In house vs Outsourcing IT Support: Which is The Right Choice for Your Business? When companies find themselves needing to address a specific business need, one question they'll often have...
If you've ever needed to bolster your staff with IT support, you may have asked yourself, "How do I go about finding the right IT company near me?" The answer isn't quite so simple, however.
Identifying the right IT support for London businesses can be the difference between receiving the type of services you need and something less satisfactory. While every business has different IT needs, there are baseline questions you can ask yourself when looking for IT services in London.
Below are some high-level points you should consider as you pursue the right IT solution for your company. You'll want to consider each of these as you make your decision as you search through the various IT support companies - whether you're in North London, East London, or any part of London.
The first question to ask yourself is how close your IT support company has to be? Do you need a local company? Opting for remote support with remote IT support services in London has the capability to solve many issues without adding additional overhead or taking up onsite office space.
Of course, it's entirely possible that you either need or prefer onsite IT support. Know this - having onsite IT support with onsite engineers requires choosing a provider with relative proximity to your office. If the company you're looking at regularly sends engineers to the location of your office, their main offices can be slightly further away because they'll have a regular presence in London.
If you are a London based business and want to have some more London specific advice, follow our IT Companies in London page.
You're no doubt operating with a budget and you'll want to go with an option that works within that budget. It's important to understand, however, that while cost-effectiveness is important, cheaper does not equate to better. It's worth investing in the right IT support partner at the outset. Investing a bit more for a qualified, competent company could save costs over time while helping to increase productivity.
Choosing the right IT support company also means partnering with a provider that is aligned with your industry, business, and the goals associated with it.
What is their plan to assist you? Do they have a strategic approach to handling your company's IT needs within your infrastructure? Do they possess the capability to look ahead while preventing issues? Do they take a proactive approach to problem-solving, making suggestions before a problem occurs or do they simply respond when something goes wrong to provide a patch?
You'll want to opt for a service that doesn't just understand your business - you also want one that's forward-leaning.
Selecting an IT support company with quality customer service practices is also crucial. To assess how well they perform customer service, look at some of their online reviews and customer testimonials. Request to speak with some of their current IT support clients to evaluate how they've done. Remember that past performance is indicative of future success.
Before partnering with an IT support provider, make sure you understand exactly what is included in the service you'll be receiving. Also, ask if they'll charge extra for surge support - support granted after hours or in case of an emergency.
Will you have easy access to the company's senior management? How readily available will they be if you need them? Do you have direct contact with a senior manager, and will that senior manager review your account and your business needs on a regular basis? You may encounter senior managers during the initial pitch for your business then only speak to junior employees once the contract begins. Before you sign, ensure you'll be able to get ahold of senior leadership when you need them.
Finally, consider what kind of extra IT services the company may provide. Can they assist you with issues such as procurement and planning? What is the full suite of capabilities they're offering you? What solutions can they help you with? Understanding this will help you get the highest ROI.
What kind of accreditation or certification has the company received? Do they possess the proper credentials needed to get the job done? What training or education have their operators and representatives received?
If you plan to become a customer who receives a London company's IT support services, you'll want to know who makes up their current customer base. Are their other customers in the same industry as you? If they aren't, how well will they be able to adapt their IT support to what you do? How big or small are the companies they provide support for? Do those companies have similar sizes as yours?
Gaining recognition of an IT support company's customer profile will help you envision how you'll fit into their work. It will tell you how well they'll be able to adapt to help you. If they serve companies in the same sector as you with roughly the same size, the transition probably won't be too difficult.
Finally, it's extremely important to assess how good of a fit the IT support company is with you. What size is the company? If they're a large provider, will they be able to give you enough attention? Or are you concerned you'll need a smaller company, as a bigger one may be overwhelmed dealing with enterprise-level clients?
Whether you seek an IT support solution that's big or small, it's critical to find one that's the right fit for you. Ensure they have the resources and experience to grow along with you as your business scales. IT support companies that are too large may take you on but you may not be significant enough for them to warrant giving you consistent attention and high-quality service.
The bottom line is that finding the "right IT company near me" for you will depend on multiple factors that only you can identify. The topics emphasized above are all components you should consider as you're identifying the perfect solution for your business. When you're looking for IT support companies in London, ask yourself these questions to determine who will provide you with the best business IT support.
At UK IT Service, we provide dedicated IT support for London businesses. If you're looking to outsource IT support we offer flexible packages that will reduce your total costs and improve your productivity. Our hosted services make use of the latest Tier-3 datacentres, ensuring both system availability and enhanced information security. Contact us for IT support packages and prices.
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