Reporting and analytics to consider before choosing an MSP partner

Data, and by proxy, intelligence, is what drives the corporate business in 2025. Nearly every single major strategic decision across all enterprise functions today is rooted in insights that guide, advise, and push.

In an age defined by expertise, skillsets, and innovation, talent is the top global competitive differentiator. Thus, it makes sense that many hiring decisions are fuelled by real workforce intelligence.

The extended workforce: A strategic imperative

With the extended workforce comprising nearly 50% of the average company’s total talent (according to Ardent Partners research), businesses must have capabilities to extend their data prowess into the contingent workforce management arena. This means that any solution they leverage must have Best-in-Class intelligence offerings.

As businesses continue to rely on the Managed Service Provider (MSP) model as a foundation of workforce excellence, there are major questions they must ask in the realm of data capabilities before switching to a new provider or making the big jump from in-house program management.

Key reporting and analytics capabilities to evaluate

Depth of actionable spend data

The extended workforce of 2025 may be candidate- or talent-centric, however, economic conditions and financials are still critically important to CW programs regardless if they’re managed by procurement or HR.

An MSP partner must not only be able to provide on-demand spend data related to staffing, workers, etc., but also enable true “spend intelligence” that allows program leaders to act on insights for supplier consolidation, supplier optimisation, and other related efforts.

Modern MSPs should offer real-time dashboards that break down spend by category, geography, and supplier performance. Predictive analytics can help forecast future costs and identify opportunities for savings without compromising quality.

For example, if your organisation spends $20 million annually on contingent labour, a data-driven MSP can highlight inefficiencies and recommend strategies like rate card standardisation or supplier rationalisation.

Depth of actionable talent quality data

As stated previously, today’s extended workforce programs are skills-driven, expertise-led initiatives; businesses now realise that their people are what drive innovation, product advancements, etc. and must act accordingly. “Weird” labour market included, the landscape of 2025 dictates that enterprises lean on their MSP partners to:

1. Understand talent quality gaps,
2. Identify which levers to pull in order to improve those gaps,
3. Highlight ways to translate those improvements into measurable business outcomes through accelerating project timelines, enhancing customer experience, or reducing attrition risk, and,
4. Contextualise data and connect talent quality insights to enterprise priorities.

Look for MSPs that provide performance benchmarking across suppliers and predictive analytics for attrition risk.

For example, if certain roles consistently show high turnover, your MSP should recommend targeted retention strategies or alternative sourcing channels. AI-driven tools can also validate candidate capabilities beyond résumés, ensuring that skills match project requirements.

Intelligence that can be fused into skills-based hiring strategies

Skills-based hiring is not hype but a reality in today’s hyper-competitive, globalised landscape. Businesses not only require a skills-centred approach to find, engage, and source high-quality talent, but also need this type of strategy to ensure they are futureproofing their organisation in the face of new technology (such as artificial intelligence).

An MSP solution partner must be able to support the integration of workforce intelligence into every stage of the hiring lifecycle by mapping current skills inventories, forecasting future skill demands, and aligning sourcing strategies with enterprise objectives.

Skills intelligence platforms integrated into MSP programs can map organisational skill landscapes, identify gaps, and predict future needs. For instance, if AI adoption accelerates in your industry, your MSP should proactively source talent with machine learning expertise and recommend upskilling programs for existing staff. This approach ensures agility and resilience in a rapidly evolving market.

Why these capabilities matter

A contemporary Managed Service Provider partner must not just be an outsource centre of excellent and a foundation of efficiency, it must also be a source of real-time, insight-laden talent and workforce intelligence.

An MSP solution can leverage data to uncover hidden talent trends, validate candidate capabilities beyond résumés, and continuously recalibrate hiring practices as technology and market needs evolve.

Ultimately, in a world where talent and skills are the ultimate differentiators, only those MSP partners that deliver true, Best-in-Class intelligence will enable enterprises to transform data into decisions, and decisions into sustained competitive advantages.

Additional considerations when choosing an MSP partner

To truly maximise the value of MSP reporting and analytics, organisations should also evaluate:

• Integration with Vendor Management Systems (VMS): Ensure seamless data flow between MSP and VMS platforms for unified reporting.
• Compliance and risk analytics: MSP dashboards should track regulatory compliance across geographies, mitigating risk in global programs.
• AI and automation readiness: Look for MSPs that embed AI-driven insights into workflows, enabling predictive hiring and automated compliance checks.
• Customisable dashboards: Different stakeholders; HR, procurement, finance, etc. need tailored views of workforce data.

The bottom line

Choosing an MSP is not just about cost savings; it’s about strategic intelligence. The right partner will empower you with actionable insights, predictive analytics, and skills-based strategies that align with your business goals. In a competitive global market, data-driven MSP solutions are the key to unlocking workforce agility, cost efficiency, and long-term success.

Ready to choose an MSP that delivers workforce analytics, spend intelligence, and skills-based hiring insights? Contact Airswift Resourcing to learn how data-driven MSP solutions can futureproof your talent strategy.