There are regular reports of companies losing millions due to cybersecurity incidents. What if you lose access to the IT support your business needs to maintain secure operations?
Anytime you are outsourcing a portion of your online time and attendance software operations to another organization, there is an element of risk. When you consider working with an IT managed services provider, the risks accelerate — particularly if you haven’t completed your due diligence before selecting a partner for your business. Handing over the reins of your technical support and IT infrastructure to another organization requires a great deal of trust, particularly if you are concerned that you’re working with a smaller technical team.
Scott Clarke who runs Philadelphia Managed IT Services company, Menark Technologies shares, there are a few warning signs that your technical support may need an upgrade, such as finding that your IT company is difficult to reach or slow to respond. If you have lingering doubts about the service levels that you are receiving from your technical team, there is a possibility you’re working with a micro IT company . . . meaning it may be time to make a switch.
What’s a Micro IT Company?
There are brilliant individuals in the world that are able to provide a modicum of support to a small number of organizations. These well-meaning individuals may start their business in the hopes of growing in the future, yet without investing in the solid infrastructure required to successfully provide cybersecurity and IT operations support for multiple clients. These so-called micro IT companies often stall at this stage, with only a single individual and perhaps some remote contractors available when problems occur. Since their client base is so small and their revenue light, these smaller IT services companies may be unable to continue operations — leaving their clients without access to trusted, reliable and timely technical support in their hour of greatest need.
How Can You Find the Best IT Managed Services Company?
In the world of enterprises, there are teams of individuals focused on supporting each aspect of a company’s technology which could include everything from marketing automation to website hosting and telecommunications systems. Small to mid-size businesses simply do not have the revenue to support this type of overhead, which is why so many companies with the need for more complex IT operations or compliance support are turning to IT managed services providers. These teams provide access to well-trained and highly experienced technical professionals at a fraction of the cost associated with hiring full-time assets.
Here are a few questions to keep in mind as you’re looking for the best IT managed services firm for your business:
- Does the company have experience in your business vertical?
- How many individuals are able to support your company at any time?
- What are the support hours and after-hours availability in the event of an urgent problem?
- How quickly can the company respond to a cybersecurity incident or other breach?
- Are there active monitoring and protection solutions in place to guard against data breaches?
- What type of training is available for staff members?
- Is the IT Help Desk interface each to navigate and are there guaranteed response times for new issues?
While this isn’t an exhaustive list, it will help you run through some of the key scenarios that are likely to occur within your business — and how well your potential IT services partner is prepared to respond.
Finding out that your trusted technical partner is no longer available to support your company can be a big shock, particularly if you’re already in the middle of a crisis such as the current COVID-19 situation. Fortunately, there are many IT managed services providers that are leaders in cybersecurity and support who can step in and help you work through any challenges with grace. Finding a trusted and reliable IT support partner does require research, but the confidence of knowing your service provider will be able to offer reliable solutions both now and in the future is well worth the time invested in your search!
