A great MSP relationship feels like a partnership, not a transaction. The foundation of that partnership is transparency, which is built on shared goals and measurable results. Instead of guessing if your provider is doing a good job, you should be asking, what KPIs should business owners track from their MSP? The answer starts with service quality metrics like the Customer Satisfaction (CSAT) score, which should ideally be 95% or higher after every interaction. Combine this with crucial security metrics like the Patch Compliance Rate, ensuring at least 98% of your devices are protected from known vulnerabilities. Tracking these KPIs transforms your conversations from subjective complaints to objective, data-driven strategy sessions that strengthen your IT and your business.
Key Takeaways
- Focus on KPIs that reflect business outcomes: Don’t get lost in vanity metrics like total tickets closed; instead, track numbers that measure real-world results such as First Call Resolution, security patch compliance, and user satisfaction.
- Use data as a tool for collaboration, not confrontation: The goal of tracking KPIs is to have productive, fact-based conversations with your MSP, allowing you to work together to solve root problems and improve service.
- Create a consistent review schedule to ensure accountability: Don’t wait for a major problem to discuss performance. Regular monthly or quarterly reviews turn raw data into a strategic discussion, ensuring your IT partner remains aligned with your business goals.
What Are KPIs and Why Do They Matter in an MSP Relationship?
Think of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) as the report card for your Managed Service Provider (MSP). They are specific, measurable data points that show how well your IT partner is performing. Instead of relying on feelings or vague assurances, KPIs give you concrete evidence of your provider’s effectiveness, efficiency, and impact on your business operations. In any service relationship, especially one as critical as your managed IT support, accountability is everything.
KPIs create a shared language for success between you and your MSP. They define what “good service” looks like in measurable terms, ensuring everyone is aligned on the same goals. This data-driven approach moves your conversations from subjective (“the internet feels slow”) to objective (“network uptime was 99.2% last month, falling short of our 99.9% goal”). This transparency is the foundation of a healthy, long-term partnership. By tracking the right metrics, you can clearly see the value your MSP delivers and hold them accountable for the results they promised.
Vanity Metrics vs. Actionable KPIs
Not all metrics are created equal. It’s easy to get distracted by “vanity metrics,” which are numbers that look impressive but don’t actually reflect business performance. For example, an MSP might boast about closing 500 tickets last month. But what if half of those tickets were reopened because the problem wasn’t fixed correctly the first time? That’s a vanity metric.
Actionable KPIs, on the other hand, are directly tied to outcomes you care about, like operational efficiency and client satisfaction. Instead of just ticket volume, you’d track the First Call Resolution (FCR) rate. A high FCR means your team’s issues are being solved efficiently, saving time and frustration. Most businesses find that tracking just four to ten core KPIs is most effective; any more than that, and the data can become overwhelming and hard to interpret.
How KPIs Protect Your IT Investment
You invest in an MSP to improve productivity, strengthen security, and ensure your technology runs smoothly. KPIs are how you verify that you’re getting a return on that investment. These metrics provide clear, unbiased information about the health of your IT environment and the value your provider is delivering. When your MSP consistently meets or exceeds KPIs for network uptime, patch compliance, and response times, you can be confident your money is well spent.
This data acts as an early warning system. If you see a negative trend, like a rising number of security incidents or slower ticket response times, you can address it with your provider before it becomes a major business disruption. Tracking these numbers gives you the clear information needed to hold your provider accountable and ensure your IT infrastructure remains a powerful asset, not a costly liability.
Align KPIs with Your Business Goals
The most effective KPIs are those directly connected to your primary business objectives. A one-size-fits-all approach doesn’t work because every Tampa business has unique needs. A healthcare clinic’s top priority might be HIPAA compliance and 100% uptime for its patient management system. A construction firm, however, might prioritize seamless cloud access for field teams and rapid response for on-site hardware issues.
Work with your MSP to select a mix of financial, operational, and client-focused metrics that reflect what matters most to your company. A great provider will help you identify and track these custom KPIs. It’s also critical to regularly check these numbers in monthly or quarterly reviews. This allows you and your MSP to make data-driven adjustments to your IT strategy, ensuring it continuously supports your evolving business goals.
