How to Evaluate a New IT Provider

In today’s digital world, finding the right IT provider in New Orleans is crucial for the success of your business. You must ensure that your technology is reliable and aligns with your company’s needs. But how do you choose the best partner to support your IT infrastructure? It all starts with asking the right questions.

By carefully evaluating potential IT providers, you can make an informed decision that supports your business goals and helps avoid future headaches. In this blog post, we’ll discuss key questions every business should consider when selecting a new IT provider, ensuring you have the tools and support necessary for success.

16 Questions to Ask when Evaluating a New IT Provider in New Orleans

 

1) Why should we work with your firm?

Start with the low – hanging fruit. Let’s hear the pitch. Why should your company, specifically, work with the firm? Be on the lookout for canned or generic answers they say to everyone. If they answer with specifics about your business or industry, that’s a step in the right direction. It’s a good sign if they’re doing their homework prior to making the sale.

2) Why shouldn’t we work with your firm?

It’s a variation of the classic “What is your greatest weakness?” If they say nothing, then you should question the transparency of this organization. No company is perfect. Is there any reason you should NOT work with them? If they give an honest answer it should count for them, not against them, unless it’s truly concerning.

3) What are the biggest challenges to a strong partnership?

This is for both parties. Hear what challenges could arise in the partnership. For instance, some clients want things immediately but are not always willing to wait. Getting honest feedback will start the partnership off on the right foot.

4) How does the escalation process work? What if I am not satisfied with the response/resolution time of a particular service ticket or project?

This tells you if they have clearly defined processes regarding support and customer service. They should inform you on each step of the process to ensure your issue is addressed and resolved in a timely manner. If they don’t provide a clear answer, then you will know they aren’t focused on customer service and process as much as they should be.

5) What end – user training do you provide (other than cybersecurity awareness training)?

They should provide training for various tools in order for users to be efficient and get the best user experience. If they do not provide training, it could be a red flag that they will leave you to figure things out on your own without the proper support.

6) Does the management team receive reports and what is the cadence?

You should receive monthly reports. This is non-negotiable. While it is a partnership and you trust your provider to monitor and manage your systems, getting reports will help you keep a gauge on what is (and maybe isn’t) getting done. If they do not have an answer to this question, or no reports, this is a red flag that they are not a mature organization.

7) What does the onboarding experience look like with your firm?

They should have a defined onboarding process. Ideally, this should be a checklist that covers every relevant aspect of the technology at your business. For instance, a specific timeline on how long it should take; what happens day one week one, month one, etc. If they have no process for this, it’s another red flag. If it’s a “we’ll get to it soon” or “you’re second in line” I would be very weary. It’s okay if you’re not first in line, but it’s not okay if there are not defined expectations they can set on a start and end date.

8) Compared to other IT providers, what are your differentiators?

Customer service is not really a differentiator. Simply ask them what makes them different, and pay attention to how they respond. Listen carefully to see if their differentiators actually help your business, or if they’re just rehashing sales speak. If their differentiators provide real value, then they should weigh into the final decision.

9) Do you use in-house or contracted resources for services?

Most IT providers use in house technicians and support, but it’s good to make sure. If they are outsourcing a lot of their support, it’s important to know. It’s not a deal breaker, but ask more questions. Where are these resources? Are they in different countries? If so, what cybersecurity practices are they putting in place to make sure your systems are protected from their overseas resources.

10) What would you need to successfully transition to your service (specific credentials, expectations from the champion, staff list and security level)?

There is no need to get technical here, but this is considered a Runbook. Understanding what they’ll need BEFORE signing up will make the transition easier, so get a defined list from your current provider to provide the winning IT provider.

11) How often do you meet with your customers for future planning?

Make sure you set the expectation early that you expect ongoing planning. Your technology is very important. Don’t let your provider “push off” meetings, and make sure you don’t push off meetings either. As mentioned earlier in this guide, both parties need to be engaged for a successful IT partnership.

12) We were just hit with ransomware. What are the next steps? What would the Disaster Recovery process look like?

The vast majority of IT providers do a good job of protecting your technology. They put many protecting layers in place to keep the bad guys out. However, the most mature have a defined response. Make sure to ask this question so you know if there will be a plan in place to get your business running, and know how quickly that can happen if an attack does occur.

13) A new team member starts at your organization. They receive a ticket from our organization. What did their onboarding look like to ensure they are ready and to manage that request effectively?

As I’m sure you’ve noticed, many of these questions are used to identify if they are a process – driven organization. It will also help you to avoid the pitfalls many businesses fall into when choosing the wrong provider. These are handpicked questions. We ask our clients, “what were you struggling with before working with our company?” They explain what they were struggling with and that’s exactly what we address in our own service.

14) How do you monitor customer satisfaction and quality assurance on an ongoing basis? 

Is there a process in place to ensure your end users are satisfied and staying productive? If they have a clear process of continued customer satisfaction and improvement, that’s a good sign. If not, you may want to ding them on this question.

15) How often do you raise prices and when did you last raise prices for customers?

Find out if they will raise prices and when as it relates to agreements and project work. You want to be prepared and know they will inform you of this, so you can plan and budget accordingly.

16) We have a new employee starting. What does that process look like for your team? What should we expect and what would you expect from us?

The lack of a defined onboarding and offboarding process will cause major headaches. This is a checkbox question. Do they have a process in place or not?

Choosing the right IT provider in New Orleans is a crucial step in ensuring the success and security of your business. By asking the right questions, you gain a clear understanding of what each potential provider offers and how well they align with your business needs.

Understanding these key aspects will help you make an informed decision and feel confident about the IT partnership. As an IT provider in New Orleans, Universal Data Inc. can help with your technology and cybersecurity needs. Contact us to schedule a meeting to see if we’re the right IT partner for your business.