From automating repetitive tasks and increasing productivity to streamlining communication and collaboration to enhancing customer service and support, technology plays a crucial role in the success of any business today.
But what happens when something goes wrong with it? That depends on whether your business has a reliable provider of local IT support by its side. If you do, then you’re just one phone call away from receiving expert assistance and resuming your operation.
If you still haven’t found the right local IT support provider, then this article will help you find one by exploring the factors you need to consider in order to make an informed decision.
Finding the RIGHT Local IT Support Provider:
1. Identify Your IT Support Needs
When shopping for new shoes, you're much more likely to buy a pair that fits you well and looks great on you. If you know exactly what you're looking for then you can narrow down your options and focus your attention on the best ones.
The same principle applies when searching for a local IT support provider. Do you need help with migrating your on-premises systems to the cloud? Would you like to strengthen your cybersecurity posture? Or perhaps you just need something to keep your systems running smoothly?
Whatever your IT support needs are, make sure to clearly identify them as soon as possible. That way, you’ll be able to avoid wasting time on providers that can’t meet them. Learn how to determine the scope of your IT needs before looking for a provider from our friends at Aligned Technology.
2. Research Available Providers
Once you know what you need help with, it's time to research IT support providers available in your area. Google is your friend here, and a few special operators can greatly refine your search results to make them more precise.
For example, you can put a word or phrase inside quotes to search for an exact match (“local IT support provider”) or multiple exact matches (“local IT support provider” in “Minnesota”).
In addition to Google, you should also check out B2B review sites like Clutch, which provides convenient lists of the best IT support providers in different locations.
3. Analyze Individual Providers
With a list of local IT support providers available in your area ready, you can move on to analyzing them one by one and ranking them in order of priority based on the following factors:
Make sure the provider offers the services your business needs, such as IT support, cloud solutions, cybersecurity, or IT strategic planning.
Relevant Experience:
You should look for providers that have experience working with businesses that are similar to yours in size and specialization.
Pricing and Contract Terms:
Ask providers how much they charge for their services and what their contract terms are. Just remember that paying less money in the short term could cost you a lot more in the long term.
Reputation and Reviews:
Research how happy other businesses are with each provider's services by looking for online reviews and testimonials.
4. Schedule Consultations
You can now start contacting the most suitable local IT support providers and scheduling consultations with them. During these consultations, you should discuss the following:
Your current IT infrastructure.
Your future IT and business goals.
The services you're interested in.
Any regulatory requirements you must meet.
Your IT budget.
Anything else you deem important.
Pay attention to how responsive and easy to communicate with each provider is. Good communication is essential when it comes to IT support, and any provider that doesn’t communicate well during an initial consultation is unlikely to communicate any better down the road.
5. Sign a Contract
When you have chosen the best local IT support provider for your business, the only thing left to do is to sign a contract.
The most reputable local IT support providers include legally binding Service Level Agreements (SLAs) with their contracts. An SLA defines the level of service the provider is expected to deliver, the metrics used to measure whether the agreed-upon level of service is delivered, and penalties for not achieving the expected level of service.
With a legally binding SLA in your hands, you can have peace of mind that your IT support provider is committed to delivering the service you’ve been promised to receive.
Choose TechGen for Your Local IT Support Needs
We at TechGen have been consistently ranking among the best local IT support providers in Minnesota.
Our extensive IT support services are designed for small to medium-sized businesses, and they include IT support, cloud solutions, cybersecurity, and IT strategy.
Don’t prolong your search for the ideal local IT support provider. Schedule a free consultation with TechGen now and learn more about how we can support your business.