Switching To A New IT Company

In the modern business world, your IT company is an extremely important part of your business.

They need to be going above and beyond to do more than simply fixing broken equipment and installing new hardware – they need to be there when you need them most, and they need to find new ways to enhance efficiency. Above all, they need to look out for your best interests and help you operate more profitably than ever before.

There are plenty of reasons to shop around for a better alternative, but once you’ve been with a certain provider for a while, it can be easy to overlook their faults because of how familiar you’ve become with their service.

Boston Organization Researching New IT Company

How Can You Tell When You Need A New IT Company?

If you’re encountering any one of the following challenges, you owe it to yourself to find a better IT company:

It’s Difficult To Budget Support

As in any business relationship, a key downside to look out for is the possibility of hidden fees. Be sure to carefully look over the contract and SLA to make sure you’re aware of additional fees that may come with onsite support, support hours caps, etc. If you’re getting nickel and dimed month after month, then it’s time to move on.

You Don’t Have The Right Balance Of Security And Control

This is an ongoing debate – and for good reason. The more of your security (and data) that you hand over to a third-party IT company, the less control you may feel you have over it.

For some businesses, this is too much to ask, and so they arrange to manage their security internally, wherein they can better oversee it. However, without the right security capabilities, continuing to manage security independently can be unsafe. Make sure you’re working with an IT company that can deliver the level of security you need.

Your IT Company Isn’t Available

When they’re trying to get you to sign, an IT company may say anything and everything you want to hear. Furthermore, they will likely be very easy to get a hold of.

But what about after you’ve signed? How can you know for sure that they will answer the phone when you need them?

That’s why it’s smart to look into their response times, Help Desk models, and other support guarantees. If you’re not getting the response you need, then it’s time to move on.

What About Your Next IT Company?

You can’t just rush into a partnership with any new IT company – otherwise, you could face the same problems that made you leave the last one. Make sure to ask your next potential IT company these important questions:

What Are Your Response Times?

This should be relatively easy for them to answer – either they offer a guaranteed response time as detailed in a contract, or they should at least be able to provide some form of data to show how quickly they handle real-life examples of support calls.

Bonus if they have testimonials or case studies that show how they respond to their client’s needs, and what the results were.

How Does Your Support System Work?

As a follow up to the previous question, you should find out how they receive, track, and follow-through on support requests.

Do they have an online ticket system? A support email address? A 24/7 Help Desk, via chat or phone? Get specific so that you can actually envision what you would go through to file a support request.

What Model Of Support Do You Offer?

When determining the quality of service, the big question is whether they are hourly or managed?

Hourly support service is the traditional style of outsourced IT services, which works by fixing your computers once they’re broken. In a nutshell, when something goes wrong — data loss, hardware failure, virus, etc. — you then get in touch with your computer repair company and have them fix it. The hourly model no longer works for businesses today.

Managed Services is the modern model for IT support, offering a range of vital solutions all for one monthly rate. With fully managed support, you know that you are supported and protected 24/7.

From active monitoring and patch management to responsive on-site and Help Desk support services, fully managed support takes care of everything you need.

Time For A New IT company?

You need the best IT services to thrive, as simple as that. From productivity to security, to communication, to innovative new ways to get work done – IT is at the heart of it all.

Here are the facts – properly chosen technology combined with true expertise can achieve real results for your company. Properly supported hardware will help you streamline operations and increase communication.

That’s precisely what Boston HelpDesk offers – as your IT company, we deliver proven IT solutions and best practices to help you get more out of your business technology.

Like this article? Tune In To Our Latest IT News to learn more.