Your IT strategy is crucial to the success of your business. So, whether you have an IT support provider already or are seeking a new one, you want to be confident you’re getting value. This means your needs are fully addressed, while finding ways to be safer and more efficient.
To understand if you’re working with the right IT support provider and getting the assistance you need, you need to ask questions.
So, we’ve listed twelve things to ask your IT partner to make sure you’re covered and getting more from your contract.
1. What’s covered in your services?
It’s crucial to know what you receive under your contract. For example, how many hours of support do you get? Are all your IT needs covered, or only specific areas?
This will highlight if you’re covered for every scenario or you need additional provisions. For example, if certain areas – like security or telephony – aren’t covered, you might need to source internal skills.
It’ll also uncover the extent of their expertise and the areas they specialise in, so you know how to best make use of them.
2. What have you helped other businesses achieve?
Your IT partner should have experience working with businesses just like yours on their IT setup. Ask for their case studies or stories about how they’ve helped other companies, with a particular focus on the results.
If something has worked really well for a client they’ve worked with, it could be replicated in your business. This can inspire you to level up your IT strategy.
It will also determine their credibility, so you know you’re in good hands.
3. What’s your SLA?
In an ideal world, you would get a prompt response to your IT needs, every time. It’s a good idea to check how quickly your IT partner promises to respond, as per their service-level agreement.
The quicker their SLA, the better. However, once you start using them, check that their SLA matches reality.
If you find yourself waiting for a response regularly, it can lead to significant disruption and falling productivity – so it might be a sign to have a frank conversation.
4. Can I reach you in an emergency?
Often, IT issues happen at the worst possible time. In many cases, it will be outside of the traditional 9 to 5.
Because of this, it’s ideal to have an IT support provider that offers 24/7 care when it’s needed. You must be able to reach them and get a swift resolution for emergency situations.
Ask about the process for emergency issues, including whether they have an incident helpline that you should report to. By knowing what to do, you can act fast – and so can they.
5. How will you work with my internal IT resources?
If you have an IT team in-house already, you’ll want to make sure an external partner complements their skills. This will allow them to work as one team, providing a collaborative effort across your IT strategy.
Remember to ask your IT partner how they can best work with your internal team to enhance your coverage and drive productivity.
As part of this, define who is responsible for what between your internal and external teams. And make sure they have frequent communication with one another to act as one well-oiled machine.
6. How can you protect my business against cyber risks?
Cyber-attacks are increasingly prevalent. Cyber criminals are becoming more tactile when it comes to impersonating official bodies and using that to infiltrate your business.
Because of the increase in cyber-attacks and the difficulty in spotting them, your IT security needs to be flawless. You need protection that reduces any threat and keeps your systems safe. Your IT partner should support with you in your mission.
Ask yours exactly what they’re doing to protect your business and if there’s anything that could make it stronger. This will give you peace of mind, while also identifying opportunities to enhance your security.
7. Can you support workers on site and at home?
In the world of hybrid working, you need to support employees remotely and in the office. You might even need to support them on the move, visiting customers.
Your IT partner needs to make your IT accessible, wherever your staff are. They will also need to keep them secure across these locations.
Speak to them to understand how they can help with your hybrid capabilities, so you can keep people connected and protected anywhere.
8. Are there any add-on costs?
Your contract with your IT support provider will come at a specific cost, which should cover their daily activity with your business. But there’s nothing worse than being surprised by out-of-scope add-ons which you haven’t budgeted for.
Find out up-front whether they are any costs you should be aware of and what they’re for (for example, emergency cover). Determine whether you’re covered under your existing contract or if you need to plan for other expenses.
9. How will you support our existing systems?
You want an IT support provider who can work well with your existing systems. They should be able to maintain them to avoid disruption while enabling you to work efficiently.
Discuss your systems with your IT partner to check if they are experienced with them. If they aren’t, it might be a sign you need to find someone who is more familiar.
10. How can we improve our IT strategy?
Understanding how your IT partner can improve your set-up, as opposed to simply maintaining it, will unlock extra value.
Find out what they recommend you do to improve. For example, are there better systems you should consider? Can you boost security and efficiency?
By leveraging your IT company’s expertise, you can take things up a level, while using your partner to guide you through the process.
11. Who will I deal with on a daily basis?
You should aim to have a strong relationship and regular communication with your IT partner.
Having a dedicated account manager can guarantee this. They act as the port of call for issues, while also understanding your needs as a client and ensure work is done thoroughly.
It also makes it much easier for you to know who to contact as priorities change, ensuring a good working relationship.
12. What accreditations do you have?
Understanding your IT partners’ accreditations is helpful for knowing whether their strengths lie. This might include awards they’ve won or industry standards gained. Ask about these, as it can help you understand where you can best leverage their skills.
It’s also worth looking at reviews as this can determine their reliability and expertise. If everything looks favourable, it offers you confidence that your IT is in safe hands.
Get an IT support provider who meets your needs_
Infinity Group is one of the UK’s leading Managed IT Services providers. Our expert team provide extensive support across a wide range of IT areas, allowing you to benefit from tailored services that fulfil your needs.
With affordable pricing, fast response times, 24/7 assistance and proven security, we can bring your IT strategy to life. We’re also Microsoft partners, enabling us to advise your on the latest innovations to futureproof your IT setup.
