If your business is looking to partner with a local IT service provider, then you have come to the right place. TechKnowledgey has seen many successful IT service provider relationships and we know what works and what doesnât for your business. Here are 10 pitfalls to avoid when choosing an IT service provider. As always, if you have any questions please chat with us or give us a call!
Pitfall Number 1: Cheap Price = Bad IT Service
Choosing the right IT service partner gives you access to skilled specialists for a fraction of the price. It is important to note that paying too little can expose you and your company to great risk. You have to ask yourself, should I pay less for a sub-par IT service provider? Or should I pay a little bit more and choose a reputable IT service provider with flexible and affordable pricing? The latter is usually the wisest move to make.
Pitfall Number 2: Nickel-and-Dime
Donât fall for the IT service provider that will nickel-and-dime you. A good IT service provider will take ownership and help create budget-friendly solutions to meet you and your companyâs needs.
Pitfall Number 3: Trusting Big Corporate IT
The big corporate IT service providers will brag about the brands they support like Whirlpool, Notre Dame, and Cummins. Unfortunately, these enterprise-level customers are often placed above the small-to-medium sized company. The best way for smaller companies to avoid being in âlast placeâ is to partner with a local, privately owned IT service provider. When you matter more to your IT provider, youâll experience better service.
Pitfall Number 4: Trusting Individual Contractors
As we like to say, âIT is a team sport.â While it may sound like a good idea to choose an individual contractor over an IT service provider, you may find that contractors are not always up to the task. One person can only do so much before they become overwhelmed.
In addition, the contractor might hire subcontractors, which means your IT service requests could be misinterpreted or never communicated in the first place. Partnering with an IT service provider who brings a team of professionals ensures the stability of your IT services.
Pitfall Number 5: Neglecting Your Businessâs Unique Needs
Does your IT service provider try to fit you into a cookie-cutter solution that just doesnât work for your business? This usually happens because the provider does not care enough to understand your businessâs unique needs. You want to partner with an IT service provider who will follow-through on those unique needs and anticipate future needs to keep IT problems at bay.
Pitfall Number 6: One-Trick Pony
Every IT service provider specializes in different areas. One MSP may be great at implementing G-Suite and the other may be great at Office 365 implementation. However, they should both have a suite of IT services to meet your businessâ customized needs.
Pitfall Number 7: Jack Of All Trades
Sometimes an IT service provider may claim to be an expert in everything, which is usually a sign that they are experts of nothing. Donât fall for the jack of all trades who says yes to everything.
Pitfall Number 8: Break-Fix Solutions
Is your IT service provider just a break-fix solution? Or does it offer true proactive solutions for your companyâs goals and objectives? You want experienced people, technologies and processes specifically tailored to what you are trying to accomplish. Donât fall for a reactive, break-fix solution dressed in a fancy wrapper.
Pitfall Number 9: Not Made In The USA
Where does your IT service provider operate? Is it in the USA or offshore? And is that important to you or not? For most small-to-medium sized businesses, it is pretty important to hire a local IT service provider for better accessibility. The alternative would be to hire offshore, and we all know how difficult it can be to call someone overseas.
Pitfall Number 10: Not Discussing Expectations and Outcomes
We all know what they say about people who âassumeâ … which isn’t always the case, but we DO need to communicate accurately. Bad IT service providers will assume complete understanding, claiming they are aware of all the outcomes without proper communication. Good IT service providers will ask what your businessâ goals and objectives are. You can avoid this pitfall by choosing a provider who communicates early and often.
Pitfall Number 11: If You Donât Trust Them, Donât Work With Them
Trust is essential for all businesses to run. In this case, you are trusting an IT service provider to solve your businessâ IT needs. However, if you donât feel like that trust has been earned then you should not do business with that IT service provider. More often than not, your instincts will usually lead you in the right direction. Do not be caught in a position where you regret ignoring those instincts.
Call The References
Here are some final thoughts and some free advice on 10 pitfalls to avoid when choosing an IT service provider.
Avoiding these pitfalls will definitely help, but you will find that it still can be rather difficult to find a trusted IT service provider. So what can you do to find the best one for your business?
We recommend calling some of the clients of the provider in question. They will accurately tell you what itâs like to work with them. Clients who are unsatisfied will be quick to share their unfortunate experiences, but the satisfied clients will often rant and rave about their IT service provider.
TechKnowledgey has helped many businesses transition out of a bad IT partnership. If you are stuck with an unhealthy IT service provider and want to explore options, please chat with us or give us a call at 574-971-4267. We would be happy to discuss options with you.