the rest of this list comes into play.

Examine their expertise. Mobility managed service providers are not created equal. Some have significantly greater strengths than others in specific areas. For instance, there are providers that have a gift for staging and depot operations, which makes them excellent at hardware support. They may not be so adept at software and other kinds of management, however. Telecom expense management (TEM) experts have their expertise built right into the name; they're great when it comes to managing expenses, but can falter in points like user support, hardware support, and engineering. The best in mobility managed service providers can handle all four of those factors well, so look for those who can handle user support, hardware management, engineering, and expense control.

Look into the support functions. Support is easily one of the biggest points that a mobility managed service provider can offer. The lack of proper support can turn excellent service into a disaster, especially if something goes wrong in the midst of that support. Be sure to analyze the available support functions; are they international, or do they stop at one country's borders? Are they available on a round-the-clock basis? The more available the support services are and the more range they cover, the better off you'll be in the long term. Remember, you may not need round-the-clock service today, but you may need it tomorrow.

See if SLAs match up to the promise. While service level agreements (SLAs) are an excellent sign you're doing business with a reputable firm, they're – much like mobility managed service providers – not all created equal. An SLA with remedies is the best point to watch for; with remedies, there are specific points that activate when a certain level of service isn't provided. Yet, here, it doesn't always pan out. Therefore, ask to review performance records with a company that offers an SLA; if they're routinely meeting or exceeding SLAs, you know you're in excellent company.

Look for the pricing and procurement options. Of course, in the end, there's the ideal mobility managed service provider and the one that's fitting for your company. Thus, pricing has to come into play. It's one thing to find the best provider there is, but if you can't afford their services, there's not much point to it. Check their pricing and see if there are package deals. Also, look into their procurement options; for instance, some companies will offer self-service portals for users to have employees purchase and provision devices on their own. That can result in cost savings on several fronts and might help take some of the sting out of the bill by providing savings elsewhere.

How to Get the Best in Mobility Managed Service Providers on Your Side

Finding the best mobility managed service provider is neither simple nor easy. There's a lot to look for and a lot more to consider in terms of how it applies. When you want to simplify your search, start by getting in touch with us at Acuity. Our combination of top-notch support, careful expense management, excellent engineering, and the best in hardware support will work together to give you the best outcomes in mobility managed services. All you need to do is reach out to us and get the process started toward having the best in mobility services on your side.