When you’re looking for an IT services provider to support your organization, the last thing you want to do is settle. It’s important to know what to search for so you can find the company that best suits your organization and needs. So, what sets apart great IT services providers from the bad?
What Makes an IT Services Provider “Great?”
There are plenty of factors that make an IT services provider great, and quite a few signs to watch out for that indicate an IT services provider will be bad fit. Great providers are…
Proactive
Every IT services provider offers monitoring. But what really sets the “great” apart from the “bad” is a proactive approach. Great IT companies will:
- Plan for your company’s future
- Give you advice for your growth
- Suggest technology that will get your business on track for success
- Take steps to protect you from current, changing, and new threats
- Identify new resources and approaches that can help you reach your organization’s goals
“Bad” IT services providers, however, will stop at monitoring and only take action when it’s required, usually when something goes wrong or it’s time to pay the bill. They don’t work to help you achieve your goals and a lot of things that require fixes could have just been prevented in the first place with a little planning.
Flexible
Things change all the time due to politics, your industry, catastrophic events and weather. That’s why businesses need flexibility on their side – and only the great IT services providers offer that. As things change within your organization and industry, your managed IT services provider can change with you. If you grow, they scale. If your organization branches into a new line of work, they’re there to assist.
IT service providers that fall under the “bad” umbrella tend to be rigid, slow to react to change, and can’t fulfill your organization’s needs as you grow or branch out.
Communicative
Do you only hear from your IT company when something goes wrong? Or when a bill is due? Or maybe you can only reach out to them through email or a website form; they’re completely unavailable on the phone? And response times tend to be like molasses?
These are all signs of bad IT service. Great providers will instead be easy to reach when you need them, but also communicative ahead of time. They understand you have an organization to run and your time is valuable, so fast response times are a must. In addition, they’ll set up regular meetings to go over your current needs, goals, and concerns to ensure they’re meeting what your business actually wants out of IT. And when they make mistakes, they’ll own up to it and communicate with you about what they can do to fix it.
Understanding
Every organization is unique, including yours. A great IT services provider understands that. They won’t try to fit you and every other company into a single box. They’ll work to understand your unique needs, wants, and budget, and walk you through the various options to help you identify the best choice for your organization.
Bad IT companies, however, tend to have a single option for their customers, and they’ll try to force you into that plan with little to no wiggle room. If they do allow you to go outside that box, you may be charged a hefty fee.
What Makes Nutmeg Consulting a “Great” IT Services Provider?
We take pride in going above and beyond for our clients. When new customers come to us, we spend a lot of time going through their current environment, business needs, and goals to fully understand what they need out of IT. We’re always working to plan for our clients’ futures, not just the immediate moment, so they know what to expect. We don’t play games, bait and switch, or present proposals that won’t serve you well down the line.
Once you’re working with Nutmeg, you can expect a proactive approach to your IT. We meet with you on a regular basis to identify pain points, go over concerns, determine what’s working and what isn’t, and do an overall check-in on your IT. Nutmeg also offers a team that is available for ongoing assistance in a timely manner. If you have an IT or related issue, no matter how big or how small, we’re here to help you get to the bottom of it.
Long term clients stay with us because we bring a personal touch to the table. Our customers are more than a transaction or a number. We always strive for great customer service, and when we make a mistake, we own it. And we fix it.