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Table of Contents
What Is An IT Services Company?
An IT services company provides brands with expert guidance and delivers solutions for their unique IT needs.
These specialized firms make it possible for business owners and employees to leverage systems, networks, applications and other devices to help specific operations run smoothly in their organizations.
Their core offerings include:
- Discover and analyze issues in their existing IT infrastructure
- Provide strategic advice for improving tech solutions to reach their desired goals
- Create and implement solutions based on their specific needs
- Help them align their technology strategy with their business goals
What Services Do IT Support Companies Provide?
The main services of IT support companies include:
1. Product Engineering
These companies use in-depth analytics and sophisticated platforms to analyze product efficiency and how it is being used, enabling organizations to create better experiences for customers.
This gives brands actionable insights into:
- How to improve their products
- What bugs to fix
- How to create next-gen solutions that solve prior user problems
2. Software Programming
An IT support company assists businesses in building and implementing software and applications using current industry approaches.
They have access to cutting-edge tools, resources and programs that help them gain a deeper understanding of your business needs, customer challenges and opportunities.
They will identify which key features and functions make your product more efficient in reaching and engaging your consumers.
3. Technical Support
Whether you’re looking for actionable tips or insights into new technological trends and developments, an IT services company can help steer you in the right direction and give your team the technical support they need to stay afloat.
They can implement a strong communication system and provide subsequent support to give your brand a much-needed boost.
Technological support can connect to current infrastructures or it could be a result of a newly-integrated system set up by the company.
Either way, this support is necessary for smooth sailing operations, taking the pressure off of your team and leaving a qualified tech team to handle it.
4. Data Insights
When it comes to analytics and the more technical concepts, your in-house team probably doesn’t know what to do with the collected data.
IT support companies make sense of the data and will help you understand where your resources are being allocated and if your current technical setup is helping or hurting.
They can provide the technical support you need to keep your day-to-day operations running smoothly and efficiently, which is critical to your overall business success.
5. Strategic Consulting
IT services companies can provide strategic advice to outline your future implementations.
From branding to product development and communication networks, these IT experts can help you create a strategic plan and give you access to a network of information that will shape future business growth.
Strategic consulting can help you:
- Determine your product structure
- Deploy branding initiatives
- Cultivate an online identity
- And more
6. Additional Services Of IT Support Companies
The list of IT services these specialized companies offer goes beyond technical support and software programming. It may include:
- Data backups
- Cloud services
- Disaster management
- Network operations
- Network equipment
- Cybersecurity and compliance
- Computer repair
- Virtual desktops
- File servers
- And more
How Much Do IT Services Companies Charge?
IT services companies usually charge between $50 and $150 per hour.
However, some firms may charge as low as $10 or $25 and even as high as $200 per hour.
The difference in pricing boils down to:
- Company stature and size
- Project scope and complexity
Another billing option is the fee per project:
- The lowest valued projects IT solutions companies typically accept is $1,000.
- Those that offer high-end services accept projects that vary between $10,000 and $50,000+.
Why Should You Hire An IT Support Company?
According to Spiceworks Ziff Davis’ 2022 State of IT report, 53% of companies plan to increase their IT budgets by 2022.
The vast majority of spending goes towards supporting remote workers - investing in emerging technologies and security solutions to upgrade their processes.
This is why you should hire an IT services company. These specialized experts can help you implement new technologies for your remote staff and so much more.
Here are the top reasons why you should outsource the services of IT support companies:
Reason #1: Save Money And Boost Productivity
While hiring an IT staff can cost you a few thousand dollars per month, outsourcing IT services is a much more cost-effective alternative.
An IT service company has a team of specialists who can handle all your IT needs at a fraction of in-house costs.
These firms come equipped with:
- Cutting-edge tools
- Software licenses
- Platform certifications
- Service subscriptions
- And more
...something that most businesses cannot afford on their own, especially those on a tight budget.