Essential MSP KPIs Every Business Owner Should Track
When you partner with a Managed Service Provider (MSP), you’re trusting them with the technology that runs your business. But how do you know they’re doing a good job? You track Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). These aren’t just abstract numbers; they are concrete metrics that measure the effectiveness, speed, and quality of your IT support. Think of them as the vital signs of your IT health. By focusing on a few essential operational KPIs, you can have data-driven conversations with your provider and ensure you’re getting the service your Tampa business deserves. These five metrics are the perfect place to start.
1. SLA Compliance Rate
Your Service Level Agreement (SLA) is the formal contract that outlines the promises your MSP makes, like guaranteeing a 15-minute response for a critical server outage. The SLA Compliance Rate is the percentage of time they actually meet those promises. If your agreement guarantees a one-hour response for high-priority tickets and your provider meets that goal 99 out of 100 times, their compliance rate is 99%. This is one of the most important KPIs because it directly measures reliability. A consistently high SLA compliance rate shows your MSP takes its commitments seriously and has the processes in place to deliver the managed IT support you’re paying for.
2. Mean Time to Respond (MTTR)
When an employee can’t work because their computer is down, every minute counts. Mean Time to Respond (MTTR) measures the average time it takes for an IT technician to acknowledge a support request and begin working on it. Don’t confuse this with resolution time; this metric is all about speed of initial engagement. A low MTTR shows that your MSP is attentive and values your team’s productivity. For example, if your team submits three tickets with response times of 5, 10, and 15 minutes, the MTTR is 10 minutes. This KPI is a direct indicator of the efficiency of an MSP’s helpdesk support and their ability to minimize costly downtime for your staff.
3. First Call Resolution (FCR) Rate
First Call Resolution (FCR) measures the percentage of support tickets that are solved during the very first interaction, with no need for follow-up emails or escalations. A high FCR rate, typically above 75%, is a sign of an experienced and efficient IT team. It means the technicians understand your environment well enough to diagnose and fix problems quickly. A low FCR rate suggests the opposite, leading to employee frustration and lost productivity from prolonged back-and-forth communication. When your MSP consistently resolves issues on the first try, it shows they have the expertise to keep your business running smoothly without unnecessary delays.
4. Ticket Volume Trends
Tracking the number of support tickets your team submits over time provides powerful insight into your IT environment’s stability. While a certain number of tickets is normal, a sudden spike or a consistently high volume can signal a deeper problem. For instance, a flood of tickets about slow Wi-Fi might point to an aging network switch that needs replacing. A proactive MSP doesn’t just close tickets; they analyze these trends to identify and fix root causes. The goal should be to see your ticket volume decrease over time as your provider improves your IT infrastructure, a core component of strategic IT consulting.
5. Patch Compliance Rate
In today’s threat landscape, unpatched software is a welcome mat for cybercriminals. The Patch Compliance Rate measures the percentage of your devices (like servers and workstations) that are current with all critical security updates. This KPI is a direct reflection of your MSP’s commitment to your company’s security. If your business has 100 computers and 98 have the latest patches installed, your compliance rate is 98%. A rate below 95% can be a major red flag. At IGTech365, we treat this as a non-negotiable part of our cybersecurity services, as it’s one of the most fundamental defenses against ransomware and data breaches.
Financial KPIs: Are You Getting What You’re Paying For?
Beyond response times and ticket counts, financial KPIs tell a critical story about the value and efficiency of your IT partner. Looking at your managed services relationship through a financial lens helps you understand if your investment is truly paying off. A transparent MSP won’t just send you an invoice; they’ll help you see the return on that spending through predictable costs, increased efficiency, and strategic guidance that prevents expensive problems before they start.
Think of it this way: your monthly fee isn’t just an expense. It’s an investment in stability, security, and productivity. The right financial metrics will show you whether that investment is generating a positive return or if there are hidden costs draining your budget. Tracking these numbers empowers you to have more productive, data-driven conversations about your IT strategy and ensures your technology budget is working as hard as you are. A comprehensive managed IT support plan should deliver clear financial value, not just technical fixes.
Benchmark Your Cost-Per-Ticket
One of the most straightforward financial metrics to track is your cost-per-ticket. You can calculate a rough estimate by dividing your total monthly MSP fee by the number of support tickets your team submitted that month. This gives you a baseline figure for what you’re paying each time an employee needs help. However, a low number isn’t automatically good, and a high one isn’t necessarily bad.
For example, a very low cost-per-ticket might mean your MSP is only handling quick, simple fixes. A higher cost-per-ticket could be perfectly reasonable if the issues being resolved are complex and prevent significant business disruption. The key is to watch the trend and ask questions. Is the cost rising without a clear reason? Use this KPI as a conversation starter to understand the nature and complexity of the support you’re receiving.
