Selecting an IT support company
It’s not easy to choose an IT company, particularly when there is so much competition for your contract IT Support. It is difficult to choose an IT company because they are all 10 cents a piece and offer the same level of service. These tips may be useful. If you think you’ll need regular on-site support, it’s important that you choose a local company. It is possible to find thousands of IT companies that offer full telephone and remote assistance if onsite support doesn’t matter. If you are unsure about your IT knowledge, I recommend hiring someone locally unless someone within your company is well versed in IT hardware.
There are a number of companies that provide remote support. These services usually come at an extra cost and should only be used in emergencies. If you live in London, as I do, you’ll be spoiled for choice. It’s impossible to choose from the hundreds available. No-catches unlimited onsite or remote support should be offered by every company. No catches means that they will be able help with any problem, whether it is a Microsoft application or a hardware issue. Some exceptions will exist, such as third-party software which is supported by the creator of it. However, even these companies will require help with remote access and other issues.
Choose whether to hire ad-hoc help or full-time support. Do you have problems, or do you think that you’ll need help daily? I suggest you get a full-time contract. But don’t be sucked into a long-term commitment. Rolling contracts allow you to leave if not satisfied with service. Ad-hoc contracts are more expensive but more effective for those who only need support occasionally. Don’t let this put you off, a ticketing system will be used by most businesses. Just make sure the company has an accurate tracking procedure. Check how much time they deduct for support calls. Most companies only take 15 minutes.
Check the SLA. It is incredibly frustrating to have to wait 8 hours for an engineer’s call regarding a task you submitted. You should insist on no more than 4 hours SLA. no more. Haggling is the next important word to use. You should never pay for what you see advertised. There is too much competition in the market to expect people to pay that price. You will get called back if you insist that there is no negotiation room.