How to Find the Best IT Partner for Your Company
If you need tech support, it pays to look for an IT partner with all the right characteristics. Here are seven things to look for in an IT company.
Even the slightest hiccup in your computer system can throw the entire team offline in an instant. Without a way to swiftly and effectively resolve those problems, your business could end up in a world of trouble. Thankfully, you can keep computer problems from affecting your bottom line by having a dedicated Baltimore IT support partner. You will need to find one with the right level of service and support, however, or you could end up right back where you started. To help you out, here’s what to look for to ensure your IT partner is up for the job.
24/7 Availability
If your business operations run around the clock, you need an IT partner on the job when you are. But even companies that keep traditional hours can benefit from IT companies that offer 24/7 availability. When IT companies offer round the clock service, they can handle whatever comes your way with little to no downtime. They can also perform preventative maintenance services, such as updates, when your team relies on the computer system the least.
Responsiveness
Responsiveness is key in making sure that IT problems do not knock your business operations all the way offline. When you reach out to your IT partner, they should provide a prompt and thorough response — and then, start working on resolving the problem. Any delay in their response could mean downtime for your company and lost revenue as a result. So, look beyond 24/7 availability to see if they are equally dedicated to providing prompt responses every time you reach out.
Proactive Support
While it is important for IT partner to provide a prompt response, excellent companies go one step further with proactive support. They go beyond simply responding to problems to preventing them as well. They may use quality programs to prevent attacks on your company’s computer systems, for example. Or they may push regular updates to keep vulnerabilities from affecting your system. With that approach, they can reduce the need for support requests and prevent downtime from impacting your company.
Industry Experience
Although having general experience in the IT-sphere is paramount, so is having direct experience in serving companies in your industry as well. When your IT partner has experience in your industry, you can trust they understand your company’s pain points, mission, and values. They can then personalize their support services to best meet the needs of your company and keep you working toward your goals.
Varied Service Levels
Not all companies have the same needs when it comes to IT service. For that reason, excellent IT companies often have various levels of service that suit each of their client’s operations. They may even personalize their service packages to meet your company’s unique needs. Look for companies that offer everything from managed IT services to consulting to find the best partner possible.
Excellent Training
Great IT partners put everything into staff training to ensure all their team members can provide you with the perfect level of support. They provide their team with initial extensive training on the leading ways to resolve and prevent IT problems. Then, they keep them informed of all the changes in the industry with continued training. The continued education courses inform them of software and hardware upgrades, security threats, and other important changes in the industry. That way, they can always take the proper steps in preventing and responding to problems.
A Focus on Business Continuity
Your IT partner can act as a major player in creating a protective business continuity plan. They can assist in preparing alternate workspaces and keeping them updated at all times. You can also rely on them for support as you deploy your emergency response plan and keep your company running strong through all situations. Once you have a strong plan in place, your IT partner can help you test your proposed emergency response steps and revise as needed.
As you explore your options, use these factors to zero in on your ideal IT partner. To skip ahead in the process, turn your attention to our team at Integris. We will help you stay one step ahead of all the potential IT problems that could affect your company — and your bottom line. Give us a call at 443-252-3947 to learn about our personalized levels of support and dedication to quality service.