SpartanTec, Inc. Fayetteville: Considering Managed IT? Ask These 6 Questions

If you don’t adapt to the changing IT landscape, your company could be at risk. Smart executives partner with managed IT services providers to manage their hardware and software requirements, so they can focus on the company’s growth.

You might also consider managed IT. A managed IT provider can handle most services, including data protection, cloud computing, enterprise software development, network security and enterprise software development. We make it easy for you to find the right provider for you. Here are some questions to ask about managed information.

6 QUESTIONS YOU SHOULD ASK IF YOU ARE MANAGED IT SERVICES

What are your areas of expertise in the company?

It is important to understand how the provider fits in with your company’s size and goals. Your managed IT provider should have experience working with clients from your industry and work with businesses similar to yours. It is important to have confidence in your managed IT provider’s ability to meet compliance requirements, especially if you work in highly regulated industries.

Is your company a supplier?

Managed IT services offer the opportunity to tap into the expertise of the provider. Managed IT services can serve as a strategic partner and help you plan for the maintenance and upgrading of hardware and software. When they have many clients to support, outsourcing IT staff may not be as committed to your company. Your needs should be the focus of your provider’s IT staff.

What is your response time?

Downtime in the network can reduce productivity and, over time, cut into profits. You should consider a managed IT provider if your company cannot afford downtime. Ask about their support process, including the staff and systems used to log and resolve problems.

What is preventive maintenance?

You can be confident that your potential provider will take proactive steps to replace and upgrade IT assets if you believe in the “an ounce is worth a pound cure” philosophy. You can expect the right provider to look 12-24 months ahead and offer their recommendations and advice on what you will need so that you can plan and budget accordingly.

Who will have access?

In 2018, Facebook revealed that up to 87million of its users had had their data harvested. Managed IT support providers may collect behavioral data to help improve their services. This might not be something you are comfortable with. In the worst case, they might be selling it. Managed IT providers should be able clearly to articulate their data-handling policies.

What are your data protection methods?

Look out for words such as firewalls, encryption and advanced firewalls. Before you start looking for a provider, it is important to understand the meanings of these terms and what protections they offer. Learn about the provider’s backup practices and how they approach disaster recovery. Run if they claim they use floppy discs!

These six questions will provide a framework for your discussion. These questions will also give you information about the managed IT provider as well as their ability to meet your requirements. It’s a good idea to speak with multiple potential providers.