Compare CLV to Service Costs
Your MSP is also a business, and they think about your value as a client over the long term. This concept is known as Customer Lifetime Value (CLV). An MSP focused on building a high CLV is incentivized to be a true partner, not just a temporary vendor. They want to keep your business for years, so they are motivated to provide proactive support, strategic advice, and excellent service that contributes to your growth.
When your MSP sees you as a long-term partner, their goals align with yours. They’ll work to minimize downtime, improve your security posture, and help you make smart technology decisions because your success ensures their success. This partnership approach is far more valuable than a simple break-fix relationship where a provider only profits when things go wrong.
Watch for Hidden Cost Indicators
Your monthly invoice should be predictable. If you constantly see extra charges for “out-of-scope” work, it might be a red flag. This can indicate that your initial agreement wasn’t comprehensive enough or that the MSP is nickel-and-diming you for services that should be included. A reliable partner will work with you to create a service plan that covers your actual needs, leading to a stable and foreseeable IT budget.
While you won’t see your MSP’s internal financials, you can watch for signs of instability, like high technician turnover. An MSP that is struggling financially may be forced to cut corners, which can directly impact the quality of support you receive. Engaging in regular IT consulting and strategic reviews can help you align your budget with your goals and ensure your technology plan is built on a firm and predictable financial foundation.
Security and Uptime KPIs You Can’t Ignore
While financial metrics tell part of the story, security and uptime KPIs measure your business’s resilience. A single security breach or extended period of downtime can have devastating financial and reputational consequences that far outweigh any monthly service fee. These metrics aren’t just about IT performance; they’re about business continuity. A great MSP doesn’t just fix problems, they prevent them, and these are the numbers that prove it. Tracking these KPIs ensures your technology infrastructure is a secure and stable foundation for growth, not a liability waiting to happen.
Understand Network Uptime and “Five Nines”
Network uptime is the percentage of time your computer systems and network are operational. The gold standard in the IT world is “five nines,” which means 99.999% availability. What does that actually mean for you? It translates to just over five minutes of total downtime for the entire year. When you consider the cost of lost productivity and missed sales every minute your team is offline, you can see why this metric is critical. Your MSP should be able to provide clear reporting on their uptime performance, demonstrating how their proactive managed IT support keeps your business running smoothly.
Measure Incident Response Time
When a security threat emerges, every second counts. Incident Response Time measures how quickly your MSP identifies and neutralizes a threat. This KPI has two crucial parts: the time it takes to detect an issue and the time it takes to resolve it. Fast detection is important, but slow resolution can still lead to significant damage. For example, if an employee clicks a phishing link, how long does it take your MSP to detect the breach, isolate the affected device, and remove the threat? A strong cybersecurity partner will have clear, fast response times built into their service level agreement (SLA).
Track Vulnerability Remediation Rates
Think of software vulnerabilities as unlocked doors to your business data. Hackers are constantly looking for these openings. Vulnerability remediation rate, sometimes called the “patch status rate,” tracks how quickly and completely your MSP “locks those doors” by applying security patches to your software and devices. Outdated software is one of the most common entry points for cyberattacks. This KPI is especially vital for businesses in regulated industries like healthcare or finance, where compliance is mandatory. Consistently high remediation rates show your MSP is diligent about protecting your business from known threats before they can be exploited.
How Do You Measure MSP Service Quality?
While technical KPIs like uptime and response time are crucial, they don’t capture the full picture of your MSP relationship. Your team’s day-to-day experience interacting with the helpdesk is just as important. Are the technicians friendly and clear? Does your team feel supported or frustrated after a call? This is the service quality component, and it’s what separates a simple vendor from a true IT partner.
Think about it: your MSP can hit every SLA target, but if your employees dread calling the helpdesk because the process is confusing or the technicians are unhelpful, is that really a successful partnership? That friction costs you in hidden ways, from reduced employee morale to time wasted trying to avoid seeking help. That’s why measuring service quality is non-negotiable. To get a clear view, we look beyond technical stats to user-focused metrics. The two most important are the Customer Satisfaction (CSAT) Score and the Net Promoter Score (NPS). These scores give you direct insight into how your employees feel about the support they receive. A great MSP isn’t just good with technology; they’re good with people. Tracking these satisfaction metrics ensures you’re getting a partner who excels at both, delivering a service that truly enhances your team’s productivity.
