How to Choose an IT Support Company: 8 Questions to Ask
Choosing an IT support company is a decision you will live with for years. The right provider keeps your team working and your data safe. The wrong one leaves you waiting when something breaks. Whether your business is in Limerick, elsewhere in Ireland or further afield, these are the questions worth asking before you sign anything.
1. How quickly will you respond, and is that in writing?
Every provider says they are responsive. Ask for the response time in the agreement, and ask what counts as business critical. Check what happens outside business hours, and whether out-of-hours work is charged separately.
At Bluescope, clients on a Managed Services Agreement have a 60-minute business critical SLA during business hours (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm).
2. Is support a fixed monthly fee, or pay as you go?
Fixed-fee managed IT gives you predictable costs and proactive maintenance. Pay as you go can suit a business with simple IT and few problems. Ask which suits a business of your size, and why.
We offer both: a Managed Services Agreement, and Bluescope Direct Support, a prepaid block of support hours valid for 12 months. Our comparison of Bluescope Direct Support and a Managed Services Agreement sets out the differences side by side.
3. Do you monitor our systems, or wait for us to call?
Proactive monitoring catches problems such as failing disks, full storage and missed updates before they cause downtime. Ask what is monitored, how you will hear about issues, and who acts on the alerts.
4. How will you protect us from cyber attacks?
Antivirus on its own is no longer enough. Ask about endpoint protection, email security, backup and staff training, and whether the provider holds a security certification of its own. Bluescope is Cyber Essentials certified, and our Managed Cyber Security range covers all of these.
5. Where is our data backed up, and when was a restore last tested?
A backup you have never restored from is a hope, not a plan. Ask where backups are stored, how many copies are kept, and when a restore was last tested. Our 3-2-1 backup guide explains what a sound setup looks like, and Backup and Disaster Recovery covers what we provide.
6. Can you come on site?
Most problems can be fixed remotely, but some need an engineer at your desk. Ask whether on-site visits are part of the service, and how far the provider will travel. We support businesses throughout Ireland, remotely and on site, and clients further afield remotely, with on-site visits by arrangement.
7. Can you manage our Microsoft 365?
Licences are only part of the job. Ask whether the same provider will also set them up, secure your accounts and migrate your email and files, so you have one point of contact for all of it. We supply Microsoft 365 licences and can set them up and migrate your email and files for you. See our Microsoft 365 plans.
8. Can we see what existing clients say?
A good provider will point you to its reviews. Read them, and look for clients who have stayed for years. You can read our clients’ reviews.