IT Engineering Company

Choosing the Right IT Engineering Company Near You

Having highly skilled and qualified IT engineers for your business can ensure the security of your network, the stability of all your information systems, and provide technical troubleshooting. However, choosing the right IT engineer may be a daunting task. You want a skilled IT professional who can manage the entire scope of your IT services, not just a computer fix-it guy.

The right IT engineer should have the qualifications and experience to drive business growth and ensure foolproof cybersecurity. Below are proven hints to help you choose the ideal IT consultant for your business.

They Should Understand Your Business by Asking Probing Questions

A good IT engineer will begin by learning the ins and outs of your business to create a customized solution. When it comes to IT solutions, the one-size-fits-all approach simply doesn’t cut it. Even enterprises in the same industry and with a similar number of employees will have different IT needs.

A good IT engineer will begin by asking you probing questions to determine the right approach to help you achieve your unique goals, such as:

• Are you looking to reduce downtime?
• Do you want to scale production?
• Are you looking to enhance customer service?

And since technology has a ripple effect throughout an organization, answering these simple questions will help your IT engineer craft a plan to support your vision. Don’t trust a managed service provider (MSP) that knows exactly what your company requires without taking time to understand your unique needs.

Consider a Company Local to Your Headquarters

Although a huge proportion of IT support can be offered remotely, onsite support is a huge advantage when working with an outsourced service provider. Choosing a local IT service provider means you can get faster service whenever an onsite support issue arises.

For example, if your firewall fails and requires immediate replacement, it can be devastating if your IT support company is not geographically located near your premise. It could take days to address the issue, depending on the availability of a reliable third-party vendor. When your provider’s resources are close by, dispatching a skilled engineer to resolve your issues is much quicker.

For example, if your company is headquartered in Atlanta, Charlotte, or Tampa areas, the support company you hire should be in the same area for added convenience. If you have multiple branches, be sure to ask how they plan to organize support for those branches and whether they would be covered under the same support contract.

The Company Should Have Experience With Your Industry

IT solutions vary by industry, so it’s vital to hire a provider who knows the ins and outs of your specific industry’s tech needs. Ask if your provider services other companies in your industry and whether or not they have been ranked or earned awards in your specific industry. A good IT company should also be certified in your industry’s technologies.

Ability to Support Your Servers and Workstations

Besides Windows, do your workstations or servers run on different operating systems? If that is the case, does the provider have experience supporting such operating systems? Whether it’s Mac OS or Linux, a good IT engineer should have the skills and expertise to offer support. Unless you’re planning to switch infrastructure, always go with an IT company that can support your existing systems.

Ability to Support Remote Workforce

Thanks to the global pandemic, many companies have adopted the “work from anywhere” philosophy. It is the employer’s responsibility to provide employees with all the resources to complete their tasks from wherever they are. With proper IT infrastructure, working from home is a flexible form of work that frees workers to perform their duties in their out-of-office environments.

You have to invest in the right software and hardware that your staff can use to make remote work practical and productive. Some of these resources include laptops, networking devices, software, apps, and computer accessories to enable remote work. Unfortunately, these resources can be costly for small businesses. Therefore, you need to choose a professional IT service provider that allows you to pay for the resources you utilize when you use them.

Addresses Cybersecurity Challenges

As businesses implement remote work arrangements, security has become one of the most significant concerns. The surge in remote work opportunities has opened floodgates for scammers and fraudsters to target less experienced companies fumbling to establish online work platforms.

You need to hire an experienced service provider with a solid background in cybersecurity to ensure data and equipment security. By analyzing the quality and security of your systems and data, a skilled IT engineer can help you leverage the pros of remote work while protecting you from cybersecurity threats.

Prompt Technical Support

Every IT service provider has different processes for supporting clients, and response times can vary greatly. Ask about their Service Level Agreement (SLA) and response time metrics. The SLA encompasses things like:

•    How quickly do they respond to issues?
•    How fast are issues resolved?
•    What’s their turnaround time if you require onsite support?

Typically, the proof is in the numbers. Don’t fall for verbal promises that they’re “fast,” but ensure they can prove it with facts and real-time numbers.

Experience Handling an Organization of Your Size

Ask if the IT company can support all your IT needs. For example, how many IT engineers do they have on staff or in different departments? Also, ask about their support processes and whether their help desk technicians double as salespersons. Do they receive more phone calls than their help desk engineers can handle?

360 Smart Networks Provides IT Services in Metro Atlanta and Charlotte!

If you are searching for an efficient and straightforward way to manage your IT services and even incorporate remote work into your organization, talk to 360 Smart Networks today. Our skilled IT engineers offer personalized advice and support for businesses of all sizes. We are the leading IT services and IT solutions company for enterprises with more than 20 users. Whether you’re an engineering firm, architect, or construction firm, we’ve got your back. Contact us today to schedule a consultation with one of our experienced IT engineers!