Selecting the most appropriate information technology consultant for your company can be quite a critical business decision. The computer and network support company you decide on directly impacts your productivity, your flexibility, and even your bottom line. Technology plays an important role in today’s business world. Blackberries, laptops, email and instant messenger have all become tools of the trade when communicating with clients. But what happens as soon as your email goes down? Or when you can’t connect to the internet to collect time-sensitive data for a person? The benefits of technology can come at a cost, and it’s times like these when businesses, especially smaller companies, require a reliable IT partner who is able to reduce downtime. You may think the number one criteria when selecting an information technology consultant must be expertise. Although expertise is surely a deciding factor, a potential computer and network support company’s customer support approach should be considered closely as well. All things considered, what good is an expert when you can’t get in touch with him to fix your critical IT issues?
The Difference Between an IT Partner and a Vendor
It might look like semantics, but there is an actual difference between a network support company that signs onto be your IT partner and an information technology consultant that is just another vendor selling applications and services. An IT partner should have a customer support model that aligns with the long-term goals of its clients and is dedicated to helping to grow clients’ businesses.IT-Service Düsseldorf
Many computer and network support companies’ way of customer support leaves something to be desired. You call to schedule an on-site visit because your network is having issues, and it’s slowing your turn-around time right down to a snail’s pace. You obtain a call back four hours later from a member of staff that you’ve never spoken with before. They could come, however it will have to be tomorrow or possibly Monday, because all their guys will work on a network issue at a major law firm. To these vendors, your company is merely another small fish in a sea of bigger clients.
To an information technology consultant that is a genuine partner, your company, whether large or small, is their business. A network support company that take the partner approach doesn’t take technical issues lightly because they realize that IT will make or break a company. A partner takes the time to access know the ins and outs of your company from day one. They understand what your company needs, from the technological perspective, to be successful, and they’ll not only provide that, but also provide advice on the best way to use technology to grow your business. Overall, this type of information technology consultant provides a lot more than services – they behave as an expansion of your business.
Signs of a Dependable Computer and Network Support Company
When searching for the proper computer and network support company, you must keep an eye out for some tell-tale signs that’ll provide insight into if the partner you’re considering is a good fit for the company. First, ask the following questions when researching potential partners:
- Will my company be assigned one individual who’ll behave as our primary information technology consultant? If the potential computer and network support company says no, then there is a good chance you will be conversing with someone different each time you call in having an issue. This will get tricky because when several person is in charge of your account, your requests can slip through the cracks. Also, the blame game will likely occur with this particular scenario – “I thought Bob said that he would definitely call you back.”
- Is it possible to tell me about your escalation process when coping with client issues? That is an important question because some issues are more time-sensitive than others and, if your information technology consultant is unavailable, you need to know what back-up plan measures are in place to expedite resolution of your issues.
- Will my IT contact manage to breakdown technical jargon into something I can understand? Most of us aren’t as technically savvy as our IT consultants – all things considered, that is why we hired them! There’s nothing worse than paying top dollar for technical expertise however not being able to understand a word the expert says. And, some consultants come off as down right egotistical if they don’t notice that you are lost since they are describing your network infrastructure. A great information technology consultant has got the technical smarts but knows how exactly to communicate to ensure that even the smallest amount of technically savvy person in the group can follow.
Use your instincts – you are able to usually glean a lot from your own first conversation with a potential IT and network support company. If your questions seem to stump them or, if they behave as if they’re hurried, expect more of the exact same behavior in the future. A network support company whose focus is on partnership will likely play an important role in achieving your company’s long-term goals. That’s why it is important to take care of the study and selection process as if you are hiring on a full-time employee.
Conclusion
There are many factors to think about when searching for the proper information technology consultant. The selection process is likely to be unique to a certain extent for each company, but asking key questions in regards to the potential computer and network support company’s service should help single out the most effective candidates. Most companies will agree that the mixture of expertise and a trusted customer support model make for a great IT partner.