6 Factors to Consider When Choosing the Right IT Services Company

Choosing the Right IT Services

When it comes to the vehicle you rely on daily, the mechanic you choose is a critical decision. When it comes to your business and keeping it running efficiently, the IT service provider you choose is vital.

Technology has gone from being a convenience to becoming a necessity for keeping companies operating. From email to cloud services to websites that bring in customers, without a technology infrastructure most companies couldn’t operate at all.

That makes the team that keeps that technology secure and properly maintained one of your most important relationships.

Businesses that have the proper support of a good IT services company can become digitally advanced, which means they’re able to take better advantage of what technology can offer to their bottom line.

A study by Deloitte showed that digitally advanced small businesses see significant benefits over those that aren’t, including:

• EARNING 2X MORE REVENUE PER EMPLOYEE
• SEEING 4X HIGHER YEAR-OVER-YEAR REVENUE GROWTH
• BEING 3X MORE LIKELY TO BE HIRING MORE EMPLOYEES

How do you choose the right IT services company that’s going to take good care of you and your technology infrastructure?

We’ll go through several things you should consider that will help point you in the right direction.

Find the Perfect IT Partner

Not all IT services firms are going to give you the same level of support. Some are just focused on fixing an issue and not really invested in your business. Others, like Unbound Digital, see themselves as an important extension of your business and not only keep your technology well managed, but also help you identify ways to lower costs while increasing capabilities.

Here are several factors to consider when comparing IT service partners and finding one that you know will have your back and help your business succeed.

Look for a Focus on IT Security

One of the biggest existential threats that businesses face is a breach of their network and data. The cost of an average data breach is $3.92 million, and the overall costs continue on past the initial year of the incident.

You need more than just an antivirus solution from your IT provider to protect your network from ransomware attacks, data breaches, and other cybersecurity threats.

You want to look for a provider that emphasizes IT security and offers a multi-layered approach to keeping your network secure. An example of this type of approach is the one that we take at Unbound Digital, which includes things like:

• MANAGED ANTIVIRUS/ANTI-MALWARE
• ONGOING NETWORK THREAT MONITORING
• PROACTIVE SECURITY, LIKE PATCH MANAGEMENT
• MOBILE DEVICE SECURITY
• USE OF ADVANCED SECURITY SOLUTIONS LIKE SENTINELONE EDR

Guaranteed Response Times

If you have an IT outage or issue, it’s important that your IT service provider is going to respond quickly. If you’re working with a small company that doesn’t keep regular hours, you could end up waiting days for an issue to be addressed.

Look for providers that give guaranteed response times with their services. For example, all our managed services agreements include a guaranteed response time Service Level Agreement.

Ability to Handle Several Parts of Your IT Infrastructure

The fewer vendors you have to manage, the easier it is. It also reduces rework and confusion when one IT vendor does something that impacts another vendor’s area of your technology service.

You want to look for an IT services partner that can handle not just network and computers, but also areas like VoIP phones, business emails, and website. This gives you a much more cohesive strategy when it comes to managing your technology infrastructure and ensures a fully integrated management plan because it’s being handled by a single service provider.

Experience and Business References

You can learn a lot about an IT services company by other businesses they work with. Be sure to read reviews and also look at the experience the company has in your area.

Companies with a good track record of providing superior service will have been around for a while. Unbound Digital is going on 20 years serving the Tri-Cities area and beyond and we’re proud to have supported hundreds of companies, many of whom we work with as their full-time IT solution.

They Make it Easy for You to Work with Them

Online tool like “one-click” remote support and a website ticketing system make it easy for you to get the help you need when you need it.

IT services providers that offer these types of tools not only show that they are digitally advanced themselves, but also that they have the knowledge to help your company take full advantage of what technology can offer.

Focused on Your Business First

If you have an IT provider that is just focused on the IT issue at hand and not your business as a whole, the support you get is going to be limited.

You want to find a service provider that looks at IT support as providing business solutions, where they focus on your business first, then look at how technology can support your mission and goals.

Gain a Competitive Advantage by Working with Unbound Digital

Unbound Digital isn’t just here to fix computer issues, we are a full technology partner that is there to ensure your technology infrastructure is working as effectively as possible to support your business objectives.

Contact us today to learn more about our managed services and other business-boosting IT support options. Call 423-335-2461 or reach out online.