If you are looking for a new IT support company, it is most likely for one of two reasons: you either want to hire an outside company to manage your computer network so you have more time to focus on other things or you are unhappy with the service you are receiving from your current IT provider and are looking for a replacement.
No matter why you are looking for a new IT support company, there are some important considerations that you should take into account when deciding which company to hire. Because we have been working in IT support for more than two decades, we are uniquely qualified to help you understand what makes an IT company worth hiring. Here are some of the key characteristics you should look for when comparing companies:
Excellent listening skills. According to VectorCloud, the best IT support providers are the ones who listen closely to your needs. Instead of just coming in with their own ideas and taking over, they take the time to learn about your business. The more they understand how your business works and the challenges that you face, the more likely they are to be able to come up with computer-related solutions that can help. They should not only listen closely but should also ask meaningful questions to address issues that you may have overlooked during your initial presentation. The company can then put the information that they gather to use, helping to make your system as efficient as possible.
A reasonable service commitment. When you hire an IT company, you will most likely need to set up a service level agreement (SLA). The terms of the agreement should be reasonable for both you and the support company. In an ideal world, the company would be available at all hours of the day and night to instantly fix any issues that arise. Unless you have a tremendous amount of money to spend on support, however, you most likely will have to settle for something a little bit more realistic. For instance, they may agree to respond quickly during true emergencies such as a server outage but may take longer to respond to less serious situations such as a keyboard that isn’t working.
Plenty of experience. Ideally, you should work with an IT service provider that has a lot of previous experience in the field. Just make sure that their experience is related to the type of computer system that you have.
Good business practices. When choosing a company, look at the big picture. For instance, you can get a really good sense of what the company is like by looking at the rate of employee turnover. If employees stick around for a long time, it usually means that the business is well-established and stable. You should also make sure that the company is in a position to provide support even if a major disaster happens in your area.
The ability to secure your data. Keeping your data safe is an important part of managing your computer system. A good IT support company will have accreditations like the ISO 27001.
Reasonable prices. Extremely low prices aren’t necessarily a good thing when it comes to IT support. Instead, you should look for a company that has a great reputation, plenty of experience in the field, and reasonable rates for their services to ensure that you are getting the best possible deal for your money.