3 Essential Questions to Ask When Hiring an Outsourced IT Company in Southington CT
Okay, we get it. You want your brand to be synonymous with excellence and would rather focus your in-house resources on your core business strength. Part of your strategy involves outsourcing other business operations like software development and managing your information technology network to a competent external service provider.
So if you’re a US-based business looking for a good IT company in Southington, CT – what critical questions do you need to ask a potential IT firm to determine if they’re a good fit for your company. To be precise, what vital facts should you look out for that will help you decide if the firm will meet your needs?
Fundamental Questions You Must Ask When Selecting an IT Company in Southington, Connecticut
What are your long-term plans for your IT services company?
No company wants to jump from one IT outsourcing company to the other every few months or years as this could cause a security or data breach.
Business owners want the right service provider they can build stable long-term business relationship with. This is a good idea because apart from reducing the chances of a data breach, your provider will understand your company’s needs better and serve you well.
You might also be entitled to some special perks and discounts as a longstanding customer. So how do you know if a company will make an excellent and reliable partner? That’s not hard.
Ask about their long-term vision for their company and how they’ve grown or developed their “craft” over the years. The reason is this:
The more an IT firm grows, the more its knowledge base increases, and the better they are at providing truly great solutions, products, or services.
More importantly, becoming stronger and better at their craft will enable your IT provider to continue meeting your needs when your customer base increases and when extra staff come on board.
Where am I being supported? Locally or from outside my community?
When you’re looking to contract out IT, it pays to choose a physically-based company in your region. This is especially important for those times when you require quick on-site support to address critical network or equipment issues that need hands-on technical repair.
For example, when installing new computer equipment or replacing faulty hardware, it’s reassuring to know that the company supporting you will take up the task. That way, they have a deep and complete knowledge of how your system works and how to manage it when anything goes wrong.
The ideal IT providers will also visit their customers regularly to show them new ways to optimize and manage their IT. When your service provider is nearby, regular visits to your location won’t be much of a problem.
They would bill you less – due to lower transportation costs – than a company based in another part of the country or the world.
Lastly, regional service providers usually have a better understanding of current state and local laws and the people network to help you get your compliance done fast.
Do you have testimonials, reviews, or case studies from other happy customers?
There is nothing more reassuring than seeing real customers telling you the kind of support a potential IT provider has provided for them and the reasons they love the company. At this point, we would like to caution you to watch out for false testimonials and reviews.
These are usually anonymous or given vague names like Ms. J. George or Mr. S. Charles. Do your due diligence by asking for reference companies they’ve worked with and calling these people up. It’s not necessary to call all the companies.
Talking with a select few should give you an idea of what to expect, how to handle your expectations and the confidence to proceed with the service provider.
So what questions should you ask a reference customer? Here are a few recommended ones:
- Do they deliver on their promise?
- Are they easy to reach, and how fast are they in responding to problems?
- How good are they in communicating with customers (i.e., do they let you know what is going on when there are issues)
- Do they keep to the projected budget, or do they often exceed it?
