Choosing a new IT provider

by | May 26, 2021 | Business

We often receive inquiries from representatives of local businesses about our IT services. Typically, the inquiry is submitted by someone who has been tasked to reach out to two or three Vancouver Island IT companies to get a quote for managing their IT. We strongly recommend that business leaders do not take this approach when considering a new IT support provider to manage their technology and here’s why:

 

IT is a critical function within your business 

It is critical that the leadership at your company is involved in the decision-making process from the beginning. A C-level executive should have a strong grasp of your current IT systems, costs, plans and selection of provider. IT continues to be a critical function when it comes to your success, don’t rely on others to make or influence this big decision. 

When investigating a new potential IT partner, leadership should be present at some or all meetings. One of the simple reasons for this has to do with communication. Second-hand information can become unintentionally, filtered, edited and can be misinterpreted. Recall the lessons learned from the telephone game. Delegating the task of seeking a new IT service provider to someone else in the company can cause the business leader to make this important business decision based on the wrong reasons. 

The choice should not be based on price alone 

We all know that the cheapest product is rarely the best — ultimately you get what you pay for. Choosing an IT provider based on price alone is poor decision-making criteria. This can result in technical debt that will rear its ugly head later. We witness this frequently; we do not wish poor IT on our worst enemyAs an IT service provider, cleaning up from technical debt can create a lot of work and at the end of the day costs the company, who thought they were saving money, more.

Your IT should align with your business goals   

Your IT roadmap should be one that is aligned with your business goals. In order to put an IT plan in place that will scale with your business — as you grow or evolve — requires a strong understanding of your business, your industry (compliance, legal and contractual obligations) by your IT partner. Not every IT support company is the same —  we all have different areas of expertise, capacity, and process that we adhere to.  

IT is a critical part of your business function. The business decision of selecting which provider becomes your IT department should be made by the ultimate decision maker in your business.