Nearly every modern business runs on IT. Whether you sell goods online, manage customer databases, or require connected work computers, robust IT infrastructure is critical. However, not every business has the need or the resources for an in-house IT team.
Partnering with a managed IT service provider like WorkSmart offers the ideal solution. Professional consulting firms can handle your IT needs from start to finish, including designing your network, proactively monitoring your system, and offering 24/7 help desk support.
But with so many IT companies, how do you choose? This guide offers tips for evaluating, interviewing, and selecting the right managed IT service provider for your business needs.
Criteria To Consider When Choosing a Managed IT Service Provider
When evaluating potential IT partners, consider the following factors:
Experience
The longer the company has been in business, the more IT challenges they have likely seen and the more problems they have likely solved. Look into their years of experience, the background of their staff members, and the industries they have worked with.
WorkSmart has been serving clients for over 20 years, and has the experience and expertise to make sure your business technology stays running smoothly.
Services
An important part of any IT plan is an assessment of your IT needs. Talk to your potential partner about your pain points, growth plans, and regulatory needs to see whether their portfolio of services fits the bill. Managed IT service providers often offer the following services:
- IT strategy and planning
- Network monitoring and management
- Cloud services or other off-site storage
- Data backup and disaster recovery
- Protection from cybersecurity threats
- IT troubleshooting and customer support
Scalability
If your business does well, you want to be able to level up your IT game easily. If you experience a slowdown, you want to be able to cut costs quickly. In other words, you want a scalable IT solution.
Scalability isn’t just about the number of software licenses or the size of your storage. In addition to managing infrastructure, technological integration often requires changing company processes and helping employees adapt. Make sure your partner has the skills to handle it all.
Flexibility
The leading managed IT service providers go beyond scalable service plans to meet your company where it’s at. For example, at WorkSmart, we offer both managed and co-managed IT services. With co-managed IT services, you can free up your internal IT team to focus on their most important initiatives, while knowing a large, experienced IT partner has their back for things like end-user support and overflow.
Security
Last but perhaps most important, you want a managed IT service provider with cutting-edge security practices. As businesses increasingly move operations online, data security becomes paramount. Ask about the company’s security framework, vulnerability assessments, and proactive monitoring of cyber threats.
Questions To Ask Potential IT Consulting Partners
You may also want to ask a few pertinent questions when interviewing a potential IT consulting partner:
Do You Have Experience in My Industry?
You want a managed IT service provider that aligns with your needs. While years of general IT experience is useful, experience in your specific industry is even more beneficial.
Furthermore, some businesses demand more of their consulting partners. For example, if your organization has strict regulatory compliance requirements, look for an IT team that understands these regulations and helps you adhere to them.
What Are Your Response Times?
No business wants to wait days or even hours for an IT emergency to be resolved. Ask your potential IT team about their response times and resolution time. If you are in a different time zone than your provider or need 24/7 support, make sure they can meet your needs. You also want to know what communication channels they offer, such as phone, live chat, or a ticketing system.
What Level of Transparency Can I Expect?
A true partnership is open and honest. Ask your managed IT service provider what level of transparency you can expect from them. You want someone who is honest about your needs and their ability to address them. Also, carefully review the contract and service-level agreements before signing to know exactly what you’re getting.
Do You Have References?
Online reviews are a great help to anyone evaluating a business. You can delve even deeper by asking the managed IT service provider for references from their clients. You want to ask the client about their overall experience, the provider’s responsiveness, and whether there were any major issues while working together.
Ready To Get Started Today? Contact WorkSmart IT Services
Now that you know what to look for in a managed IT provider, are you ready to get started? At WorkSmart, we have over 20 years of experience simplifying IT for businesses and organizations across the United States. Contact us for a free consultation to discuss what our team can do for you.