How Metro Colo Advisory Works.
From First Conversation to Signed Contract.
Transparent. Free. Here is exactly what happens when you work with Metro Colo Advisory — step by step.
Most people who contact us have never worked with a colocation broker before. This page exists so you know exactly what you are signing up for before you fill out the form. No surprises. No pressure. No obligation at any stage.
The Six Steps From First Contact to Infrastructure Live
Step 1
You Fill Out the Assessment Form
- What happens: You complete our free assessment form. It takes about 60 seconds. You tell us your current infrastructure setup, your approximate power requirements, your primary pain point, your contract status, and your compliance requirements. The form uses checkboxes — not paragraphs of text — so it is fast and frictionless.
- What you need to know at this stage: Not much. If you do not know your exact power requirements, select the closest range. If you are not sure about compliance requirements, select not sure. We will fill in the gaps on the first call. The form is a starting point, not a technical specification.
- What we do immediately: We review your submission and reach out within 24 hours to schedule your discovery call. Once we understand your specific requirements we register your opportunity with the relevant providers in our network.
- What you pay: Nothing. Ever.
Step 2
We Schedule a 20-Minute Discovery Call
- What happens: Within 24 hours of your form submission we reach out to schedule a brief discovery call. This is not a sales call. It is a structured conversation where we ask the five questions that determine your specific requirements — and listen carefully to the answers.
- The five questions: How much power are you currently using and what do you expect in 12-18 months? What is your current infrastructure setup? What is your biggest pain point right now? Are you in a contract and when does it expire? What compliance requirements do you need to meet?
Your answers to these questions determine everything — which facilities we evaluate, what pricing range is realistic, which contract structure makes sense, and what the competitive evaluation process looks like. - What you should bring to this call: Your current monthly infrastructure spend if you have it. A rough sense of how many servers or what power draw you are working with. Any compliance requirements you are aware of. That is genuinely all you need.
- What we will tell you on this call: Our honest initial read on your situation. Whether we think colocation makes sense for you. Which part of the NYC market we think is most relevant to your needs. And what the next step looks like.
- What this call will not be: A pitch for any specific provider. A pressure to move faster than makes sense for your situation. A commitment of any kind on your part.
Step 3
We Go to the Market on Your Behalf
- What happens: Based on our discovery call we take your requirements to the providers in our network whose facilities fit your specific needs. We identify the 2-3 most relevant facilities and approach them with your specifications.
- What we ask providers for: Current pricing for your specific power requirement and preferred term length. Available space in relevant facilities. Any current promotional terms or incentives. Their compliance certifications relevant to your industry. Remote hands SLA commitments. Key contract terms.
- How long this takes: Typically 72 hours from the discovery call. We follow up if providers are slow to respond. You should expect to hear from us with initial options within two business days of our first conversation.
- What you will not experience: Calls from provider sales teams before you have decided to engage with them. Your contact information shared without your explicit permission. Pressure to evaluate providers you have not agreed to consider.
Step 4
We Present Your Options
- What happens: We come back to you with a curated comparison of 2-3 options. Not a data dump of everything available. A curated shortlist with honest trade-offs explained and a clear recommendation on which we would choose for your specific situation — and why.
- What the comparison covers for each option: Monthly cost at your specific power requirement and preferred term length. Key facility characteristics relevant to your needs — carrier density, compliance certifications, power redundancy, location. Contract term options and how pricing changes across terms. Our honest assessment of how each option fits your specific situation and where the trade-offs are. Our recommendation with clear reasoning.
- What makes this different from going direct: Going direct means negotiating alone against a sales team working to get the best deal for their company. The difference in pricing and terms when you have independent market data and real competition on the table is entirely in your favor.
Step 5
You Choose — We Handle the Rest
- What happens: You review the options at your own pace. You ask questions. We answer them. You make the decision that makes sense for your business.
When you have chosen a provider we make the introduction — a direct connection to the account manager or channel manager at the chosen facility who will handle the formal contracting process. - We stay involved through this stage: We review the contract before you sign it. We flag any terms that are above market or unfavorable — escalation clauses, auto-renewal provisions, minimum commitments that do not match your actual usage, open-ended remote hands rates. We make sure what you were quoted verbally is what ends up in the written contract.
- We also handle: Any back-and-forth negotiation on specific contract terms. Confirmation that your compliance requirements are documented in the facility’s formal certifications. Introduction to the onboarding team who will manage your initial installation.
- What you are never obligated to do: Sign anything you are not comfortable with. Move faster than makes sense for your situation. Choose any of the options we present if none of them feel right. We go back to the market if the initial options do not land.
Step 6
Ongoing Advisory Relationship
- What happens after signing: Our active involvement winds down once your contract is signed and your infrastructure is live. But our relationship does not end.
- What ongoing looks like: Quarterly check-ins — a brief email or call to confirm everything is running smoothly and flag any capacity changes on the horizon. Renewal evaluation — we reach out proactively 12 months before your contract expiration to start competitive evaluation. You should never be surprised by a renewal with no market context. Market updates — when significant changes happen in the NYC colocation market that affect your situation we let you know.
- Why this matters: The most common way colocation clients lose money is at renewal. A contract that was at market rate when signed can be significantly above market three years later if the renewal is handled passively. We make sure that does not happen to our clients.
- What this costs: Nothing. Our commission relationship covers the full lifecycle of your client relationship. Ongoing advisory is part of what you get when you work with Metro Colo Advisory.
Questions About Working With Metro Colo Advisory
How do you make money if the service is free to me?
Our commission is paid by whichever provider you choose as a standard part of their channel partner program. Every major colocation provider builds broker commissions into their pricing model as a cost of customer acquisition. When you work with a broker that commission budget funds your advisory relationship. When you go direct it stays with the provider as additional margin. You pay the same either way. Going direct just means you gave up the advisory service for no financial benefit.
Will I be bombarded with sales calls from providers after I fill out the form?
No. Your contact information is not shared with any provider until you have explicitly agreed to engage with them. We control the information flow throughout the process. You will hear from providers only when you have decided you want to evaluate them and have given us permission to make the introduction.
What if I already have a relationship with a provider directly?
That is fine and common. We can work alongside existing relationships — providing benchmark data and market context that helps you negotiate better terms whether you ultimately stay with your current provider or move. We can also evaluate whether your existing relationship is serving you well relative to the current market.
How long does the whole process take from first contact to signed contract?
For a straightforward mid-market deployment — typically 4-8 weeks from first contact to signed contract. Smaller simpler deals can move faster. Larger more complex deployments or companies with lengthy internal approval processes can take longer. We move at your pace.
What if I decide colocation is not right for me after we talk?
That is a completely fine outcome and not an uncommon one. If the math does not support a move to colocation for your specific situation — we will tell you that clearly on the first call. We would rather give you honest advice and have you come back when the timing is right than push a decision that does not serve your business.
Do you only work with companies that are ready to sign immediately?
No. Many of our best client relationships started as conversations 12-18 months before a contract decision was ready to be made. If your contract has 18 months left and you want to understand what the market looks like for when renewal comes around — that is a completely valid reason to start the conversation now. Early conversations give you maximum leverage when the time comes.
Ready To Start The Conversation?
The assessment form takes 60 seconds. The discovery call takes 20 minutes. The market intelligence you get is worth significantly more than the time it takes.
No cost. No obligation. No sales pressure at any stage of the process.
Still have questions about how it works? Contact us directly — contact@metrocoloadvisory.com
