10 Things to Look for in an IT Service Provider

IT services are critical to any modern business’s long-term success and growth. Whether a small startup or a large corporation, you rely on technology to keep your operations running smoothly.

From technical expertise and reliability to customer service and cost-effectiveness, there are many factors to consider when choosing managed IT services. Find the right IT service provider by looking at the top 10 factors that make an excellent IT partner.

Learn how National Technology Management (NTM) can help you meet your operational goals.

1. Round-the-Clock Availability

Technical problems can arise anytime, and you should ensure your provider can respond quickly to resolve them. Look for a provider with a proven track record of high availability and fast, guaranteed response times, like NTM.

At NTM, our support team is available 24/7 for onsite and remote assistance. We track your business’ IT system round-the-clock and proactively test and monitor the system for cyberattacks and other threats.

2. Automated Services

Automated IT services eliminate repetitive and time-consuming activities, so businesses can redirect their workforce to focus on higher-value tasks, improving their overall efficiency and productivity.

Automated IT services can assist with various tasks, from data entry to report generation, which can take hours when done manually. With automation, these tasks can be performed quickly, accurately, and with minimal effort, freeing up valuable time and resources.

NTM’s managed IT solutions package can help you streamline your business workflow through automation. Our technicians will study your workflows and identify existing processes and tasks that automation can improve.

3. Daily Backups and Cloud Services

Data loss can have a devastating impact on your business. Choose a provider that offers daily backups and cloud services to ensure your data is always safe and secure. Look for a provider that offers robust backup and disaster recovery solutions, and ask about their policies and procedures for securing your data in the cloud.

With NTM, we protect your network and cloud data from cyber threats like malware, spyware, and viruses. Our 24/7 security service center offers a comprehensive vulnerability risk assessment of your current system while protecting your software with patching services.

However, novel viruses and threats can defeat the best cyber attack prevention measures. We offer comprehensive cloud-based backup strategies to protect safe copies of your business data on remote servers. This allows us to identify and restore any data that has been compromised.

4. Disaster Recovery Planning

In addition to backup and recovery solutions, you also need a provider that offers disaster recovery planning. This includes identifying potential disaster scenarios, developing response plans, and testing those plans to ensure that they will be effective in the event of an actual disaster.

Whether due to a natural disaster like a hurricane, corrupted data, or a ransomware cyber attack, when disaster strikes, you can rely on NTM’s remote and onsite support services to get your business back up and running.

Our Business Continuity & Disaster Recovery (BCDR) plan includes varying data center storage locations, data backups each hour, cloud-based restoration points, and speed and functionality testing protocols for your recovery operation.

5. SaaS and HaaS IT Solutions

When choosing an IT service provider, look for an organization that offers both Software as a Service (Saas) and Hardware as a Solution (HaaS) services. SaaS is a cloud-based approach to IT, which is typically more cost-effective and scalable than installed hardware. However, choosing a provider that offers both services ensures you have access to expertise and knowledge regarding hardware systems if needed.

NTM’s core managed IT services provider, easy-access SaaS and HaaS solutions. This allows you to customize your business’ IT system by reconfiguring applications and hardware rather than programming locally-installed software for a more affordable and efficient way to manage your data.

6. Service Level Agreements

A Service Level Agreement (SLA) is a contract that outlines the level of service and support that an IT service provider will deliver. It defines uptime and response time metrics and sets clear expectations for the service provider and client.

Choose a provider that integrates transparent SLAs into their onboarding process and ongoing support. NTM defines SLAs during onboarding to clarify your arrangement and ensure you know what to expect from their team. They will continually review your SLA, allowing you to make changes as needed.

7. Employee Support

Your IT service provider should offer engaged support to help your employees get the most out of your technology. This may include training, education, help desk, and technical assistance. Look for a provider like NTM that offers a comprehensive employee support program.

Our technicians provide in-depth ongoing cybersecurity training and awareness for your staff to help them recognize common threats like phishing attacks and email fraud. We also help streamline the onboarding process and assist you with every step, from installing our SafeSecure® software package to data migration to an onsite client training and walkthrough session.

8. Proactive Maintenance and Upgrades

Corporate technology planning is an ongoing process to help you improve your workflow and grow the technical side of your business. So, you need a provider offering proactive maintenance and upgrades to ensure your technology is always up-to-date and running optimally. This includes regular software updates, security patches, and essential upgrades on current or build-from-scratch IT infrastructure.

NTM’s fully managed IT services include proactive monitoring and support that identify where your IT system needs updating and make changes so you don’t experience a business interruption.

9. Security Testing and Monitoring

Security is a top concern for any business, with over 1,380 cyber attacks per company per week in 2022. You need a provider that can help you protect your data and systems from potential threats.

NTM offers threat detection and cybersecurity services that protect your organization 24/7. Our SafeSecure IT service package includes risk assessment, patching services, and round-the-clock monitoring to protect your information from cyber threats.

10. Third-Party Vendor Partnerships

Your company may partner with third-party vendors to help manage your technology infrastructure. For example, you may use third-party software for employee onboarding or medical EHR software for patient records.

Maintaining compliance when working with third-party vendors is crucial to your business. Look for an IT service provider like NTM that offers a robust reporting and compliance software package that protects your company from data security risks and offers quality control for third-party vendor relationships.

Managed Services Help Your Bottom Line

Managed services play a vital role in your business operations by providing a comprehensive, cost-effective solution that keeps your technology up-to-date and running smoothly. With managed services provider National Technology Management, you enjoy the benefits of fast, reliable IT services while reducing your IT costs.

Contact National Technology Management to learn more about how our managed services can help your business streamline operations. Our team of experts is ready to work with you to develop a customized solution that meets your organization’s needs to support your operational processes.