As a small business owner, getting the proper IT support can be a tricky thing.
On one hand, you need IT support in order to properly run your business and navigate any technical issues that should arise. On the other hand, however, you can’t necessarily fork out a lot of money to cover the expense of a full-time IT department. In most situations, for most businesses, it’s not even necessary to have a dedicated IT team.
In this post, we’re going to talk about managed IT support and how beneficial it can be by telling you a few things to consider when you’re hiring an IT company. Not all were created equal and different IT companies provide different benefits, so you need to do your due diligence before you make this decision so that you’re not spending money you don’t have to and so that you’re getting the best type of IT support for your needs.
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1. What Do You Really Need?
Before you run off and hire the first managed IT service that you find, you need to figure out exactly what it is you need them to do to bolster your company. The reason your company has been able to get by without a full-time dedicated IT person/team is likely because you don’t need it in-house and you can’t afford it. So first, what do you need?
If you’re a carpenter that keeps a website for promotion and uses customer relationship management software to stay on top of new and return customers, then you don’t need a lot of attention from an IT professional. But when you run even a small-to-mid-sized insurance company that has employees that work with computers and databases all day, then you’ll need something a little more intensive when it comes to IT.
Furthermore, a company that works around the clock will need 24-hour IT support should anything happen, but a company that’s only open 9-5 won’t. You should also be able to identify the biggest inefficiencies in your current system so that you can find an IT service provider that fits your needs.
Any good IT provider will give you an IT audit to find these gaps and inefficiencies, then work with you to try and fix them. Some IT companies go above and beyond, even providing things like accounting, payroll, HR, and supply chain management. For example, this service helps with project management.
2. What Is Your Budget?
You need to look at your budget before deciding, not only which managed service provider to hire, but whether you should hire one at all. If an in-house IT helpdesk employee makes an average salary of around $65,000 per year, then this averages out to just over $5,400 per month.
By contrast, an IT MSP might charge between $150 and $200 per employee, per month. Unless you’ve got a large company with 30 or more employees, it’s almost certainly more cost-effective to hire managed IT over a full-time employee. That said, what you need an IT company to do will affect how much you end up paying.
As previously noted, the number of employees that require IT services normally affects the cost the most. You can usually find out more detailed information by acquiring a cost breakdown from the MSP or by looking at the contract. Doing this will give you some insight into the billing structure and the scope of the contract, so you can budget properly and know exactly what you’re getting from them.
3. Look For Proven Success In Your Industry
Why wouldn’t you treat the hiring process for an MSP the same as hiring any other employee? After all, you’re hiring them to play an important role in ensuring that your business functions properly. When searching for IT providers, look for proven success, not just in any industry, but within your specific field.
A manufacturing facility should try to find an IT service provider that has worked with other manufacturing facilities. Conversely, a graphic design firm should always seek out IT providers that work in this more creative field. There are different technologies associated with different businesses, so don’t settle for one that doesn’t quite fit your needs, you can also look for recruiters – recruiters can help in doing a speedy but efficient recruitment.
Any given MSP will have varying qualifications and areas that they specialize in, so you can always find one that fits well with what your business does and what you need them to do. Ask to see certifications and licenses, as they’re great indicators of an MSP’s level of expertise. For example, Microsoft awards Silver and Gold partnership certifications to qualified MSPs.
4. Type of IT Support
Different IT MSPs provide different levels of support, in addition to having different specialties and qualifications. Some offer 24-hour on-site support, while others might lean more towards online support, so you need to figure out how hands-on you need them to be. One way or another, availability is crucial, especially if you’re running a business that operates all day and night.
Many IT providers use RMM, or remote monitoring and management tools, which will actively monitor your IT systems around the clock. This allows them to monitor, maintain, and when needed, heal any broken network systems before you even realize that there’s a problem. If it can’t be healed remotely, they’ll notify human management and send someone to fix these more in-depth problems.
RMM technology allows IT providers to have uber-quick response times, which is always important. When searching, if an IT provider can’t promise you this level of attention, then it’s not worth hiring them, no matter how affordable they might be.
Get IT Support That Makes Your Company Better
Now that you know what you should be thinking about when you look for managed IT support, you can start searching for an MSP that makes your company better than it is right now. You may not realize it, but having the right support to ensure that your systems are running properly will always have a huge trickle-down effect and make every part of your company function like a well-oiled machine.
If you found this post helpful, come back again for more helpful business and technology advice.