Your Comprehensive Guide To Finding The Right IT Company
You may assume…better the devil you know than the one you don’t, right? At least, that’s what they say. Often, when it comes to IT support, the assumption is that if you’ve worked with one company, you’ve worked with them all.
If you’re not satisfied with the one you currently have, it’s probably not worth the time and effort it’ll take to find a new one. You’ll just encounter the same problems.
But really, this is an illogical assumption to make—as with any market, how could you expect the many, many options available to you to be the same? The right IT partner is out there, but you have to do your due diligence.
If this is to be your next IT company, you don’t want to rush into any arrangement without being sure you’ll get what you need. In this blog, we'll show you why you may need a new IT company, and what to look for in your next one.
Think about it: you don’t want to start a relationship with an IT company that’s just looking to attract clients and then sell to a larger company. You want somebody that’s in it for the long haul like yourself. Look for an IT partner that has the right plans.
Make sure to inquire about the type of people who will be supporting your business’ technology.
Are they well-compensated, experienced, career IT pros? Or are they contractors that work with dozens of clients and thousands of end-users? Will there be any consistency between support requests?
Will the people at this IT company’s help desk be able to learn about your business over time?
Similar to the last question, find out to what degree this IT company’s services are handled in-house. The more expertise they have on staff, the more consistent and personal your support experience will be.
The fact is that, no matter what SLAs you get, what you hear from other clients, or how well-rated they are on Google and GlassDoor, you will never really know what you’re getting into with an IT company until you give them a shot.
Certainly, fixed qualities like price, scope of services, and technical certifications are important considerations in how you determine who you’ll work with. However, they’re not the only considerations that matter.
Nearly any IT company can fix your technology temporarily. What sets the truly worthwhile options apart from the rest is their attention to detail—and to you.
If they take the time to find out what your business does, and how technology plays a role in that, then they can make sure it’s repaired and configured to best suit your needs, as well as make suggestions for how to improve.
It doesn't matter if they have Live Chat, a dedicated phone line, or a 1-hour response guarantee. When you have an issue, you want someone there to answer you. In their marketing, they could make any huge claims about how quickly they respond, but what matters is whether they’re there in the moment.
This is the real “x-factor” in support services. Does the IT company in question do that little extra to make sure you’re taken care of? This can be difficult to describe without specific examples, but you know it when you see it. Make sure you learn enough about the IT company to find out if that “x-factor” is actually there.
If your IT company isn't delivering these key service features and capabilities, then you need to move on to an IT company that will.
Any IT company can offer a suite of traditional Help Desk features, such as a helpline, ticketed support, or even an online support portal.
What you need to find is an IT company with a demonstrable quality of IT support. Do they truly resolve issues for good? Or do they simply apply a "band-aid" solution that will only last in the short term?
Furthermore, they should also offer a transparent support process that allows users like you to track progress. You should be able to easily access updates on a given ticket and be able to expect a resolution within a given time frame.
Moving to the cloud is as necessary as it is challenging. With assistance from your IT company, your team should be able to harness the strategic advantages offered by the cloud-efficiency, agility, and scalability without taking on any risks that come with a poorly planned and executed migration.
In order for organizations like yours to stay connected and productive while working remotely, you need the right technologies and processes in place. For example, due to how quickly the pandemic developed, many organizations were unable to prepare for the shift to a remote work setting.
Doing so would have required careful planning methodical execution of new processes and expert implementation of new technologies
The right IT company can streamline that entire process. In addition to standard cloud services, your IT company should have been able to seamlessly migrate you and your staff to a secure and user-friendly remote work environment as needed.
Network Infrastructure Management involves managing both the hardware and software systems within your IT infrastructure, including computers, servers, security platforms, routers, and more, to enable a smooth flow of business processes.
A great IT company will be able to resolve network errors immediately because their team has a good understanding of server technologies, including physical and virtual servers, storage and backups, and most importantly, disaster recovery.
Perhaps more than any other IT service that you could have managed, security is likely the most valuable. Unlike printers or communications, security requires ongoing monitoring and maintenance, all of which can best be delivered as a managed function.
Your IT company should be able to deliver a range of cybersecurity solutions and services. The "defense-in-depth" functions include 24/7 monitoring and management of firewalls and intrusion detection systems.
Your IT company should also be able to respond to emergencies, perform security assessments and security audits, and oversee patch management and upgrades.
Lastly, you need an IT company that is committed to your long-term success. Do you only hear from your IT company when you have an immediate, pressing issue?
An IT company that's invested in your long-term success will meet with you on a regular basis to plan ahead for upcoming projects and upgrades, assisting with IT budgeting and overall strategy. That's how ongoing challenges stemming from IT issues and business obstacles can be permanently overcome.
Many businesses find it difficult to keep up with the latest advances in technology. Outsourcing your IT to a local IT company should provide easy access to the latest technology so you can be more competitive in this technology-driven world.
Furthermore, with an IT company, these solutions are less expensive than if you purchased them yourself. Most IT companies have partnerships with vendors and can provide new technologies at a reduced cost.
The IT industry is full of new developments, each of which could be a real, beneficial trend to invest in—but it’s more likely to be a gimmick that won’t achieve much in the end. An expert will know which is which.
Telling the difference can be difficult, but it gets easier with time. The right IT company will have seen countless IT fads come and go. Not everything is the “next cloud”—those with the right experience and expertise will know the difference.
As your business grows, your IT needs to grow as well. Keep in mind that new service offerings often come with significant upgrades or new software. Your IT company should have the knowledge and skills to provide the flexibility you need to change your products/services or add new ones when required.
You need to discuss the technologies you use every day, and make sure your IT support knows how to support them. The key is in finding an IT company that can offer industry-specific expertise and unique service that can't be found anywhere else.
In addition to understanding the technology you use, they should also understand and actively apply the potential of new technologies—such as the cloud—to help you improve the way you work.
You need to find an IT company that has true expertise. The fact is that, whether you’re looking for your first outsourced IT support company, or you’re looking to switch from one that’s not getting the job done, the process of doing so requires a fair bit of research.
After all, you don't want to make this decision lightly. You need to find an IT company that is capable, knowledgeable, and cost-effective.
Proactive IT support monitors and maintains your IT on an ongoing basis. Operationally, proactive monitoring provides a view into the health and status of IT assets.
Like air traffic controllers, your IT company uses monitoring tools to see network traffic and plan actions to avoid potential problems. They can act proactively while using the tools to benchmark performance.
From active monitoring and patch management to responsive on-site and Help Desk support services, fully managed support takes care of everything you need.
Advantages include…
You can finally focus on running your firm and not on IT worries. Your IT support provider will minimize or eliminate downtime that could hit your bottom line.
You'll benefit from a flat-rate payment model, allowing you to budget your tech more effectively. You'll be able to plan for growth far more easily and with greater peace of mind.
Tech maintenance from a third party is more cost-effective than relying on reactive solutions, especially when you consider the lost revenue from downtime.
Selecting a company to maintain your technology is one of the most important decisions you can make for your business. You must find the most competent and reliable IT support provider in your area.
How do you know if the IT company you're considering is right for your business? Some technology companies call themselves the best, but they haven't kept up their certifications.
This is important because the latest certifications validate the skills that their techs learned in their training. With all the cyber threats and new IT solutions today, it's critical that your IT provider is up to date on their skills.
Don't just pick a company off the Internet because they're the closest one to you. Do your research to find out if they are truly qualified to protect your data and meet your organization's unique IT needs.
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