How Do I Select An IT Support Company In London?
Business is brutal, and you need to make good decisions every step of the way. Unless your company is big enough for its own IT team, you may need to outsource the IT work to a dedicated company. This service offers extreme benefits and can keep the company alive in times of tech crisis. But how do you choose the right IT support company in London?
Many businesses delay moving to an offsite provider because the process of choosing one can be daunting. There is a lot to think about – from business needs and price to working approach and ability. While selecting an IT support team can be overwhelming, it doesn’t need to be. This article will outline 9 top tips for choosing an IT service provider that is competent, cost-effective and provides quality service.
1. Make sure the IT support company has experience with your industry
You must choose an IT support company in London, that has experience in your industry. Not doing so can have significant consequences on the quality of the work and the general understanding of your business. You should ask the following questions to help decide if the MSP is the right fit for your business:
> Has the MSP worked in your industry?
> Do they have certification to prove they have worked in your industry?
> Do your competitors use their services?
> Do large companies and small businesses use their service?
You wouldn’t employ a carpenter to do electrical work, and the same goes for IT. Ensure you go through an appropriate vetting process that benefits you and your company in the long run.
2. Location
Location, location, location. If you are a company in London, choose an IT support company in London. Where your company is based plays a massive role in where you should be looking for an MSP. In the digital age, you can do many things remotely, but not all of them.
Choosing a local IT support company means that you will likely get a faster, more efficient service. If you have a problem, your technician can show up at a moment’s notice. It is also handy when you need to be guided through systems and processes. Having someone onsite in-person to explain things makes all the difference.
While many companies do source offshore IT services – if you are in London, you should choose an IT support company in London. Research suggests that outsourcing to overseas companies can affect the result.
In addition to this, time difference plays a negative role in hindering your IT support service. While staff often work around the clock – there is usually much less help when it is nighttime in their country, meaning longer wait times for you.
3. Price
This may have been the first thing you thought about. While it makes sense for a business to do a cost analysis and shop around, it should not be a deciding factor. Quality should always work in conjunction with cost, to determine what IT support company in London is the best.
Going for the cheaper option might mean a more inferior service quality and something you regret once you have signed on. A low price may also mean less experienced engineers. Lack of quality or the time it takes to complete tasks will negatively affect the success and ultimately your business’s profit.
In saying that, the most expensive IT support companies may not be the best. Companies may often excessively inflate their prices, which does not reflect your specific needs as a small to medium-sized business.
4. What is the speed of their response?
While all companies vow to always respond with haste, this doesn’t always happen. It would help if you considered obtaining some data on their response times before trusting what they say. Most companies should have access to this hard data. It would be best if you also asked the following before you commit to an IT support company in London.
> Do they guarantee their response times?
> Are all clients subject to the same level of speed?
> How long will it take to get support?
You can also request their Service Level Agreement (SLA). This agreement between MSP and provider will include details on the responsiveness and availability. Their hesitancy to provide this data should be met with red flags.
You should analyse the pricing structure and think about what you and the company need to be successful. Tech help should improve your business operations, not hinder them. Whether you sign on a contract basis or an ad-hoc pay as you go system – you need to choose a provider and price that will make you feel comfortable and happy with.
5. Reputation and credibility
When looking for an IT support company in London their reputation is significant. You should be aware of their company background, their ethics and their code of conduct before you get into business with them.
Some important things to consider are:
> Is the company certified with prominent vendors?
> What sort of companies do they partner with? (you can usually find this information on their website)
Google search the MSP to see what comes up. Make sure that the company isn’t involved in any illegal activity. This will help avoid a messy working relationship and the potential reputational damage to your business.
6. Communication
Much like any part of business, communication is crucial to success and can cause pain or happiness. If the people you work with communicate well and make the process simple and easy, then that means you can spend more time on the parts of the business you enjoy – and make the company money.
It would help if you were given a direct phone number for your technician. They should constantly keep you informed, and they should provide a record of everything.
They should also offer feedback for their services, proactively looking to improve your business. If someone fails to communicate with you and you go days without hearing from them after you have reached out, then these are red flags.
7. You should get a dedicated technician to help you with your business needs
When working with an MSP it is common practice to get a dedicated technician to help you with your business needs. This improves processes and maintains a level of professionalism throughout the working relationship. Working with the same person each time will reduce having to explain things repeatedly and ensure a consistent quality of work.
It also builds a long-term relationship, and the person begins to have the same goals as your company. The bottom line is we like to work with people we like, and having a relationship and rapport helps us do this.
8. Remote service capabilities
In this day and age, an IT support company in London should provide some kind of remote service. While crazy glitches may scare the untrained eye, they are usually solved quickly and even remotely. Making sure your MSP can do this is essential in confirming a quick and easy service. The less amount of time your business is hindered by a tech glitch, the better.
9. Customer satisfaction
Customer service is one of the most important aspects of choosing an IT support company in London. They need to have your best interests at heart and go above and beyond to make you happy.
Much like people heading to Google or Facebook to check reviews for restaurants, you should do the same for an MSP you are looking at working with. These will be reviews or testimonials from actual customers and will give insight into how the company conduct themselves and how they run their business.
When seeking answers, you should ask the following questions:
> Are they easy to contact?
> Are their responses timely?
> Did they resolve the problem?
> Do recurring issues feature throughout reviews?
> Do they take ownership of the situation when they have a bad review?
Where can I find an IT support company in London?
Finding an IT service provider could be one of the most important business decisions you make. This will determine your operations’ success, and you need to think about specific aspects before choosing an IT support company in London.
If you are on the hunt for a quality MSP then reach out to us today, and we can discuss your specific needs. We can provide all the necessary information to make an informed choice that you are happy with.
Comments are closed.