How to properly interview an IT provider

Businesses rely on technology for different aspects of their business. From sales and marketing to purchasing and payroll, just about everything is done with online systems. If any of these systems fails, the business flow is disrupted, leading to a loss of customers and profits. This issue is why you must have a reliable IT service provider to fix and prevent such mishaps. Interview and hire the right team.

Awareness of the Red Flags in the IT Industry

Before you start looking for an IT managed service provider, you must learn about the red flags in the IT industry so that you will know which IT companies to avoid. For instance, some companies will nickel and dime you for every little thing or charge you unnecessarily for services you don’t need. Look out for those who communicate poorly or can’t assist you with cybersecurity insurance. You can read more about all these red flags in our Top 5 Red Flags in the IT Industry blog.

Employing an Internal IT Guy vs. using the Break-Fix Method vs. Hiring an MSP 

These are the three common ways a business might hire tech support. Each method has its pros and cons, as we’ve discussed in our Your IT Guy vs Managed Provider blog, and you should weigh these pros and cons carefully to figure out the best approach for your business. However, in most cases, hiring an MSP proves to be the most cost-effective and practical way to get high-quality IT support.

Possible Reasons for Firing Your IT Guy

There is a noticeably high rate of premature termination of tech support specialists these days. It’s not necessarily because of lack of skill or competence, but mostly an attitude or lack of professionalism that leaves companies with no choice but to fire their IT guys.

Some are not transparent with their fees, and the client will be surprised to see unexpected charges come due at billing time. Some will communicate with a condescending tone when discussing technical matters, and some will give you poor customer service. In our 5 Reasons Why Companies Fire IT Guys, we talk about these possible reasons and how they can affect your business in a very negative way.

Important Questions to Ask During the Interview

Now that you know the potential problems that can arise with hiring the wrong IT specialist, it is even more important that you find the most suitable person for the job. A lot of it depends on the interview and the questions you ask. Depending on the answers, you should gauge whether the person is worthy of being hired or not.

Customer Service

It is important to know the quality of customer service they can provide if you hire them for your company. Are they easy to contact, and will they get back to you immediately if they are unavailable when you call? Do they offer guarantees of completing tasks on time and budget? Can they explain technical matters in simple language and enable the client to understand what is going on?

Network Upkeep

Find out what kind of service they will provide when it comes to the upkeep of your network. Will they do continuous monitoring of your system and provide regular status reports? Will they have exclusive access to your system, or can they provide your in-house staff access as well? Is their network support plan all-inclusive, or do certain services come with additional fees?

Disaster Recovery

In the event of a data disaster, will they be able to restore the system with minimal downtime? Do they perform regular tests on backup data to ensure that everything has been saved correctly? Do they offer a contingency plan that will allow your business to continue operating even while they restore your system following a disaster?

Providing Support

Do they have the expertise that matches your business needs? Do they provide 24/7 support, or do you need to wait for office hours before getting assistance? Is their support team based in the US, or do they use remote tech specialists in other countries?

Cybersecurity Insurance

Many tech companies do not offer adequate assistance with cybersecurity insurance applications. Ask right away what kind of help they can provide when you apply for cybersecurity insurance. Will they help you get approved, and will they help when you file claims?

These might seem like a lot of questions to ask, but they are necessary if you want to find the best IT managed service provider for your business. In addition to answering your questions, a qualified IT provider must be able to give you a list of references when you ask for them. Once you interview and pick the right candidate, you can avoid stressful problems and focus more on the primary goals of your business when IT issues are off your plate. Contact us to learn more about how we can help you!