5 Questions to Ask Your IT Service Provider

Are you on the hunt for the right managed IT services and support for your business? Before you make the decision to outsource, always do your own research to find a reliable expert. Some questions you may want to ask prospective service providers include:

 

Do You Provide Live Help Desk Support?

Live help desk support is essential for any business that relies on technology for their daily operations. It is especially beneficial for industries where customer service is pertinent or employees often work after hours.

Personal, attentive support will enable your employees to remain productive through the smallest issues to the biggest IT emergencies. Regular support will also reduce future maintenance costs.

 

Is There Anything Out of Your Scope? 

Find out what core components your provider’s support plan includes. Does their service cover security patching, network monitoring, system upgrades, desktop repair, and more? Is there an extra cost for any necessary support or maintenance? 

Some IT professionals may lack the technical expertise to service every aspect of your cybersecurity needs. However, we at JNJ understand the technology world is always growing and advancing and as such are always training ourselves to help with all issues.

 

How Often Do You Perform Internal Maintenance? 

In order for IT service providers to keep your network running, they require regular internal maintenance like any other business. Failure to manage their own network may signify their ability (or lack thereof) to protect your company’s assets. It can also lead to significantly longer downtime if their infrastructure continues to deteriorate. 

You need to know when and if their maintenance will interfere with your business’ productivity. If downtime is needed, find out how your business will be supported in the event you face a disaster.

 

What Happens if My Infrastructure Goes Down?

To keep your network (and business) to run as optimally as possible, your network infrastructure needs to be actively managed and supported. However, in today’s world, an IT disaster is still somewhat unavoidable. 

Before choosing an IT professional, you need to feel confident in their ability to handle a potential disaster. Discuss their disaster recovery plan (DRP) strategy, including the recovery time objective (RTO) and recovery point objective (RPO). Most IT service providers will create a plan completely customized to your business. If not, run!

 

I Can Handle My IT In-House. Why Would I Want to Pay You to Do It?

We get it — adding another line item to your business budget can be unnerving. But the truth is, handling your own tech issues is already costing you. That’s because your time is valuable. Could you be earning more money every day by doing what you do best — and letting an IT company handle the rest? With our onsite support, we can give you the personal experience and hands-on technical support that tech call centers can not offer, and we are also available 24/7 with remote support for all IT support emergencies. Contact us today to see what we can do for your business productivity — and your bottom line.