7 Questions You Should Be Asking Your IT Provider

Your IT team is the life force of your company. It keeps the company functioning and allows everyone to communicate and collaborate efficiently. If you don’t have the right IT provider or see signs that it is time to switch IT teams, this chief tech investment can quickly turn into dread. 

No matter the size of your company, your IT framework is made up of numerous elements, from cloud services to software licenses and center hosting. 

An external IT team can help you reduce downtime, increase employee productivity, and decrease costs. Finding the proper IT support that works with your business can be a challenge. That’s why today, we will discuss the seven questions you should ask your IT provider to ensure you get the best service. 

What Makes Your Service Stand Out?

It can be easy for an IT service provider to say that they have top-notch customer service but demonstrating it is another thing. That’s why you should take some time to figure out whether the IT team will be a good fit with your business before you commit. 

• Ask to see their certifications. 

An IT partner who values quality and efficiency will have the certificates to back up their experience. 

• Do they have expertise in your industry? 

Specific industries have particular requirements and requirements.

• Do they have high customer satisfaction? 

Ask to see proof of high levels of customer satisfaction. After all, your employees will be interacting with them regularly, and they should be able to provide stellar customer service. 

• What about employee retention rates? 

High employee retention is an indication of positive work culture, good management, and loyal employees. Employees that like their jobs are less likely to leave their positions, resulting in high turnover, and constant retraining. Employees that are dedicated to their IT team can spend time honing their IT skills and mastering the ins and outs of your business and IT systems. 

What Is the Escalation Process for a Tech Issue? 

Depending on your IT issues, it will require different levels of support. Your IT provider will be your first line of defense against any cyber threats like phishing, malware, and ransomware, and the best team to assist you with basic employee requests. 

If the issue is severe, will it be passed to second and third-level escalation? How quickly will it be addressed? 

Here are additional questions for your IT provider to ascertain their level of personalization and urgency:

• How often are IT cases fixed remotely while an employee waits on the phone? 
• What is the average time to answer a call?
• What is the case reopen rate?
• What is the training process when your IT professionals begin like? 

What Are Your Service Level Agreements?

SLAs are an essential part of your contract with your IT vendor. They define the expectations and set out the metrics for gauging performance. They also provide procedures for corrective action when the agreed service level is not reached. 

SLAs protect both the customer’s company and the IT provider. Without the agreements in place, there can be misunderstandings and a lack of transparency which can negatively impact the customer experience and the service delivery. 

Are You Experienced in all the Systems and Software We Use? 

Each business and industry is unique and uses different software, so an IT provider may not begin understanding your IT infrastructure 100%. Still, they should be dedicated to supporting your business goals and core systems. 

There are a few things to contemplate: 

• Can the IT provider adopt your existing systems? 

Many companies have proprietary systems, and your IT provider should be willing to learn and become experts in your systems. 

• Will they work with third-party vendors to solve any technical problems? 

Your IT service should be stress-free and streamlined, and that means that they should take the work of contacting third-party vendors off your hands. They should also review and renew program licenses. 

Will Our Data Be Secure?

Cybersecurity is a key priority of many businesses. No one wishes to end up like one of the costliest data breaches in history. 

For example, find out network monitoring, firewall configuration, incident reaction time, data backups, and patching to protect vulnerable data and devices. 

Are We Able to Provide Feedback?

Feedback is an integral part of closing the loop in the Net Promoter System (NPS). Many managed service providers will also ask for feedback once a case is closed, allowing you to let them know how well incidents were dealt with.

However, there is no sense in asking for feedback data if your IT provider isn’t going to make changes based on the data. Find out how they deal with positive and negative remarks. Are negative comments escalated to leadership? 

In Addition to IT Support, Will You Help With Project Management and Strategy? 

The IT environment is constantly changing and evolving. Businesses that fail to transform along with it will be at a competitive disadvantage. 

A service provider should offer more than crisis tech support. They should have the expertise to help you with professional services, like a strategy that shapes the direction of your IT budgeting and allows you to innovate quickly. They should also have technical skills to help you onboard other IT projects. 

Choosing the Right IT Provider 

With so many cyber threats to your business and potential technical issues, it’s paramount to select the correct IT support. They can help you protect sensitive data and vital information, keep your business running, and reduce downtime. TotalIT is your partner in cybersecurity and technical support