Whether you’re a small, medium, or large business, finding a reliable and high-quality IT partner is important. At the end of the day, the right technology and the right support is critical for seamless business operations and growth. So, what are some of the markers of a great partner? Below you’ll find 7 of the top qualities to look out for when you’re trying to decide if an IT company is right for your business.
Strong Vendor Relationships
Strong vendor relationships are incredibly valuable for both IT resellers and their customers. The reason is that when an IT provider works closely with technology vendors, they can ensure cost-savings, timely delivery, and fast support.
It’s also important to check whether an IT provider has the right vendor qualifications for the solutions you require. For example, we invest significantly in ongoing staff training and development to ensure our team has the right skills to resolve complex problems quickly and effectively. When you’re looking for the right provider, you can simply request a summary of the relevant certifications their staff hold to make sure they have the expertise they say they have.
Quality Management System ISO9001 Certification
One way to determine the quality of service an IT company provides is to check if they are ISO9001 certified. So, why is it important to look out for? Well, ISO9001 certification means a company can satisfy customers and help them meet regulatory requirements and achieve continual improvements.
Area9’s Managed Services are developed using our ISO9001 certified Quality Management System that incorporates design, implementation, and delivery of information technology services, cloud, consulting, products, and solutions.
A Proactive Approach
When it comes to IT, it’s important to get ahead of any issues as much as possible rather than having a reactive approach. That’s why you need an IT partner who is proactive. This not only helps give you peace of mind, it’s also an important part of business continuity. A partner that provides monitoring and fast response times helps you to avoid expensive and frustrating downtime.
Timely Support and Reliability
A common frustration we see companies facing is long wait times when IT issues arise. And we get it – when something isn’t working it can dramatically affect your business. Make sure your IT partner has the capacity to provide the support you need, when you need it. IT companies sometimes provide 24/7 support as a service that you can add to your projects for an extra fee. This helps you make sure your business has access to timely assistance and issue resolution.
When you’re choosing an IT provider, don’t be afraid to ask them what they’ve done to go above and beyond for customers. While some companies restrict you to certain support staff members when issues arise, our leaders, such as our Service Delivery Director, will step in when necessary to make sure your business gets the level of support you need, and fast.
Available During Busy Periods
While we’re on the topic of support and reliability, experiencing busier periods doesn’t mean your business should suffer. At Area9, we maintain a certain level of support capacity in the team by making sure there are always enough resources available to meet customer demands. When we encounter unexpected events we’re able to allocate staff from other non-essential areas of the business to make sure we always have the capacity to support customers, even during peak demand periods.
Demonstrated Expertise
Not sure if an IT company can get the job done? Ask for information about previous projects they’ve worked on or look for recent customer case studies. This will help you determine whether a company has the experience and expertise you’re looking for. For example, at Area9 we regularly release new case studies across a range of industries and our team are always open to discussing other projects with customers (with permission from our customers of course). Just ask!
Measuring Customer Satisfaction
Last, but not least—a quality IT provider won’t just deliver a service or a project and consider it done. To continually improve, paying attention to customer feedback is a core part of the process. Every time we complete a body of work for a customer, we follow up with a simple satisfaction survey to make sure we’re doing everything we can to satisfy their IT needs while providing a positive experience throughout the service and we never finish the job until you’re completely satisfied.
Are you planning an IT project? Get in touch with our experts to find out how we can help you reach your desired business outcomes.
