No Standards in IT

The field of IT Support is relatively new compared to other fields of work such as lawyers or accountants. As a result i have found a noticeable lack of standards.

There are of course some international standards such as ITIL but these are generally only brought up in the enterprise environment and usually triggered by the auditing company. In smaller private companies these standards are often overlooked or quickly brushed over at a very high level leaving most companies vulnerable to ongoing IT issues.

To compound the problem there is an ever increasing number of IT support companies opening up many with no real business track record or the relevant skills to support a business environment.

So how do you decide on the right company to choose to support your business IT Infrastructure. I would suggest the following key points to consider:

• Qualifications & Accreditations

  These can be confusing as many accreditations have limited value but it will give you a good starting point to compare support companies.  Make sure the technicians performing the work have the necessary skills.

• Proven Track Record

It is essential that you always check a few references and ask for details about similar work the company has done in the past.

• Don’t focus on Price

Price will always be a factor but cheap can often become more expensive in the Long run focus on value for money and which       company can best support your business.

• Trust

This is the most important factor. You need to be able to trust your IT Support company. It is too easy for the support company to hide behind technology and string clients along.  An open and honest relationship is key to working together.

Choosing the right IT Support company will create a well managed stable IT environment for your business.