Your company’s tech security; it’s no joke.
Data from the FBI showed that the cost of cybercrime reached $2.7 billion in 2020. It’s now more important than ever to keep all of your company’s information safe if you want it to survive.
More and more companies are looking for IT consulting firms to give them the protection and skills that they need. But choosing a top IT consulting firms come with a lot of questions.
How do I find the best IT consulting firm? What should IT consulting firms offer?
We’ve created a guide with the top nine tips for how to choose an IT consultant.
1) Relevant Service Offerings
The most important element of any IT consulting firm is that they offer services that are relevant to your business. If you’re a small business you’ll have different needs than a medium-sized one.
You’ll also require different IT services based on your industry. If you own a retail business, the computers in your stores will use different software than if you run a consulting firm.
The best IT firms for you will have the tools to monitor and fix all of your equipment while keeping all of your data secure.
2) Good Communication
Your IT consultant needs to have great communication skills because you’ll be dealing with serious issues that could threaten your entire company. The consultant should respond in a timely manner and be able to explain information in a way that you understand.
When they perform a service or make a change to your security system, they should always tell you why and make it clear how they did it. You shouldn’t be in the dark at any point.
3) Location
Location is one of the most important factors for choosing your IT consultant. This will allow them to communicate at times that work for you. A team that’s halfway around the world may not be operating on your schedule.
When looking for “IT consultants near me,” remember that having an IT consultant in your area will allow them to make repairs and look at your tech much more quickly than one that’s not in your area.
4) Transparent Pricing
When you’re looking for your IT consultant, low prices shouldn’t be the “make or break” point. If you go with a consultant who has super low prices, you’re likely not getting the best quality.
That being said, you don’t want to be overpaying for services, either. The key is to ask the IT consultant to provide an outline of what makes up their pricing model and what level of service you’ll get for the price.
Only once you understand what you’re paying for should you commit to a contract.
5) Up To Date With The Industry
Consider the reason you’re going with an IT company. It’s likely because your tech isn’t advanced enough to deal with high-security issues – only 19 percent of US companies say that their operational tech is advanced.
Make sure that the IT consulting firm you hire has significant expertise in security, software, and data. You will only get value from hiring them if they provide you with more knowledge and services than your team and tools could give you.
6) Having A Long-Term Relationship
IT consultants will be viewing your company’s most sensitive information. If you continually switch consultants or have different people looking at your data, it’s much more likely that there will be a data leak.
Talk to a consulting firm before committing to their services to see if they can be around for the long run. Do they seem like an organization that you would want a long relationship with? How long do the relationships with most of their clients last?
7) Reduction In Overall Costs
How much are you spending on your IT services right now? Maybe you have a team running your department or a few employees. Or maybe you have no one at all and you are losing money
IT consultants are an investment because you have to pay for their services, but they should save you money in the long run by fixing problems and preventing issues.
Make sure that you hire an IT company that has a track record of solving problems and won’t charge you extra for problems you could solve yourself at a lesser cost.
8) Positive Testimonials
If you’re feeling unsure about hiring an IT consultant, positive reviews will be a helpful tool to use.
Past reviews of an IT company’s services can give you the peace of mind that you’re hiring the right company. Or, negative reviews will show you that it’s time to find someone new.
Reviews will also give you an idea of who’s using the company’s services. Say that you’re a small business of 150 people. If the majority of that consultant firm’s clients are other small businesses, it will be more likely to understand the needs of your business.
9) Plans For The Future
Technology is always evolving. The tools that your business uses today may not be the ones it uses in 10 years. And the way you store and protect data is always changing, too.
When you’re looking for an IT firm, you should get an idea of how they look to the future. Do their team members undergo regular training to learn about updates in the industry? How often do they update their software?
IT companies should have a plan for how they will use the tech of tomorrow, and that plan should give you a competitive advantage.
Finding The Top IT Consultant Firm
Finding the top IT consultant firm may not be easy, but it is definitely worth it. By considering all they have to offer and looking into their track record, you can identify the IT consulting firms that will be the best fit for your company.
Interested in learning more about running your business? Check out the rest of our blog posts.
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