How to find the right partner to manage the IT needs of your business.
Many organizations turn to IT service providers to handle all or part of their IT needs. Because technology plays such an integral role in modern business, finding a reliable partner is of the utmost importance. These are the people you rely on to maintain your data security, keep your systems running efficiently, and respond in an emergency should a critical system go down. Given the number of service providers on the market, how do you vet the candidates to ensure you find the best partner for your business?
Every company will have a different set of priorities. You’ll want to know about their response time, their specific capabilities, and their service structure. Depending on how closely you work with them, you may want to know about their culture or their client history. But when vetting candidates, these questions will help identify red flags and ensure you find a partner committed to providing the best service for your company.
1. Can they explain their services to you?
IT is a complex field which requires a lot of technical know-how that can easily leave the initiated feeling overwhelmed and under-informed. That said, a good IT service provider should be able to explain how what they’re doing will benefit your business or provide a solution to a problem, and they should feel comfortable answering your questions. If you sense a service provider is unwilling to answer questions, or is intentionally trying to talk over your head,
2. Is their crisis management proactive or reactive?
A good IT service provider can identify weaknesses in your system before they become problems. In doing so, they can work with you to create a proactive service arrangement which will save your business money in the long run. In the event a crisis does occur, they should provide 24/7 support.
3. Does their skillset and experience complement your in-house team?
Even if you have an IT department, a partnership with another provider can help supplement your staff, helping you handle large projects or fill in for team members while they’re on vacation or on leave. However, one of the top benefits of partnering with an IT service provider is their ability to add special skillsets to fill out those of your in-house IT department. Ask about the skills and expertise of your IT service provider to understand how they might add to your IT team’s existing capabilities.
4. Do they understand the compliance regulations of your industry?
Your IT service provider will be working with you to create systems and safeguards to protect your data. Because of this, it’s incredibly important that they have a deep knowledge of any compliance regulations relevant to your industry. Be sure to ask about their familiarity with your compliance standards, including any recent updates. If you’re entrusting them with any part of your data security, you want to be sure their dedication to compliance is as strong as your own.
Partner with us.
If you’re looking for an IT service provider, come ask us these questions. We work with many businesses to provide the proactive, compliance-oriented service we describe. And if you have any more questions you’d like us to answer, contact us. We’re happy to help.
