Choosing the Right IT Provider in Boston

When it comes to IT services, the businesses of Boston have a lot of options to choose from—and that’s even after you eliminate the break/fix providers and focus specifically on managed service providers. So, how can you be confident that you’ve made the right choice?

While we’re admittedly biased, we wanted to share what you should look for (and ask) of any potential IT provider you’re considering for your business.

Let’s begin by reviewing what you should ascertain before selecting your provider (ideally, us).

What Criteria Should I Expect of My IT Provider?

Any IT provider worth your time and consideration should meet a few baseline expectations. These baselines should include things like:

A Multifaceted Approach to Your Business’ IT

The general purpose of IT services can be delineated into two distinct parts: the general upkeep and maintenance of your business’ technology, and the intentional advancement and improvement of your existing infrastructure to account for security improvements and overall growth. Both parts are equally important to your business’ overall success, particularly in terms of its effective use of its technology.

In short, you don’t just want a computer repair service… you want an IT concierge.

You want a resource with the experience to both guide your future IT strategy and ensure that things are working in the present. You want an advocate that will go to bat for you with your vendors so you get the best deal possible. You want an IT provider who provides you with value, plain and simple.

Prompt Response and Results

Having said all that, it is true that a major part of what an IT provider offers is a resource to turn to when there are technology issues afoot.

Now, which of the following scenarios sounds preferable to you?

• A. One of your team members finds that they are having trouble connecting to the shared network resources, and therefore cannot do their work. They reach out to the IT provider that works with your company at a quarter after 11, and are told that the provider’s team might be able to get around to fixing the problem by the end of the day. This employee spends the next few hours trying their hardest to do what they can to contribute, but ultimately doesn’t really accomplish much.
• B.  One of your team members finds that they are having trouble connecting to the shared network resources, and therefore cannot do their work. They reach out to the IT provider that works with your company at a quarter after 11, and the provider promptly remotely accesses their workstation to begin diagnosing the problem. As it turns out, the employee was accidentally signed into the guest network, which does not provide server access. The issue is quickly resolved, and your team member is soon back to work.

Personally, I know what option I would choose—and while not all service calls will be as easy to resolve as this example was, the key is getting someone working on the problem quickly. You want to select someone who will make your issue a priority.

A Security-First Mindset

Bringing it back home for a moment, let’s talk about the compliance regulations that the Bay State holds its businesses to, particularly in terms of data security. They are some of the most stringent in the nation, which means you need a resource who not only understands what these regulations require of businesses, but will actively campaign to ensure that your business meets these requirements so that you don’t find yourself subject to the repercussions of noncompliance.

Beyond that, cybersecurity is extremely important for its own sake, as threats against businesses are only becoming more prevalent and more severe. Your IT provider should frame every action concerning your business’ technology with security at the forefront, ensuring you are as protected as possible and that your entire organization is educated on how to keep it that way.

Investment in a Partnership

Now, we aren’t saying that your IT provider should put money into your business and take a position as co-owner. What we are saying is that they should work as though they did.

Wouldn’t you rather have one of your business’ most vital resources tended to by someone who was actively rooting for your company’s success, because it was directly tied to their own? Wouldn’t you be more willing to put your trust in someone who, because of this mutually beneficial situation, would be an active participant in your business’ well-being?

This is what you should be seeking out—a provider who joins your team, instead of just serving it.

What Questions Should I Ask to Find This Kind of Provider?

There are a few questions that can be helpful in establishing if an IT company is worth your attention, especially if you’ve moved past the “reading reviews” stage and are actively reaching out to contenders.

Here are some to consider asking:

• What is included in the agreement? This one is important to ensure you get your money’s worth, and that you aren’t taken advantage of when you find yourself in a tough spot.
• What will be done to ensure security and regulatory compliance? It really is crucial that you know your provider is not only knowledgeable about the needs your specific situation puts upon you, but has a strategy ready to address them.
• What would the process be if [insert hypothetical IT issue here]? Don’t be afraid to ask about specific situations that you might find yourself facing, especially if they are situations you have faced before.

We’re Confident You’d Like Our Answers to All of These Concerns

At Datalyst, we’re dedicated to fulfilling all of the expectations we’ve outlined here, and beyond. Your business’ IT is hugely important to your success—we respect that entrusting it to anyone is going to take just that… trust.

That’s why we’d love to sit down and have a frank and honest conversation about your business’ IT and how we could help make it work better for you through our managed services. Give us a call at (774) 213-9701 to get started today.