Small business owners or newly established companies often put off arranging for a service provider to take care of managed IT support thinking that they can attend to it later on when their business has grown but that is precisely where the mistake is. Your small business or start-up company will surely benefit from increased profit, a bigger and broader client base, and worry free expansion if you have the correct managed IT support systems in place right from the start.
Being busy entrepreneurs, sifting through a long list of managed IT Support providers can be overwhelming so here are some guidelines in finding the right managed services provider to look after your Information Technology needs. Start-ups or small businesses have various managed IT support needs depending on industry requirements but here are key components that the ideal MSP should possess.
Managed IT Support Track Record and Credibility
The first place to look at when you are vetting for a managed IT Support company that is capable and credible is by checking the their website. Their content and design should look modern and up to date. Make certain that they have industry accreditations, proper certifications, and qualified IT Engineers. Read testimonials from other clients and try to contact these other clients for comments or directly ask for references from the Managed IT Support representative that you are negotiating with.
Managed IT Support Brick and Mortar Office Location
Hiring an off-shore MPS or IT support provider may be cheaper in the beginning but it could end up more costly later on, especially if you need help with hardware concerns or if you encounter other problems that may need to be dealt with on site. There is also the matter of language and culture barriers, plus the difference in time zones, which all need to be considered when choosing the right Managed IT Support team.
Flexible Managed IT Support Offerings
Start up company or small business owners may think that getting managed IT Support would require a huge fuss with contracts for a wide range of bundled services so it is best to start with evaluating your company’s needs, then letting a few companies do their own evaluation and submit proposed packages and quotes. Specify your budget range so the MPs could tailor fit the packaged service according to your needs. Also, inquire about their capabilities in handling and offering other services that would be needed later on as your business grows.
Timely Response Times and Round the Clock Assistance
IT concerns happens during the most inconvenient times more often than not, so it is best to ensure that you will get managed IT Support if and when you need it, anytime and every time! Ask about the guaranteed response time for both on-site and off-site concerns. Find out if they have a 24-hour support desk and how long it usually takes them to schedule for an engineer or representative to go to your office to fix the problem in case you need help with hardware or other on-site concerns.
Adaptable Managed IT Support
Your start-up or small business managed IT Support requirements will evolve depending on how quickly your business grows so it is best to find out ahead of time how this will affect bundled services contract adjustment and fees, eliminate redundancies, and if they can guarantee minimum or no interruptions so that your business remains up and running throughout the IT modifications ensuring that it will not have a negative effect on your profit margin. The right MPS should be capable of making expeditious changes on different levels of managed IT support systems at a reasonable cost. Technology rapidly changes and you would be relying on your managed IT Support group for expert technological advice on hardware and software advances so probe a bit further and inquire about their suggestions for the latest hardware and software suggestions that would best fit your small business or start-up company.
Managed IT Support Costs
Now that you have a good idea of what managed IT Support bundle or package you might go for or you may have narrowed it down to choosing between two MPS companies, it is time to get down to the nitty-gritty with pricing. Ask about payment options (monthly, quarterly annually), cut off dates if and when you need to cancel or add services, additional fees for on-site support and if this covers travel charges. Find out if you would need to pay a fixed call out charge or if fees would depend on the number of hours spent by managed IT Support engineer on site.