In addition, these specialized companies can also help you improve productivity, efficiency and competitiveness since they can have faster and smarter:
- Research
- Development
- Implementation
Reason #2: Stay Up-To-Date
Because different solutions like software and applications need to be upgraded as new versions are released, an IT support company can help businesses stay up-to-date.
The key benefit of this is that they will help you save time and money in the long run since you won’t have to regularly spend additional money on functionalities that will boost your computer or solution’s performance.
Another advantage is that these IT experts will provide you and your employees with knowledge on how to utilize the updated tools to better run your business operations.
Reason #3: Get Access To Cutting-Edge Tools
Most businesses, especially the small ones, cannot afford to purchase premium tools or the latest technologies.
Some of them are not even able to allocate some finances for constant investment in technical training.
However, in the technological era, staying relevant plays a key role in solving problems faster, staying productive, generating client engagement and boosting revenue.
This is something a top IT services company can offer.
Your business can benefit a lot from their expertise combined with the advanced tools and technology they use.
Reason #4: Keep Your Products Secure
FBI’s Internet Crime Report reveals that due to cybercrime, businesses reported revenue losses of $3.5 billion in 2019.
Since then, cyber-attacks continue to rise with no signs of slowing down. In fact, they are estimated to reach $5 trillion by 2024.
Hackers don’t discriminate when it comes to size, location or industry. If not protected properly, security threats can cost businesses money, clients and reputation.
One of the IT support companies’ core offerings is cybersecurity. These professional agencies have specific processes in place that protect organizations against malware and other types of potential attacks.
They can also train your team on how to use technologies to recognize threats.
How To Select The Right IT Service Company
Take the following steps to choose the top IT services company easily and quickly:
Step #1: Understand Their Industry Expertise
IT services companies have experienced teams that can help organizations develop solutions and connect with their customers.
They understand the struggles that a subpar system or network can have on your overall business operations.
They are also well-versed in working with one another to create a streamlined process that will answer all of your business problems in a timely and effective manner.
However, not all IT solutions companies have relevant industry expertise.
While many IT initiatives share the same processes and equipment, industry expertise matters in better understanding your needs which ultimately accelerate project delivery.
Step #2: Find Out Their Core Offerings
Each IT support company offers its own host of services that can help your brand achieve better performance.
Their goals and strategies also vary. For instance, some of them are more brand-oriented while others are more product-focused.
Some may offer IT consulting services only while others may provide a full range of services including product development and implementation.
Once you determine your needs and goals you will be able to find a company that is equipped to solve your brand’s specific problems.
Step #3: Ask About Their Cost Of Services
Understand your budget and ask the potential IT solutions companies about their cost of services and pricing plans.
Understand what exactly you are getting for the price and make sure everything is included in the contract.
In addition, IT solutions require regular updates and maintenance. So, you should also ask the potential partners whether you need to pay an additional fee for support.
Step #4: See If They Provide Actionable Insights
When it comes to product analytics, it’s common to have complaints about system bugs and ineffective communication networks. Some companies are not able to collect, read or understand the collected data.
If your company doesn’t have any technical experts in house, you should find a company that can:
- Provide actionable insights that lead to effective and long-term business growth solutions.
- Interpret this data to help you understand how specific software or operations are performing.
- Create strategies and take initiatives based on this data that will give your brand and your products the extra edge they need to succeed.
Step #5: Learn How They Stay Current
The fast-paced nature of the tech industry dictates that technology evolves, improves and often becomes obsolete within very short timeframes.
When partnering with a specialized company, it’s important to look for a vendor that stays current on the latest technological developments.
After all, app development and the IoT weren’t major concerns a few years ago, but they’re mission-critical today.
You should ask potential candidates how often they do updates and what improvements they already have in the works.
You can also ask what support they provide in order to help make sure updates are implemented efficiently and with minimal disruption to your operations.
Top IT support companies will have a process in place to help clients manage updates.
