There are many IT managed service companies out there that don’t necessarily have your best interests in mind. And then there are some that do but are not able to provide the level of support that your company needs.
How can you tell? How do you know if you’re working with best provider for your business? We’ve got the answer.
5 signs your IT provider isn’t adequately supporting your business:
1. They’re not tuned in to your needs. Instead of working with you to discover what technology would best suit you, they’re applying solutions based on what they want. For instance, they insist you need premise-based servers when cloud would be more suitable. And they don’t clarify your options.
2. Security is not a priority. Some IT providers may talk to you about security but only after you have been hacked. It is a great indication how a provider values security by looking at what security measures they have employed at their office.
3. Issues reoccur. Many providers do not get to the root of reoccurring problems because if you’re not on a fixed-fee service contract, they have no incentive to cut off a perfectly good revenue stream for themselves (aka something that always breaks).
4. Their service doesn’t cover what it should. Some IT companies don’t have robust service contracts, so you end up being billed for things you expected to be covered in your monthly fee.
5. They lack processes. Having processes in place can significantly reduce costly mistakes. A reputable IT provider will have documented processes in place to protect and support your business.
5 ways an IT Provider delivers your business the support it needs:
1. Flat-fee service model. Your service should cost the same every month, no matter how often you call or how many tickets you place. This model provides for issues to be dealt with at the root, eliminating recurring problems.
2. Helps with your IT strategy. Your Managed IT provider should work with you on strategies that can help improve your profitability. Their success should be tied to yours.
3. Clearly has internal processes. Applied Tech has processes in place to provide consistent customer experience. Having processes in place can reduce mistakes that would be costly to your business and promotes transparency.
4. Delivers proactive service. Your IT provider should offer ways to save money and have data that shows where staff may be losing productivity, so you can resolve it.
5. Security is a priority. Your IT provider should be talking to you continually about security to make sure your data is safe. They should also practice what they preach. Applied Tech has gone so far as obtaining the CompTIA Security Trust Mark. This is a rigorous security evaluation of our internal security policies, practices and controls that we have in place. Ask your IT provider if they have a similar third party evaluation they can show you.
Your IT provider should be a partner in your business, providing you with the support your business needs to thrive. If you’re not getting that level of superior support, it could be costing your company a lot more than you realize.
Is your IT Provider giving your business the attention it needs? Contact us at (608)729-1300 or at sales@appliedtech.us
