Regardless of whether you run a small business, large company, or anything in between, there is a good chance that you rely on technology on a regular basis to keep your business running smoothly. However, technology can malfunction in the blink of an eye, and in such a situation, the last thing you want is to have nobody you can rely on to solve the problem. For this reason, it is recommended that all businesses have a dedicated IT support company that they can rely on for all technology-related tasks. This can save businesses a great deal of money and frustration in the long run.
Choosing the right tech support company for one’s business is not always easy, however. Here are some tips to help you through the process and ensure that you end up with a quality support company.
How to Choose the Right Tech Support for Your Business
Determine a Budget
The first step you should take as a business owner is to determine what kind of budget you are working with. While tech support is not terribly expensive, it is not cheap, either. That being said, it is a good idea for businesses to stick within a predetermined budget for such services. For dedicated support, it is usually estimated that the cost will be approximately 10% of revenue. Of course, this can vary greatly depending on the level of support you need and how large your business is.
Determine Your Needs
Tech support companies offer a variety of services; your business may need all or only some of them. Take the time to determine what kinds of specific IT services you will need, whether it be assistance with mobile computing or even web-based services. Determining exactly what you need will help you narrow down your options and will also assist you in getting a better idea as to how much the services will cost.
Find Experts
Whether you hire a freelance IT worker or go with a larger IT support company, it is important that you choose one that has specific experience with the type of support you need. Many IT experts have advanced certifications, and you should look for these when searching for the right tech support company for your business. Some of the specific certifications you may want to look for include CompTIA, Microsoft certification, and Network or A+ accreditation. By choosing a support company whose employees have these certifications, you can enjoy the peace of mind in knowing that they know what they are doing.
Decide on a Plan
Once you know which company you wish to go with, you will most likely need to decide on a plan. Some companies charge per month, while some charge per year or even per ticket. This varies from company to company. You may also need to commit to a full year of support with some companies, which can seem restricting but can actually save you quite a bit of money.
Choosing the right IT support company is extremely important for any business. While it is not always an easy task, the good news is that following the above tips will make the process of finding and choosing the right IT company less stressful. At the end of the day, you will be able to enjoy the peace of mind in knowing that your business has quality IT support.
Keeping Things Running
One you have your networks and systems in place, it’s important to enlist help in the long run to ensure the smooth operation of your businesses IT infrastructure. One solution to this can be learning the ins and outs of the networks and IT operations within the company, and knowing how to fix something every time it goes wrong yourself. If you’re too busy to do this, it might be a good idea to find a technically minded person within the company, who is already interested in these sorts of things, and send them off to training so they are versed in what they have to do when something goes wrong. Finally, you can just opt to go with the reliable IT support company that you used to set-up the network in the first place.
This post comes from Emerging IT, an IT support company in Melbourne and Sydney. If you’re choosy about who you go with, give them a look on their website.
