An IT support partner keeps your people working. A good one prevents problems. A poor one only reacts to them. Here is how to compare options.
Decide what you need
- Help desk for staff.
- Device and network management.
- Server and cloud management.
- Security monitoring and backups.
- Software and licence management.
- On-site visits, remote support or both.
What to compare
Scope. Ask what is included and what costs extra.
Response and fix times. Ask for target times by priority, and how they are measured.
Hours. Do they cover your working hours and weekends if you need them?
People. Who will actually support you, and how much experience do they have?
Tools and security. How do they protect access to your systems? Do they use multi-factor sign-in and keep logs?
Reporting. Will you get a clear monthly report on tickets, uptime and open risks?
Location. For on-site work, check coverage in your city.
Contract. Look at the length, notice period, price changes and how you can leave.
Questions to ask
- Can you show us a sample monthly report?
- What happens when our main contact is away?
- How do you handle an urgent problem at night?
- Which customers of our size can we speak to?
- How do you hand over documents if we end the contract?
Red flags
- Vague answers on what is covered.
- No written response targets.
- Refusing references.
- Needing shared admin passwords with no controls.
Get help
Browse IT consulting partners on SARVO, or tell us what you need. See also 10 questions to ask before hiring a technology partner.
FAQ
Fixed fee or pay per ticket? Fixed fees give predictable costs. Per-ticket suits very small needs. Compare based on your usage.
Can I keep my in-house IT person? Yes. Many companies use a partner to add skills and cover gaps.