Selecting an IT service provider is a crucial decision that every company manager has to make. Making the best choice will also help them grow their business and prevent potential pitfalls. On the other hand, a poor decision when choosing the best IT Services will only lead to wasted money and time on poor technology choices that will open their company to possible cybersecurity risks.
Therefore, the best thing to do is always to compare various IT service providers and ask them multiple questions regarding their services, technical capabilities, and business. After that, you can use the answers you get from them to determine which firm will be the best for your business.
Crucial Questions to Ask
How big is your workforce?
While there can be no best answer to this question, it is crucial to ask, particularly if you have extensive IT needs. Having an IT firm with a big staff will guarantee that all your work is handled better. Also, having a bigger team means that there will be fewer chances of you getting in trouble if one crucial team member gets sick or leaves.
Additionally, a big company will be more involved in handling many customers while on the other hand a small company might get lost in the scuffle.
What are your competencies?
The IT service provider you choose must be the perfect match for your company. And a good indication of the best service provider is certifications. A good firm for IT Services should produce all their certificates to prove their competencies. Make sure that you ask about any educational programs they use to keep their workforce up to date on the current technology.
Is your help desk 24/7?
Regardless of the time of the day, a good IT service provider should be able to offer their services and be ready to help. You have the right to get help at any time of the day. The best company should have a schedule for operating.
Also, make sure that they have an onsite help desk because they will be able to train their specialists and maintain them to the best standards, which means better customer experience and support.
Do you have a disaster recovery plan?
It is important to note that this question doesn’t mean how they will be able to recover if something happens to your company. Instead, it aims at knowing what they can do in case something happens to their facility.
A disaster can hit any place, and failure to have a disaster recovery plan means that they won’t be able to offer you any help until they get back on their feet.
What are the terms of your Service level agreement?
Typically, the service provider gives a standard service level agreement to ensure that the terms are all in your best interest. However, it is vital to note that these standards are just the starting ground for negotiation, and if the service provider is not ready to adjust their terms, they should be a no go zone.
Bottom Line
In the current fast-paced digital era, every business depends on a strong IT service provider to help whenever needed. However, for companies on a budget, it can be hard to find the best firm. Therefore the following questions should help you get started on hiring the best IT service provider for your firm.