1. Inventory responsibilities before comparing packages
List the technology responsibilities the business needs performed, the internal owner today, the current tools or providers involved, and what happens when work crosses a boundary. Include onboarding, offboarding, access, devices, applications, networks, backup, security, vendor escalation, renewals, and projects.
2. Define support in business terms
Priority should reflect business impact, not only technical severity. Agree on request channels, operating hours, escalation, communication expectations, and who can authorize high-impact changes. Response and resolution commitments should be documented in the actual agreement rather than assumed from marketing copy.
3. Clarify internal, external, and shared ownership
A co-managed or hybrid model can work well when decision rights are explicit. Define which team owns strategy, administration, monitoring, remediation, procurement, projects, security decisions, documentation, and provider relationships. For shared responsibilities, name the handoff and escalation path.
4. Make security and continuity part of operations
Managed support should coordinate with identity, endpoint, email, network, backup, recovery, and incident procedures. Controls must be sized to risk and applicable obligations. No managed service, assessment, or tool can guarantee security or compliance.
5. Measure useful outcomes
Ticket counts alone do not show whether technology is supporting the organization. Review recurring causes, aging issues, employee friction, undocumented assets, failed changes, vendor escalations, renewal exposure, restore testing, adoption, and strategic work that keeps being postponed.
- Recurring incidents and root-cause follow-through
- User onboarding and offboarding completeness
- Inventory and documentation accuracy
- Change success and rollback readiness
- Project and roadmap progress
6. Keep the roadmap connected to growth
Review upcoming hires, locations, acquisitions, platform changes, contract renewals, end-of-support dates, security priorities, and business initiatives. The operating model should create room for planned improvement instead of consuming every week with urgent work.
Frequently asked
Questions this guide should not leave vague
Can AMD complement an internal IT team?
Yes. AMD can coordinate providers, add specialized expertise, support projects, or own agreed responsibilities alongside internal leadership and delivery resources.
Do we need to replace our current tools first?
No. Begin by assessing the current environment and responsibilities. The appropriate answer may be clearer ownership, optimization, replacement, consolidation, or a phased plan.