According to the Digital Observatory, 72 % of professionals and SMEs indicate that they need external support to develop their digitalization process. These types of projects do not usually have an internal IT department. For this reason, they choose to hire an external IT services company to take care of the start-up and maintenance of the business’s technological infrastructure.
This choice implies multiple advantages, such as accumulated experience and cost-efficiency ratio, given that contracting is more economical in most cases than providing this service by an internal technician in charge of this function.
When choosing a computer services company, many doubts plague businesses, and delegating a critical function for your business, such as technology, to a third party is a great responsibility.
The reality is that, although the offer is wide, not all computer companies have a guarantee of their performance. Specialization, experience, or reputation to correctly carry out the contracted services are key aspects to consider before deciding.
If you are looking for an IT service provider, you need to trust them to get good results. To help you make the best possible decision,
In this article, we give you 6 tips that you should consider before choosing the right IT services company.
How to choose a computer services company and not make a mistake?
#1 Investigate what IT services they offer and if they adapt to the needs of your company
It is important to understand what type of IT services your organization needs before hiring a company and always consider the scalability of those services. You may want to expand and need that company to cover other functionalities in the future.
Keep in mind that the IT needs of each company vary according to factors such as the size of the business, the type of infrastructure it uses, or its budget, among others. But what do these types of technology companies offer the main computer services? Let’s go over them.
- Computer maintenance that guarantees the optimal functioning of the company’s technological equipment. It includes everything from the inventory of the business’s technology park to the daily monitoring of errors in equipment, networks, and servers.
- Computer consulting that advises on the characteristics of the company’s devices and technology
- Computer support to solve all problems and doubts that arise about the organization’s computer systems
- Installations and configurations (network, servers)
- Cloud technology to increase company productivity or promote teleworking
- Computer security audits possible vulnerabilities in computer systems and deploys the appropriate measures to guarantee the protection of the entire infrastructure.
- Technological leasing to keep the business’s hardware or computer equipment up to date and improve efficiency
Not all computer companies have experience in each of these areas. Therefore, you should choose a company specializing in the computer services you need to hire.
#2 Consider the experience of the computer services company
Every day, new consultants and new computer services companies appear. As you can imagine, not all of them provide the same benefits.
When it comes to managing your company’s technology infrastructure and maintaining the security of your IT equipment and valuable data, you can only trust people to do the job right. You must ensure that you hire a computer services provider with proven experience and who also relies on constant technical training that allows them to be up to date in the sector.
To establish which companies have enough experience to perform their functions with ease and effectiveness, you should not only look at the years of experience of the organization, but you should go a step further by resorting to testimonials from current and past clients.
Knowing the level of satisfaction of other clients with the service provided by the IT company you are considering hiring will help you evaluate it better. You can also ask the provider to present you with success stories to evaluate them and make a decision.
Lastly, make sure that the experience these companies have is related to your industry and that they are familiar with your business’s operating systems and software (apps, enterprise CRM, etc.).
#3 Guaranteed response times
The immediacy in the attention that a computer services company provides you is vital because it can save you a lot of money. Imagine that your web server goes down or your computers stop working. This would imply having part of the staff unemployed with the expense it entails.
Therefore, pay special attention to the support service they offer. You need a computer service company that is easy to locate and can help immediately. Any company can say it is fast, but can it prove it? You must be able to back up your claims with real-time facts and numbers.
For this reason, before hiring, make sure you get details about their average response time and the methodology they follow to offer support. The exact response time may depend on the level of support you are willing to pay for.
It is also important to differentiate between response and resolution times. If the company only states a time, ask them to clarify if this means they will respond within an hour or resolve your issue within an hour. Finally, make sure how the support is offered: telephone, remote, in-person.
Believe us, when we talk about technological emergencies, the support service makes the difference between a mediocre IT services company and an excellent one.
#4 Review the contract
Verify that the contract you sign with the computer services company offers a beneficial deal for both parties: client and supplier. It must be a win-win relationship.
On the one hand, rates and payment methods must be clear from the beginning of the collaboration.
Likewise, you should thoroughly review conditions or clauses that may bring surprises to your business. Some companies offer different contracting modalities from which you can choose. One of them is, for example, a flat monthly rate that covers computer support and maintenance regardless of the number of incidents you have.
Try to go for proactive companies that help you prevent problems and not just solve those that arise. A good IT service company will advise you on the different technical aspects of your business and will actively try to prevent future incidents.
#5 Choose a computer services company that listens to your needs
The company you trust must know how to listen and must be able to speak the same language. The field of technology and computing can indeed be complex. For this reason, you must find a company that communicates with you agilely and through simple language to help you understand the implications of the technology infrastructure on your business operations.
Additionally, that company must be able to listen to your opinion, understand the challenges your business faces, and learn from it.
Ultimately, it is about finding a computer consultancy, not just a repair service. Look for experts who understand your business and can design and plan customized strategies to meet your company’s unique needs.
#6 Look for a computer services company with a vision of the future
Growing sustainably should be a constant goal of any business. When hiring a computer services company, focus on one that maintains the current system and helps you move your business project forward.
Some IT companies are prepared to scale their services, and others are not. Keep in mind that if you grow, having to change companies can be a real pain.
Therefore, if your company needs to expand in the medium and long term, you must be clear that the IT services provider you choose is prepared to support this scaling, maintain business continuity without risk, and provide the same quality of service offered up to that point.
Information technologies are a key area of your company, and you know it. Therefore, it is clear that you need to hire a computer services company that guarantees its installation and maintenance.
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