What should you look for when selecting an IT Service Provider?
What should you look for when selecting an IT Service Provider?
By Stuart R. Crawford
In this day and age of computers, most people have some kind of knowledge of how this equipment works. Many workers or owners of small businesses even like to believe that they are technically savvy. Yes, they do possess the skills to setup a small network at home or get their computer working on the Internet, (most of the time they just fiddle with it until it works) however small businesses cannot afford to rely on an employee with an interest in computers to setup their corporate network.
What we have found in these non-professional networks are several flaws. Security of business data is non-existent or done incorrectly or the wrong solution is purchased. Data is shared in many locations making it hard to administer or find the correct data. Finally, system updates are not happening at all. Small business owners have also purchased equipment from the local computer shop and have invested in the wrong software (e.g. XP Home vs. XP Pro). The wrong software means extra costs because an upgraded version of the software must be purchased in order to attach it to their domain or take advantage of features only found in the corporate editions of popular software.
Hiring a firm and outsourcing your computer and network service is the only way to go for the small business. Although the initial investment may be slightly higher than doing it yourself, the benefits of having your IT infrastructure setup correctly and securely will bring a lasting benefit and reduce the overall cost of ownership.
So you have made the wise decision to outsource your IT-- what do you need to look for in a computer service company?
· Professionalism – This can be determined in the first meeting you have with your support company. Does the company portray a professional image or do they look like they just came in from a night out at the local club? Did they answer your initial contact quickly and with knowledgeable questions about your needs? What I have found works really well is to schedule your initial email or requests on a Saturday or Sunday. If someone gets back to you quickly then you may have found a winner.
· Testimonials – Make sure the support companies can back up their services with testimonials from their client base. Testimonials bring creditability to the work they can perform for you. In a testimonial, look for words like professional, caring, team, skilled and also those catch phrases like “worked the weekend”, “went the extra mile”, “ensured that we were up and running”. All of these phrases show that the company you are about to choose is committed to their client base.
· Service Guarantee – Look for a service guarantee, if the support company cannot guarantee their service, why would you choose them? As a business owner you should never buy the excuse, “it is a computer after all and we cannot control what happens.” If the correct solution is in place, yes, the computer network and technologies can be controlled and service can be guaranteed.
· Hourly Billing vs. Monthly Rate – The current trend in the marketplace will eventually lead to a managed monthly fee over the traditional billing by the hour. You may see your IT spending increase with a monthly managed plan, but you will be better off overall by going this route over the traditional billable hour because regular visits from your IT support firm can predict your needs in advance and save costly downtime. With a monthly plan, you should look at receiving a minimal of a weekly onsite visit, total coverage during business hours, ensure all services are covered (you will need to conform to some hardware standards) and ensure that there are no hidden surprises.
· Depth in numbers – There are a number of great technical people out there working solo, but the business owner should not rely on one person. It is the old “hit by a bus” syndrome—what happens if this one person cannot accommodate your urgent IT needs? Look for a company that has depth in numbers. A company that has a deep technical team offers their staff training and time off to recharge their batteries. Solo guys seem to never have time for proper self improvement and usually burn out because they are always on the run.
· Proactive Support – This is a must for any technical support company to survive. There are many services and solutions that make this possible, one example is Level Platforms of Ottawa, this company offers monitoring tools to alert your service provider whenever a hiccup occurs at a client site. If the IT firm you are looking at does not offer proactive support that will inform you when something happens, continue your search.
· Certifications – Look for a firm that has invested the time to become certified and achieve partnerships with the major hardware and software companies. These certifications show that they are committed to their own company growth and to ensuring that their clients received the best, most up-to-date solutions. Companies such as Microsoft Canada, SonicWALL and others can also make recommendations to you on which consulting companies are strong with their technologies, and they can refer you to a number of their partners.
There are a number of great consulting firms in your area that are designed to offer the best service to one particular market. A great source of information is to network with your friends, your business colleagues and even your competition to find out which company they use. Finding a great IT company can be a difficult challenge at times but an IT solution that is there when you need it is worth every minute of meeting that challenge.
Stuart Crawford is the Director of Business Development for IT Matters Inc., a Calgary-based Information Technology solutions company. One of the founding partners of IT Matters, Stuart is a respected mentor within the organization and his pioneering spirit and courageous forward thinking has contributed to IT Matters developing long-term business partnerships with those who share the company’s core values of respect, trust and integrity. He is a motivational leader willing to venture into uncharted territory.
Stuart has been an affiliate of the International Association of Microsoft Partners (IAMCP) for the past few years and has set a goal to become an executive member. He is a Director with the Canada – Mexico Chamber of Business. He is also an Associate Partner with the Corporate Group of Allied Associates, thereby staying active with business networking to grow his business. Stuart also regularly schedules time during a busy workweek to appreciate the value of a round of golf with his fellow business colleagues.
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What should you look for when selecting an IT Service Provider?
