According to statistics, 54 percent of organizations used a contracted computer company for managed IT services in 2017. This percentage represents mostly advice and consulting services use, while both monitoring and incident response percentages were at about 45 percent. That’s a lot of businesses!
If your small business is not a part of those percentages now, but you’ve been considering outsourcing your IT for some time, you may not know where to get started. With so many types of computer companies offering managed services, it’s hard to select just one. You want a computer company that’s reliable and has a strong commitment to its customers. That’s where ACTS360 comes in.
But before you start working with us (or any other IT support company), you’ll want to review our list of a few questions you should consider asking. How a computer company answers these questions can tell you a lot about how well spent your money will be.
Are There Any Industries You Specialize In?
What industry your business is in can significantly affect your choice of IT company. For example, if a computer company has clients that are mostly in healthcare, your retail business may be out of place. You’ll want to learn whether or not they have any experience with retail or e-commerce IT.
Another example is in more technical IT programming like with manufacturing. A lot of warehouses and manufacturing companies rely heavily on proprietary computer systems and software. If an IT support company has never had experience with that kind of advanced software, it could cause significant issues for a business.
Who Will Be Responsible for Handling My Account?
Nothing is more frustrating than having computer issues and talking to, well…another computer. Your IT company should care about your business, which means you always know who to call when you run into trouble.
Even though there may be an online ticket system in place, you should still feel comforted knowing you can always pick up a phone to talk to a person. Asking a company about this will save you frustration in the long run.
What is Your Response Time for Issues?
Speaking of frustration, don’t trust a computer company if it says they can fix any problem within a specific window of time. Without knowing the particular issue you’re facing, a company shouldn’t blindly quote a time estimate.
Think of it like a taxi service that says they can reach any destination within 20 minutes. That taxi service isn’t taking any traffic, accidents, construction, mileage, or any customer issues into consideration. They would instead get you there under that time limit to avoid any penalties, even if that meant poor driving and breaking the law.
You don’t want that kind of irresponsible approach with a computer company managing any of your files or servers. You want a company that cares and takes the time to solve your problems correctly the first time.
What Levels of Support Do You Offer?
Not every computer company will offer the same types of services as the next. Depending on your needs, you’ll want to ask what support they offer.
Do you need cloud computing services, or maybe just a bit of IT consulting? Either way, make sure you’re getting the exact services you want. Don’t settle for less just because one company’s highest tiered support package is less expensive than another’s bottom-tier package.
It’s also crucial to check what size businesses your computer company works with. At ACTS360, we work with small- to mid-sized companies in the Tampa, Plant City, and Brandon, Fl. areas. This helps us focus on our customers much more efficiently and to make sure we’re always offering the best quality service that we can.
What Kind of Professional Development Do You Provide Your Employees?
You can discover quite a bit about a computer company by how they treat their employees. A computer company that invests in and educates its employees will likely be up to date on the latest technology trends. Technology changes at a rapid rate, so it’s essential that the company you use for IT services is on top of the best tech on the market.
Also, if a company boasts a lot of certifications, you may want to think twice. With all of the changes in tech, certifications will often be outdated or irrelevant in no time. Luckily, when you work with the right computer company, you won’t have to worry about this.
Are You Ready to Find the Right Computer Company for You?
At ACTS360, we are committed to always providing our customers with the right expertise for their IT services. No matter the time of day, you can be confident that we’ll deliver the IT services that you need—it’s even a part of our core values!
Our team of professionals represents some of the brightest minds in the IT industry, so you know you’re in good hands. If you’re ready for a managed IT support company to take the stress out of technology for you, reach out to us today!
