Choosing an IT Support company isn’t the easiest task in the world. With such a huge choice of service suppliers out there to choose from, choosing the right company can be tricky indeed especially if you are in a large city such as London (like I am).
I am writing this article in the hope that it may help others make the right choice in the long run. I am a PA for the MD of a company based in the capital and it is people in my position that are usually given the task of finding the right support company. If the company is Google then we take the glory, if they are rubbish then we take the flack.

So what do you look for when choosing an IT Support company? Hopefully the below will help.

Location.
It goes without saying that you want someone local. Granted, most computer problems nowadays are fixed remotely but there will be sometimes when a bit of support will be needed onsite. For this reasons I would recommend going for a local organisation that can provide onsite support as and when it is needed. IN the past we have outsourced our IT Support to a company in India and if things went wrong they used subcontractors in the capital. This sounded fine on paper and the service was cheap but in the end it simply wasn’t working which is why we cast the net closer to home.

Experience.
There is no substitute to it. The experience that the company has will prove invaluable in the long run. Check to see how long the company have been established, IT Support is a cut through industry so if they have been in business for a long time there is a good chance that is because they know what they are doing. Don’t be afraid to ask questions such as how long they have been established and what qualifications both the company and their engineers hold. Sound advice is to go for a firm that are a Microsoft Gold Certified Partner.

Contract length.
Always a tricky one. The contract length should play a big part in whether you choose to employee their services. NEVER in a million years sign up for a 12 month contract, is that suicide. Short term rolling contract keep companies on their toes and ensure that you don’t end up getting tied into a rubbish service.
Be cautious of companies that are ‘giving IT Support away’ as this would indicate that they are a little desperate for clients and they are prepared to give away valuable resource time to get people on board.

Small print.
Finally, above all else, make sure that the level of support you will receive is clear as crystal. Don’t end up getting mugged off with a firm that only support Microsoft apps and operating systems with everything else being ‘chargeable’.

Resources.
There are many IT Support companies out there so utilise Google and run the rule over their website first. Remember, these are techie people so their website should reflect this.
 

We used an IT Support London based company that worked out really well for us.