When you’re looking for IT support in San Jose, you’ll find there’s no shortage of options.
And when you’re being courted by your IT support options, everyone will boast so much that it’ll be hard to tell what separates your options. Apparently everyone is able to provide the best service in San Jose: you’d think that distinction could only go to a single company…
You’re no IT expert. How do you know which IT companies you’ll be happy with a year from now, and which are overstating their abilities now and are sure to disappoint in the future?
You have to cut through the vague promises and define what exactly you’re getting for your investment in IT support.
Here are a few specific things you should ask about to determine if an IT company is really the right choice for you.
- Length of the Agreement: how much time are we committing to, here? What are the penalties if you’re unsatisfied with your service and decide to drop the IT company in favor of another?
- Level of Privacy: who is getting access to your sensitive information? Obviously the IT company you choose will have access, but do they use any third party help that will also have access to your data? You need to do your due diligence and make sure your data is in reliable hands.
- Response vs. Resolution Time: a lot of IT companies brag about their response time, but that stat only tells you how long it takes to get a non-automated response to a problem, not how long it takes for the problem to actually get fixed. The resolution time will tell you that, so it’s a much more valuable stat to focus on when working out your service agreement.
- What Is Actually Covered?: pretty much everyone out there will tell you that all their services are covered under one flat rate, but often you’ll find out that, well after you’ve signed the contract of course, there are exceptions to the flat rate. For example, perhaps the flat rate only covers their remote responsibilities and on-site calls cost extra. If you think you’re getting an all-in-one flat rate, confirm that’s actually the case.
- After Hours Policy: are you getting access to a 24/7 help desk, or are you going to have to wait around for an email or call back when you’re in need of immediate assistance and the hours are inconvenient? You want a company that always has someone on call so that you can respond to problems as quickly and effectively as possible, even on nights, weekends, and holidays.
Of course, if you have any other questions you better ask them now before you sign anything. Getting satisfactory answers regarding the few factors we’ve mentioned here is the first step to making sure you make the right choice with your IT support.
Contact us at (408) 849-4441 or info@veltecnetworks.com for more information about our Bay Area IT services.
