6 Questions To Ask When Choosing An IT Support Company
Asking the right questions before deciding which IT support company to recruit can make a huge difference to the standard of customer care you receive. Here are 6 questions to help you determine which service is right for you:
Do you offer different levels of support?
Many IT companies offer a tiered service to allow customers to choose a level of support that suits them. This can be a great way of finding a service that’s tailored to your individual budget and requirements.
Whether you’re an SME looking for someone to rely on during times of crisis or a larger company seeking regular support, determine whether your potential IT company can customise their offering to you. After all, the last thing you want is to pay for products or services you don’t really want or need.
Can you guarantee a specific response time?
Before choosing your IT support team, find out how long it takes them to respond to customer issues. This is particularly important if your business relies on technology and connectivity to function. The last thing you want is to experience an internet outage only to find that your support company can’t help you for several days.
Although it’s important to find an IT support company that will respond quickly, it’s unrealistic to expect all problems to be resolved within a specific time frame. Sometimes it can take a while to investigate an issue and diagnose the cause.
Will I get a dedicated account manager?
Many IT support companies provide each client with a dedicated account manager. Your account manager will get to know your business and will ensure that the service they offer supports your business goals and requirements.
Are you able to fix problems remotely?
Whether a computer is running slowly or data has been lost, it can sometimes be quicker and more cost effective for the support company to fix the issue remotely rather than visiting your premises. Often, this will involve your IT technician or engineer accessing and controlling your computer(s) from their own office. You may need a member of your own team to be on hand to work with the remote technician.
How quickly will you visit my workplace in the event of an IT emergency?
Some problems may arise that can’t be fixed without a technician visiting your premises and thoroughly investigating the issue. Whether you’re experiencing a huge company-wide internet outage or you need help with the complicated installation of a new system, there may be times when you need your IT support company to take over and work their magic.
How will I be charged?
Before you sign a contract and agree to an IT support company’s terms and conditions, it’s essential that you determine how you will be charged for IT services.
Some support companies will request a set fee each month, regardless of whether you’ve needed their help during this time frame or not. Others will only charge you if and when you need their help. Often, this is at an hourly rate, but it can sometimes depend on the type of support you require and any specific parts or repairs you need.
If you’d like to find out how Prism can help you, please get in touch with our team. Whether you want help improving the security of your company’s data or you’d like to streamline your IT, phone, wireless and cloud communications, we can offer you the support you need.