Even if you acknowledge the need for technological dependence as a business entity, it is not technically and financially viable for most businesses to have an in-house IT department. IT is incredibly dynamic and a lot goes into setting up an IT department from hardware to software investments to recruiting the right set of knowledge workers. You cannot possibly have a dedicated IT team for every tech problem that you will ever face and a single team can never be skilled enough to handle all kinds of issues. The smarter and more cost-effective solution is to hire external IT support companies. That being said, it only makes sense if you can ensure that you have the right tech company on board. Here is a quick guide to help you choose the right IT support firm for your business.
Local Existence
If your business facility exists in San Jose, then you should be looking for an IT support company in San Jose, CA. There is no point in hiring someone from Michigan or Arizona even if they are good at what they do. One of the biggest myths that people new to tech support have is, that everything can be resolved remotely, therefore, it is more viable to pick a cheaper tech support service, even if it means that it is located far away. However, your tech support does not mean everything software. What will you do if your headquarter’s internal network breaks down, bringing the operations to halt? You will need a Network team to come in and physically examine the problem. It is crucial to hire a service that has a local existence.
License and Permits
It is common these days for a group of tech geeks to make a team and set-up a make-shift tech support business. Most of them are freelancers bidding for gigs and hunting for clients from online job boards such as Craigslist and Up Work. Steer clear of such setup, even if they offer you an insanely low price, and go for a proper registered IT company that holds relevant license and permits.
Terms of Service
Your terms of service or service agreement is an important document and you should chalk out the terms very carefully. Although there is no set standard related to service agreements, at the very least it should ensure that your tech support company has the ability to prioritize problems according to their urgency and comes up with quick and cost-effective solutions without keeping you hanging in the middle of a crisis.
Industry Experience
Tech Support is a very dynamic term, especially when it comes to business applications. A healthcare service system would be needed software that could maintain patient records and share data with all departments while a legal firm will have an entirely different set of requirements. Likewise, tech support for educational schools would be different from that of retail outlets or government organizations. A tech company that has managed to excel in one industry, might not be able to perform as great in another one. It is always advisable to go for a tech support firm that has a good reputation in the industry in which you operate. Try to figure out which tech companies have other businesses in your industry have hired.
