Choosing the wrong vendor, whether outsourced IT or a different services provider, can lead to unexpected costs, frustration and a bad relationship. It's important to partner with businesses that are a good match and will meet your expectations.
Each IT company will have its own service plan inclusions, exclusions, rates and priorities, so shop around, ask a lot of questions and select the right one to successfully support your business needs.
Questions to Ask Before Choosing an Outsourced IT Provider
- What is the guaranteed response time?
- Will I have a dedicated rep?
- Do you come on-site? How often?
- What are your hours of operations?
- What industries do you serve?
- What are your expertise and skills?
- How are support tickets submitted?
- What is included in a managed services plan?
- What is the cost?
- Do you have referrals?
- May I preview the service license agreement (SLA)?
Gather all the answers, and weigh the pros and cons of each vendor you're considering. It may help to use a spreadsheet to create a matrix to compare answers and discuss with your team.
There really is no right answer to these questions, it is up to you what the right answer is. Each company will have different priorities. Is your choice driven by price? Do you want the fastest response time? Even if your not looking for the best price, it is important to know what services are included in a managed services plan, and what will need to be paid for help outside of that plan.
If you want to know our answers to these questions, contact us today for a free IT assessment and see how we can help.