The Internet has evolved to be an essential tool that businesses need to leverage in order to optimize their success. Working with a managed IT service provider can allow you to make full use of the Internet and associated technology, but not everybody knows what to look for when searching for one.
Let’s explore the factors that you should keep in mind when considering managed IT services.
Outstanding Customer Service
In order to get the most out of your managed IT service provider, you want to find one that is able to offer outstanding customer service. To clarify, you should have no trouble getting in touch with them on a regular basis.
Although it is not always practical to expect to speak with a representative 24/7, many service providers offer support in the form of chatbots that can help manage smaller issues. Additionally, there are managed service providers that do offer access to a 24/7 support team.
It’s important to member that you will most likely have questions or concerns at some point while working with your service provider. The easier it is for you to get in touch with them, the better overall experience you will have.
Contingency Planning
Unfortunately, unexpected occurrences will happen at some point. Even a short period of downtime can translate into tens of thousands of dollars in lost revenue.
This is even true for small businesses that don’t have a large volume of sales on a regular basis.
So, you can imagine what it is like for large organizations. The service provider you work with should have comprehensive contingency plans in place that allow them to maintain a sufficient level of service under all circumstances.
Otherwise, you run the risk of waiting for your provider to resolve the issue if one were to occur, something that may not happen nearly as quickly as you need it to.
Datto
Unfortunately, unexpected occurrences will happen at some point. Even a short period of downtime can translate into tens of thousands of dollars in lost revenue.
This is even true for small businesses that don’t have a large volume of sales on a regular basis.
So, you can imagine what it is like for large organizations. The service provider you work with should have comprehensive contingency plans in place that allow them to maintain a sufficient level of service under all circumstances.
Otherwise, you run the risk of waiting for your provider to resolve the issue if one were to occur, something that may not happen nearly as quickly as you need it to.
Ongoing Maintenance and Support
In order to ensure that your required level of service remains consistent, your provider will need to establish ongoing maintenance and support. This means that they should constantly monitor their systems, your performance, etc.
Doing so will allow them to quickly resolve any issues that arise, and they will often be able to prevent problems from occurring in the first place. So, keep this in mind when searching for a managed IT service provider.
WEBROOT
Some cybersecurity applications also scan your data in real-time, preventing a potential virus from spreading to all your computers. Webroot is a leading provider of cybersecurity solutions for business, so give it a try when designing a disaster recovery and prevention plan.
Heavy Emphasis on Security
It’s important to note that the cybercrime industry will be worth more than it ever has before by the year 2025. In fact, experts project that the industry as a whole will be worth over $10 trillion.
It should come as no surprise that a majority of this value comes from compromised data that hackers steal from businesses. Some industries are particularly high-risk, such as the healthcare or technology spaces.
So, it’s in your best interest to work with the service provider that heavily emphasizes security.
This means they should make use of contemporary software and hardware in order to establish the best level of protection possible. Reputable service providers also typically implement a strategy known as active monitoring, which allows them to immediately detect outstanding threats.
This can often be the difference between preventing a cyberattack and suffering from one.
Transparent Costs
Interestingly, many business owners tend to neglect the billing structure of the service provider they choose to work with. In practice, however, this is one of the most important factors to consider.
Unfortunately, some service providers are relatively predatory when it comes to how they bill their customers. The fine print of their agreements may allow them to charge their clients for numerous different expenses that reputable providers wouldn’t.
Additionally, they may have certain fees in place that make it difficult to work with them. For example, a service provider may impose a fee for changing your level of service to a greater or lesser amount. In reality, this is simply a way for them to squeeze more money out of each client interaction.
The provider you work with should be more than happy to give you a detailed breakdown of the costs that you can expect. Additionally, you should be fully aware of the different charges that you’ll need to pay before you ever sign an agreement.
This will prevent you from dealing with unanticipated expenses.
Their Level of Experience
As with outsourcing to any other type of professional, you’ll want to find a service provider that has extensive experience in the industry. While this isn’t to say that a relatively new firm offering technology services can’t provide outstanding results, you are essentially rolling the dice by choosing to work with them.
This is simply due to the fact that they aren’t able to offer a proven track record of their performance.
So, it’s highly recommended that you consider outsourcing to a firm that has an extensive portfolio of past projects. In general, the longer that a service provider has been working in the industry, the more reliable they will be.
Finding the Right Managed IT Services Is Vital
Fortunately, the above information will help ensure that the process goes as smoothly as possible. From here, you'll have no problem finding the managed IT services that are ideal for you.
You probably have a lot of questions regarding how to prevent disasters and recover successfully from them. That's why we invite you to contact us today!
We have over 20 years of experience designing tailored disaster recovery plans for small and medium-sized businesses. We are happy to collaborate with you as well and come up with backup solutions that fit your budget.