Customer Satisfaction (CSAT) Scores
The Customer Satisfaction Score is a direct, in-the-moment measure of how your employees feel after a specific support interaction. After a ticket is closed, your MSP should send a simple survey asking, “How satisfied were you with the support you received?” This isn’t about the overall relationship; it’s a pulse check on individual service delivery. The CSAT score is a crucial metric that gauges how satisfied clients are after receiving support. A consistently high score (think 95% or above) shows that the MSP’s helpdesk team is effective and pleasant to work with. A low score, on the other hand, can indicate a need for better staff training or process improvements.
Net Promoter Score (NPS)
While CSAT measures satisfaction with a single transaction, the Net Promoter Score (NPS) measures overall loyalty to your MSP. It answers the big-picture question: “How likely are you to recommend our services to a friend or colleague?” This score is vital for understanding the overall perception of your service quality and long-term customer loyalty. Respondents are grouped into Promoters (enthusiastic fans), Passives (satisfied but not loyal), and Detractors (unhappy customers). A high NPS indicates that your MSP is viewed as a valuable strategic partner, not just a service provider you’re stuck with. It’s a strong indicator of a healthy, long-term relationship.
What a Declining Satisfaction Score Reveals
A single bad CSAT score can happen, but a downward trend in either CSAT or NPS is a major red flag that requires your attention. These metrics provide clear insights into the health of your MSP relationship and can help you identify potential issues early on before they escalate. A steady decline might mean the MSP is understaffed, their best technicians have left, or their internal processes are failing to keep up with growth. It’s often a leading indicator that technical KPIs, like response times and resolution rates, will soon begin to suffer. Use this data to start a conversation with your MSP and ask for a plan to reverse the trend.
Common KPI Tracking Mistakes to Avoid
Knowing which KPIs to track is only half the battle. How you track them matters just as much. When you review reports from your Managed Service Provider, it’s easy to get lost in the data or focus on the wrong things. Avoiding these common mistakes will help you get a clear, accurate picture of your MSP’s performance and ensure you’re getting the value you expect from your IT investment.
Mistake #1: Tracking Too Many KPIs
When it comes to KPIs, more is not better. It’s tempting to want to measure everything, but this often leads to “analysis paralysis,” where you’re so overwhelmed with data that you can’t make any clear decisions. Most businesses find a sweet spot with four to 10 core KPIs that are tightly aligned with their main objectives. Drowning in dozens of metrics makes it impossible to see which numbers truly matter. Instead of tracking every possible data point, focus on the essential few that give you a true read on efficiency, security, and service quality.
Mistake #2: Focusing Only on Financials
It’s critical to know your cost-per-user or cost-per-ticket, but fixating only on financial metrics can be misleading. An MSP might deliver a very low cost-per-ticket, but if it’s because they’re providing quick, temporary fixes that don’t solve the root problem, you aren’t actually saving money. This approach ignores the quality of the service you’re receiving and the impact on your team’s productivity. A great MSP partnership balances cost-effectiveness with high-quality service, ensuring that problems are solved correctly the first time, even if it takes a little longer.
Mistake #3: Prioritizing Speed Over Quality
Metrics like Mean Time to Resolution (MTTR) are important, but they shouldn’t be the only measure of success. Prioritizing speed above all else can encourage technicians to close tickets before an issue is truly resolved. For example, a tech might quickly restart a server to fix a symptom without investigating the underlying cause, leading to repeat outages. A better approach is to balance speed with the First Call Resolution (FCR) rate. This ensures that your team’s issues are not just handled quickly but are also solved effectively, preventing recurring problems and frustrating follow-up calls.
Mistake #4: Using Inconsistent Definitions
If you and your MSP define a “critical incident” differently, you’re not speaking the same language. This misalignment can cause major confusion and make your KPI reports virtually useless. Does the clock for “response time” start when you send an email or when the MSP creates a ticket? Is a ticket “resolved” when a temporary workaround is in place or only when a permanent solution is implemented? Before you agree to any service level agreement, make sure you and your provider have crystal-clear, written definitions for every single KPI you plan to track.
