Engaging a managed IT service provider is one of the best things you can do for your business. Whether you’re a sole trader or a multinational, managed IT support Brisbane can help your brand reach new heights. The only challenge is that managed IT is an investment. Compared to going it alone, you could find yourself paying hundreds or thousands of dollars per month for professional support. To make sure that money is spent in the right places, we’re going to look at how to choose the right managed IT services for your business.
What is Managed IT Support?
Managed IT support is an outsourced service that handles all your business’ IT needs. That includes things like setting up equipment, managing hardware and software, upgrading infrastructure, regular maintenance, and on-demand IT support. Rather than handling all of these things yourself, a managed IT provider gives you access to industry experts. They can take care of these specialized tasks and allow you to focus on running your business.
How to Choose the Right Managed IT Services
Research Providers in Your Area
The best place to begin your search is on Google. Look for managed IT service providers that operate in your area. Pay careful attention to where their offices are located. If you want a team that has personnel available in your city, make sure to avoid agencies that are operating remotely.
During your research start making a shortlist. Write down the names of the IT providers in your area that have:
- The services you need
- Positive reviews from clients
- Service packages that match the size of your business
Meet with Each Shortlisted Agency
The simplest way to narrow down your candidates is to meet with each agency. Set aside several hours to discuss your needs and expectations and to hear their ideas for how you can improve your systems. During these meetings, you should be looking for a team that understands your requirements and knows how to take your expertise on board. You might not know everything about IT, but the things you know about your industry will still be useful in planning an effective IT strategy, so make sure those ideas are heard.
Ask to See References
Professional services like managed IT providers typically work with dozens of clients at once. This means it should be a simple matter for them to provide references showing their past experience and happy customers.
When you ask to see references you will likely be given a list of past and present clients that will provide a glowing review. That’s helpful, but it doesn’t tell you the full story. Spend some extra time researching the business. Check social media profiles, review sites, and see if you can speak to some of their other clients on your own. This will give you a much better idea of how they operate and whether they provide the level of service you’re looking for.
Find Out if they Specialise
Not all managed IT service providers do the same thing. While many of the common services are shared between providers, some may specialize in certain industries, or in certain areas of technology. This won’t be applicable to every business. However, if you operate in a niche industry, or if you use specialized hardware and software, it can be useful to work with an IT provider that understands your systems.
It’s not a dealbreaker if your favorite IT provider doesn’t share your specialization. After all, you’ll need to spend time working with their team to build a relationship and plan an effective IT strategy. That will give you the chance to bring them up to speed on your specialty areas, but it’s always helpful if your provider understands your business from the get-go.
Ask About the Scalability of their Service
Finally, it’s time to discuss scalability and how their pricing structure works. Most managed IT support Brisbane tailors their services to the size of your company. This allows you to minimize your expenses and avoid paying for things you don’t need. But, you got into business for a reason, and if you aim to grow your company then you’ll need an IT support provider that can support your goals.
As you grow, your hardware and software systems will play a big role in your success. The right systems allow you to be agile, take on new clients and adjust as your team changes. The right managed IT provider can not only help develop a strategy for your growth, but they’ll also be able to increase or decrease their level of service as your brand evolves. That ensures you always have the right coverage and that you’re never overpaying for services you have outgrown.
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