What does the Service Contract cover?
When you enter into an IT support contract , it’s essential that you have a thorough understanding of what’s included. There is nothing worse than experiencing an IT issue, contacting your IT support provider and then being told that the affected hardware or software falls outside of your contract.
Resolving the issue may cost you significantly more in terms of money and time as you negotiate a one off fee to cover. Prior to signing any service agreements, always make sure that you are 110% clear about what is and is not included in the terms and conditions of the support contract. This will avoid disputes further down the line.
Can we speak to your current clients?
A slick website and branding are both tools for helping to establish the credibility of a business, but there is nothing better than a genuine client testimonial. Ask the prospective IT support provider if you can have a chat with their existing customer base to find out more about their experiences with them.
Any IT support company that’s confident in the services they provide will be more than happy to do this. Try to find out the positive and negatives of working with the company. Ask questions such as “were problems resolved quickly?”, “did they provide a proactive service?”, ” how would you rate their customer service skills?”.
What accreditations and qualifications does your business hold?
Technology is constantly evolving and this is probably one of the main reasons you are searching for an IT support provider. As such, you will want to be in safe in the knowledge that they are fully competent with the hardware and software that your business uses on a day to day basis.
The best way to check for competence is to enquire as to whether the IT support technicians and consultants hold industry standard certifications which prove they have the necessary skill sets to take care of your systems properly.
You will need to find out exactly which certifications their staff hold, and whether or not they regularly renew thee qualifications as new technologies become available. Accreditations to look out for include Microsoft Partner Status, Microsoft Small Business Specialist and the HP Preferred Partner qualification.