Are you looking to hire an IT support service for your business? Read on to learn how to find the best IT support service.
If your business isn’t the business of IT then running your IT department could be driving you up a wall. Many companies need help with their IT but they aren’t sure where to start.
If your business is suffering because your IT department can’t handle the volume of work they’re required to do, it might be time to outsource and hire an IT support service.
While it might be time to hire an IT support service, you should know not all of them are created equally. Continue reading this article to get the help you need to figure out which services might be a good option for you.
What to Look for in an IT Support Service
If you’re considering hiring companies like Be Structured, you may be wondering what you should look for in these companies. The following tips will help you as you’re making your decision of who to hire.
Find Out How They Keep Up to Date
You don’t want to do business with a company that is behind the times. It is especially important when you’re working with a business in the information technology industry.
Even being a few years behind on technology makes a major difference. You want to be sure the company you choose is on top of the latest and great so everything is operating at its best.
Get a Breakdown of Their Rates
Before you decide to hire a company, make sure to get a breakdown of their rates. While you may need to pay one flat rate fee to get them started and keep them in your services, you’ll likely find there are other things you’ll have to pay for separately.
If you do have to pay for things separately and above and beyond your normal fee, make sure to find out what those rates are before you sign on the dotted line.
Make Sure They Focus on Cybersecurity
Does the company you’re working with focus on cybersecurity? You may not think you’re vulnerable to attack or that anyone would want to breach your security but no matter what industry you work in, people may want to get into your information.
Find out what measures the company takes to keep your information and the information of your customers secure.
Related: Best Ways To Pick A Right IT Support Company
Find Out About Their Backup & Recovery Plans
No matter how good a company is, accidents can happen. Whether the accident is because someone hit the wrong key and erased lines of code or a fire hit the server room — you want to be sure the company you work with has a thorough backup and recovery plan in place.
Ask for References
When you’re considering hiring someone, it’s great to read reviews online but it’s even better if you can speak to current and past customers live. When you talk to their references live, you can ask them questions that are relevant to you and your company’s needs.
Companies that have good relationships with their clients are usually very happy to connect you with a couple of people that will sing their praises.
Ask them about their experience and see if there were any crises they had to deal with during that time or if everything was business as normal. If they dealt with a crisis, find out how the company helped them through it and how they felt it went.
See If Their Services Fit Your Needs
Even if you find a good company, they have the best references and everything looks great — if their services aren’t a perfect fit, keep looking. There is a company out there that offers the services you need in a way that is going to fit your company.
If you try to make the company fit because you like the owner or the salesperson, it’s not going to turn out well for either of you.
Ask About Any Up Time & Other Guarantees
If your website goes down or other parts of your business, you’re losing money. Downtime can cost your company thousands of dollars and you need to have a guarantee.
You should also ask them if they have other guarantees to put your mind at ease. Knowing exactly what they promise and what they say is not up to them is important. If you don’t understand their expectations and they don’t understand yours, that’s another recipe for disaster.
Test Their Customer Support
When the company is trying to win your business — think of this time as the honeymoon phase. If their customer service isn’t great right now then you’re going to have some major problems after they do bring you on board as a customer.
Find out if you’re going to have a dedicated account manager to work with you if any questions and challenges arise. Also, find out when customer support is available. You should find a company that offers around the clock customer service so you don’t get stuck with a problem and no one around to help.
Making the Choice of Who to Hire
If you’ve done all of your research and still can’t make a decision, you can put it to a vote within the company or try making a pros and cons list for each of the companies.
Having an IT services company to help your in-house team or replace your in-house team will make a big difference so you can focus on growing your core business.
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