Mistake #5: Accepting Reports Without Context
A monthly report filled with charts and numbers is meaningless if it doesn’t lead to action. Simply receiving a report and filing it away does nothing to improve your IT operations. The data should be the starting point for a conversation. A proactive MSP partner won’t just send you a dashboard; they will help you interpret the data, explain trends, and provide concrete recommendations. For instance, if ticket volume is rising, they should come to you with a plan to address the root cause, whether it’s through user training or a cloud migration project.
How to Use KPI Data to Strengthen Your MSP Relationship
Tracking KPIs isn’t about catching your Managed Service Provider in a “gotcha” moment. It’s about transforming your relationship from a simple vendor-client transaction into a strategic partnership. When you have objective data, conversations about performance become more productive and less emotional. Instead of saying, “It feels like IT is slow,” you can say, “Our Mean Time to Respond has increased by 20% this quarter. Let’s talk about why.”
This data-driven approach allows you and your MSP to work together toward the same goals: improving efficiency, reducing downtime, and securing your business. A transparent MSP will welcome these conversations and use the data to improve their service. At IGTech365, we build our partnerships on this transparency, using clear metrics to demonstrate our value and ensure we’re aligned with your business objectives. Think of KPIs as the shared language you and your provider use to build a stronger, more resilient IT foundation for your Tampa business.
Have Data-Driven Conversations
KPIs provide a factual basis for your quarterly business reviews (QBRs). They give you and your MSP a shared set of metrics to discuss, removing subjectivity and emotion from the conversation. When you can point to a specific number, like a First Call Resolution rate of 75%, it’s easier to have a constructive dialogue about what’s working and what needs improvement. These metrics give you clear information about the health of your IT services. Instead of relying on feelings, you can collaborate on a concrete action plan based on real performance data, ensuring everyone is accountable for the results.
Spot Issues Before They Escalate
Good KPIs are like an early warning system for your IT infrastructure. A gradual increase in the number of help desk tickets or a slow decline in the patch compliance rate can signal underlying problems long before they cause a major incident. For example, if you notice your MSP’s average time to resolve tickets is creeping up, you can address it immediately. As one expert notes, KPIs help MSPs find problems early before they get big. By monitoring these trends, you can work with your provider to proactively solve issues, preventing minor annoyances from turning into costly downtime or security breaches.
Benchmark Your MSP’s Performance
A single KPI report gives you a snapshot; tracking them over time tells a story. Is your network uptime consistently at 99.99%, or does it dip every few months? Is the Customer Satisfaction (CSAT) score improving or declining? You should regularly review KPIs and look at how they change over time, not just focus on one-time numbers. This historical data allows you to benchmark your MSP’s performance against the initial baseline and their own past results. This context is crucial for evaluating whether the service you receive is truly meeting the standards set in your Service Level Agreement (SLA).
Know When to Renegotiate or Switch
Ultimately, KPIs are a tool for accountability. If your MSP consistently fails to meet key metrics, and your data-driven conversations don’t lead to improvement, you have a clear, documented reason to act. If the value you receive is not aligning with what you pay, it may be time to reassess the relationship. For instance, if high service costs are paired with low resolution rates and slow response times, your total cost of ownership is higher than you think. This data empowers you to either renegotiate your contract for better terms or confidently make the decision to find a new IT services partner who can deliver measurable results.
How Often Should You Review Your MSP’s KPIs?
Establishing a regular rhythm for reviewing your MSP’s performance is just as important as tracking the right KPIs. Without consistent check-ins, data becomes noise and accountability fades. The goal isn’t just to get a report; it’s to have a strategic conversation about your technology, your budget, and your business goals. The right frequency depends entirely on your company’s needs, but a structured review process is non-negotiable for a healthy partnership. It ensures your MSP remains aligned with your objectives and that your IT investment is delivering measurable returns.
Monthly Check-Ins vs. Quarterly Business Reviews
The industry standard is often a Quarterly Business Review (QBR), but don’t let your MSP dictate a schedule that doesn’t fit your business. If your company is experiencing rapid growth, undergoing a major project like a cloud migration, or has a high volume of support needs, waiting three months for a formal review is too long. In these cases, monthly check-ins are more appropriate. These shorter meetings can focus on immediate operational concerns, ticket trends, and project progress. A QBR, on the other hand, is a more strategic, forward-looking meeting. It’s your chance to zoom out and ensure your technology roadmap still aligns with your long-term business goals.
