There are many reasons why you should outsource your IT to an external company
There are many reasons why you should outsource your IT to an external company. You will save time, money, and boost office morale and have 24/7 technical support. But how do you choose the right company for you? Much like hiring a contractor for your home, asking the right questions and being as knowledgeable in your requirements will minimize any problems or delays you might experience. Here’s the list of our top tips for choosing the right IT vendor.
Top tips for choosing the right IT vendor.Click To Tweet
Reliability
Ask for details on the company.
- How long have they been in business?
- How many offices? How many employees?
- What is their history and experience in the business?
- Who and where are the employees located if they have multiple offices?
Project Experience
Ask about their experience.
- What types of projects have they worked on in the past?
- When was the last time they had someone working on a project similar to yours?
- If it was fairly recent, will at least part of that team be working on your project?
References
Make sure the provider is able to produce several client references.
- Were the clients happy with the result?
- Do the clients still use them?
- Have the clients ever referred someone else to use them?
Most good outsourcing providers, such as Computer St Louis have a list of references detailing different clients with up-to-date contact information including: company, name, title, email, phone number and a briefing on the project of what was done.
Quality Products/Services
Beyond solid references, the outsourcing company needs to supply and emphasize the understanding of the products and implementation processes that are followed within their organization to ensure success. Product certifications and well-defined methods go a long way in providing customers with this assurance.
Additional Costs
Make sure there are no hidden costs in implementation, testing, training, connectivity, infrastructure, transition, etc. Ask if they ever work on fixed cost engagements (providing there are no unexpected problems on the client side), and what is needed to get a fixed cost pricing on a project. Most companies that have experience in large and small projects are willing to take on fixed cost projects, particularly for smaller projects.
Delivery Times
Make sure you and your provider work with realistic deadlines and goals. Be sensible and make sure that their resources aren’t working on a timeline that may affect the outcome or quality of the project. If your instincts are bothering you then ask more questions. If their answers cannot satisfy you, then they probably aren’t the right company for you.
Terms
Always document what the terms of the project are, and make sure the contract is sound. This includes the payment, project assumptions, timing, and what the guidelines will be for any sized projects. It doesn’t matter if it’s a 40-hour project or a 5,000-hour project; a successful project requires guidelines to ensure customer satisfaction.
Risks
- What kind of risks are you going to be undertaking in outsourcing this project?
- Is the vendor insured?
- What is their insurance coverage?
- What kind of data loss prevention and backup have they implemented?
Make sure you are clear on what types of risks are involved outsourcing to the company.
