5 Must Haves When You Hire a Managed IT Services Provider

Picking a Managed IT Service Provider is critical to your company’s success, especially for a business that doesn't have a trained in-house IT employee. If you select a vendor that is non-responsive, doesn’t share ideas with you for improving you IT footprint or hits you with hidden fees, your company could be in serious trouble.

 

How to avoid the pitfalls of engaging an IT provider that isn't as committed to your business as you are?  Here are five things to look for when 

 

1) References - Besides speaking with an IT provider's favorite customers, try to get the names of an account or two who formerly worked with them. Naturally, companies change managed IT service providers for a variety of reasons.  Learning about some of the prospective vendor's shortcomings and how they resolved them can give you a window into their desire to be the best they can be.

 

2) Kick the Tires - If possible, working with a prospective vendor before bringing them on full time is a great way to judge their adherence to your company's values. If you can do a low cost, low risk project together or give them a try for a month that is the best way to ensure you’ll find the right partners.

 

3) Response Time - Probably the most important feature when shopping for a new managedIT service provider is their customer service.  Before you sign the contract to spend 12 or 24 months with this vendor, nail down their response times - working hours, after hours, holidays and emergencies. Methods of communication are important, too - phone, email, text.  When can you use each and which provides the best turn around time.

 

4) Cybersecurity Pros - a managed IT service provider should excel in monitoring your network.  Asking the right questions to make sure your network is protected is at least as important.  Performing data backups and ensuring a viable disaster recovery process is in place, periodically reviewing log traffic to identify suspicious attempts to access the network and making sure management is educating employees on phishing scams should be the proactive responsibilities of the partner you decide on.

5) Communication - at the end of the day, communication is the thread that ties together every aspect of your relationship with your managed it service provider.  Set expectations about how often and through which channels you and your team will communicate. Regular emails? Weekly update calls? Texts during emergencies? Insist on an open dialogue and the results will be rewarding.

 

Your business is a technology business, whether you realize it or not. Different levels of importance are placed on a company's computer network, based on their size and core products and services, but the network enables business to be transacted.  Your selection of a managed IT service provider should be well-thought out and researched before selecting a vendor.