Client Profile & Challenge
Our client is a Private Equity-owned global Manufacturing company that specializes in designing, manufacturing, and distributing functional hardware, office and healthcare ergonomics, and storage-related components for original equipment manufacturers, specialty distributors, hardware chains, and major home centers. They operate manufacturing/warehousing facilities in Michigan, California, and Taiwan, with supporting locations in Illinois and Ontario.
Challenge:
Our client had two IT-managed service providers (MSPs) supporting two different aspects of their business and needed to consolidate their IT Service providers. One MSP supported their ERP platform (Oracle EBS), and the other supported infrastructure and End-User support. This was not only leading to confusion within the business around who users should contact for issues but also to duplicative costs.
Solution Overview
After an initial deep dive into the current state of the client’s IT systems, the Messina team began by identifying a list of potential MSPs based on their technical expertise, experience in the client’s industry, and size. We also considered factors such as the MSP’s location, customer references, and financial stability. Once Messina had identified a shortlist of qualified MSPs, Messina created and distributed a detailed RFP to each potential provider. Our team carefully evaluated each proposal and conducted reference checks with existing MSP customers. After validating each MSP’s capabilities, Messina invited the top MSP candidates for proposal presentations. This allowed Messina to force rank each MSP based on team, capabilities, culture, and approach to customer service. Messina recommended the best-fit MSP frontrunner to our client for selection. We then led the contract and pricing negotiation process.
Solutions:
“AFTER” BUSINESS VALUE CREATION
Our client was able to greatly reduce the frustration between their business and their MSP provider by implementing several measures. (1) The client and MSP established clear and concise communication channels, a ticketing system for tracking and resolving issues, and regular check-in meetings. This helped to ensure that both parties were always on the same page and that there was no confusion about who was responsible for what. (2) The MSP took a proactive approach to IT support, regularly monitoring the client’s systems and networks for potential problems. This allowed the MSP to identify and resolve issues before they caused any disruption to the client’s business. (3) The client and MSP agreed to SLAs that defined the expected response and resolution times for different types of IT issues. This helped to ensure that the client received the level of support that they needed and expected. As a result of these measures, the client could resolve their support tickets more quickly without any confusion around responsibility ownership. Our client now benefits from a more productive relationship with their MSP with an increase in satisfaction while enjoying significant cost savings of nearly $1 million per year.