Step #6: Understand If They Offer Employee Training
Employees not knowing how to use the new technology is one of the most common reasons why system adoption fails.
Training is an essential component of IT implementation, but it’s not always something that gets discussed during the sales process.
If you want to ensure the highest likelihood of success for a specific implementation, you have to choose a vendor that guarantees a high level of training and onboarding as part of their service.
Step #7: Find Out If They Can Scale Their Solutions
Whether you’re moving systems to the cloud or endeavoring to close the analytics gap between online and offline marketing channels, you probably have a good idea of where your greatest technology vulnerabilities lie.
Your future needs, on the other hand, will be much less obvious.
Company technology needs to evolve over time and while a specific vendor may be able to offer solutions to address current challenges, you should also try to assess their readiness to meet future needs as well.
The best IT partners will be able to offer solutions to fill your most pressing technology needs but are also prepared to grow their service offerings alongside your business.
The agency you hire should offer a range of solutions and services in different categories.
Even if those services aren’t what you require when you first enter into an agreement, knowing what your options are moving forward is an important determining factor.
The Key Questions To Ask IT Solutions Companies
These are the top 25 questions to ask potential IT services companies to find out which of them can meet your business needs and fit your company culture:
1. Work experience
To ensure project success, it is important to hire an IT support company that understands the kind of services you need.
To get a clear grasp of their expertise and experience, consider the following questions:
- What does your experience with other brands look like?
- Will there be a dedicated team working with our IT and communication systems?
- Can we meet the experts who will work on our project?
- Can you talk about some successful projects you’ve completed for brands in the past?
- What are the principles that drive you as an agency and as a team?
2. Communication
Communication can make or break a project. And like with any outsourced work, you need to make sure communication goes smoothly across teams and tasks are getting completed on time.
To make certain information flow smoothly, be sure to ask prospective candidates the following:
- How regularly will you check in with our team?
- Will we have regular face-to-face meetings?
- What communication channels will we use?
- Whom will we be in constant communication with?
- How do we notify you of any concerns or errors in the process?
3. Performance reports
When it comes to processing systems and overall infrastructure, tracking data and performance play a key role in business performance.
So, the IT services company you hire must provide you with actionable insights that they can use to diagnose problems and teach you ways to optimize operations.
Make sure the IT experts answer the following:
- How will we be notified of the process and timeline?
- How frequently will we get progress reports?
- Will your team be performing routine maintenance and checkups?
- What kind of analytics tools do you use to measure performance?
- What can we do with the data reports you provide?
4. Timeline
Integrating new networks, systems and infrastructures takes time to implement so it’s important to know what is the time slot for these updates and how it will affect day-to-day operations.
Key questions to ask top IT solutions companies are:
- How long does it take for you to implement these systems and networks?
- What is your schedule and will it be made available to us?
- How much work will you need from us?
- How will this affect current operations?
- Will you provide support for our team throughout the process?
5. Budget
When you outsource IT services, it's important to know what you’re getting into financially.
By 2022, global IT spending is expected to reach about $4.4 trillion — so, it’s a market that is rapidly growing.
Understanding how much these companies charge and how they process payments is important for deciding if their needs can meet your own.
Key questions to address are:
- How much do your services cost?
- How do you break down your service pricing?
- What kind of payment do you accept?
- What is the schedule or frequency of payments?
- Do we have to pay more for continued maintenance?
Takeaways On IT Services Companies
IT services companies help brands like yours achieve operational efficiency, boost productivity and accelerate business growth.
They typically charge between $50 and $150 per hour.
You should invest in a top IT service company to:
- Stay up-to-date and relevant in the market
- Get access to cutting edge tools
- Keep your products secure
To hire the right partner for your business needs, make sure to:
Understand their industry expertise
- Find out their core offerings
- Ask about their cost of services
- See if they provide actionable insights
- Learn how they stay current
- Understand if they offer employee training
- Find out if they can scale their solutions
Best of luck!