What to Include in a Structured QBR
A productive QBR is a two-way strategic discussion, not just a presentation of data. Your MSP should come prepared to do more than just read a report. A valuable QBR should always include a review of performance against your key SLAs, an analysis of ticket trends and their root causes, and a summary of your network uptime and security posture. Most importantly, it should connect those metrics back to your business. For example, your MSP should be able to show how their managed IT support is reducing employee downtime or securing critical data. The meeting should end with a look ahead, discussing upcoming projects, budget alignment, and any new technology that could support your growth.
Identify Red Flags for an Off-Cycle Review
You should never feel like you have to wait for a scheduled QBR to address a problem. If you notice performance slipping or feel that service is not meeting expectations, it’s time to call an off-cycle meeting. Key red flags include a sudden increase in unresolved tickets, recurring technical issues that never get a permanent fix, or a noticeable drop in your team’s satisfaction with the helpdesk. A serious cybersecurity incident or any unexpected downtime also warrants an immediate conversation. Trust your gut. An off-cycle review gives you the chance to get ahead of issues before they disrupt your operations and hold your provider accountable to their promises.
How IGTech365 Delivers Measurable, Transparent IT Support in Tampa
We believe that your IT support partnership should be built on trust and transparency, not guesswork. That’s why we anchor our services in clear, measurable Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). Instead of just telling you work is getting done, we show you. This data-driven approach ensures our goals are always aligned with yours: keeping your Tampa business secure, productive, and positioned for growth. We move beyond vanity metrics to provide actionable insights that demonstrate the real value of your IT investment.
Our approach to managed IT support isn’t one-size-fits-all. We start by understanding your unique business operations, whether you’re a healthcare provider in St. Petersburg concerned with HIPAA compliance or a construction firm in Wesley Chapel focused on project uptime. From there, we establish relevant KPIs, such as our SLA compliance rate, mean time to resolution, and customer satisfaction (CSAT) scores. These aren’t just numbers on a report; they are our commitment to you, tracked and shared regularly so you always know how we’re performing.
For example, a law firm’s primary KPIs might center on data integrity and rapid incident response to protect sensitive client information. In contrast, a manufacturing client might prioritize patch compliance on their operational technology to prevent costly production halts. By tracking ticket volume trends and first-call resolution rates, we can proactively identify recurring issues and implement permanent fixes, strengthening your overall cybersecurity posture before a minor problem becomes a major one. This commitment to proactive, transparent management is how we build lasting partnerships with businesses across Florida.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the single most important KPI to track? There isn’t one magic KPI that outranks all others, because the most important metrics are the ones tied directly to your specific business goals. For a healthcare practice, the Patch Compliance Rate might be the top priority to ensure patient data is secure. For a construction firm with teams in the field, Network Uptime is likely the most critical. The best approach is to work with your IT partner to select a balanced mix of operational, security, and service quality KPIs that reflect what success looks like for your company.
My current IT provider doesn’t share this data. What should I do? If your provider isn’t transparent with performance data, your first step is to ask for it. A true IT partner should be willing and able to provide reports on key metrics like response times, resolution rates, and uptime. If they are hesitant or unable to share this information, it may indicate a lack of accountability or mature processes. This is a significant red flag, and it could be a sign that it’s time to look for a provider who believes in building a partnership based on transparency and measurable results.
What are considered “good” scores for these KPIs? While benchmarks can vary, there are some general standards for excellence. For network uptime, you should look for 99.9% or higher. A strong First Call Resolution (FCR) rate is typically above 75%, showing that issues are being solved efficiently on the first try. For security, a Patch Compliance Rate should consistently be above 95% to ensure your systems are protected from known vulnerabilities. Anything less than these figures is worth a direct conversation with your provider.
What’s the difference between response time and resolution time? This is a great question because the two are often confused. Response time measures how quickly your IT provider acknowledges your support request and begins working on it. It’s a measure of attentiveness. Resolution time, on the other hand, measures the total time it takes to completely fix the problem. A fast response is good, but if the issue takes days to resolve, your team still experiences significant downtime. You need to track both to get a full picture of your provider’s efficiency and effectiveness.
How often should I meet with my MSP to discuss these numbers? The standard is a Quarterly Business Review (QBR), but you should establish a rhythm that fits your business. If you’re in a period of high growth or in the middle of a major project, a monthly check-in is a better idea to stay on top of operational details. The QBR should be a more strategic meeting to review long-term trends and ensure your technology plan still supports your overall business goals. Never feel like you have to wait for a scheduled meeting to address a problem; a good partner will be ready to talk whenever you have a concern.