When you are running a business, there are a lot of things on your mind, and most you need is an IT problem to rear up its head and shut the whole thing down. With so much technology in use today in all aspects of life, IT problems are quite common, and you need to have someone tech-savvy on your team to take care of such problems. However, it is not always possible to have the right person, and this is where an IT support company comes in.
When you start searching for Chicago managed IT services perth, you will find that there are hundreds of companies offering all kinds of IT support services. Many of these companies are good, but it doesn’t mean that you can choose one without doing some research on your own. After all, you want a dependable IT support team that is available at all times, as tech issues can happen at any time. Here is what you need to know to choose the right IT support company.
1. The Right Experience
Like all other things in life, experience matters a lot in the IT support industry. You want to work with a company that has a lot of experience in handling issues with technologies that are in use in your company. There is almost an infinite number of technologies in use today. If you are using a particular package from a specific vendor, make sure the IT support company has professionals with experience in that particular package.
Also, they need to have a lot of experience in the IT support industry. They should understand the importance of timely communication, timely response, and dealing with tech emergencies. You do not want to be stuck with a support professional that doesn’t know the software package you are using and is unable to handle any problematic issue right away.
2. Size of the Company
IT support has grown to be a big business, and these days many IT support companies have thousands of people on their rolls as they cover a wide range of products. If you are running a big business, it’s better to go with a big company that has a lot of years of experience in dealing with bigger businesses.
However, it’s better to partner with a smaller IT support company that will be able to offer more personalized support when your business is small in size. Sometimes, dealing with bigger support companies can be tedious for small and mid-sized businesses as they might not be able to provide the required support to smaller businesses.
3. Pricing
When it comes to pricing, you would want to partner with someone who has the necessary experience and has a good reputation but fits within your budget. Fortunately, Chicago managed IT services offer a wide variety of options to suit the different requirements and budget levels of businesses. Some companies offer pay-as-you-go support, which means you pay a fixed price or an hourly rate.
This turns out to be much more expensive in the long run, but you do not have to pay a yearly fee. In case your IT issues are infrequent, opting for this option makes a lot of sense.
Another type of pricing option usually offered by support companies in the break-fix support, which is usually charged on an hourly basis. It can be a fixed price contract, which means you pay a fixed amount whenever they fix a particular type of issue. Another option usually offered by support companies in managed service support.
This is the best option if you can afford it. In this option, your IT systems are actively managed by the support company to reduce the chances of any tech issues. Simply put, they take care of your IT systems in order to make sure that everything keeps running smoothly, and in case there is a problem, someone will be there to fix it right away. However, it also tends to be the most expensive option as you have to sign an annual contract usually.
Another important thing you need to check is the things covered in the support contract. It would be best if you made sure that the deal is transparent about pricing, and you are aware of the things that you might be charged for. For instance, you need to know whether the installation of a failed server is covered in the pricing, or will you have to pay extra for that installation.
As far as the time period of a contract is concerned, in many cases, companies offer contracts with multiple months or multi-year commitment. However, signing a multi-year contract is not always the right choice as you might not get the required support over a longer period of time, and these contracts usually have substantial cancellation fees. So, choose a pricing option that works for you in terms of their reputation, experience, and your budget.
4. Dedicated Staff
A good support company should always provide a dedicated account manager or a dedicated engineer to take care of your tech issues. You would want to deal with a single point of contact in the company. It would be best if you also asked them about their customer service.
In many cases, several companies operate their own call centers, which are operated by people who have no technical knowledge. They take down the details of your tech issues, and this information is then passed on to technicians who will actually look into the problems and provide the required support.
You want to deal with a company where you can directly reach technical people and explain the issues in order to get the required support as quickly as possible.
Conclusion
Overall, there are a number of companies offering managed IT services in Chicago, but you can’t just go out and choose the first company you come across. It would be best if you did your research. Keep the above-mentioned tips in mind when searching for IT support companies in Chicago to get the best value for their money.