In 2021, the Network As-A-Service market was worth $10.5 billion, yet it’s set to grow to a staggering $140 billion before 2030! It’s clear there is a growing demand for network installation and related services, but it’s still a tricky subject for many business leaders to get their heads around.
Due to the technical nature of network installation, it can be difficult to know if a network installer is legit or if they’re pretending they’re something they are not. In this comprehensive guide, we have 12 solid tips that will help you hire the right network installation service for your business. Read on to get the lowdown and the confidence to move forward with the hiring process.
They Have Excellent Support Agreement Options
Since there is a vast array of companies that offer network installation services in some shape or form, it’s crucial you find one that offers you a support agreement that suits your needs.
Installing the network is just one aspect of the bigger picture. The installation company also needs to maintain the network and ideally offer you a full package of IT services.
These days, many companies do not see the need to have large IT departments anymore, but instead, outsource all their IT needs to an IT support company. When you do this, you save a lot of time, effort, and money because you’re hiring a team of specialists that would take you years to find for your company if you were to go it alone.
The Team Are Certified Professionals
No matter what a network installer says about what they can do, make sure to inquire about their certifications. It’s easy for any company to say all the right IT buzzwords and sound intelligent, but how do really know they can deliver on what they say?
Your network installer should have a diverse team of certified professionals on its books. They need to have cyber security experts, excellent support staff, and cloud computing “wizards,” among other IT professionals, to serve your needs!
To learn about their certifications, simply ask them. It’s also a good idea to ask the company about any ongoing education and training they are doing with their staff. The reason for this is that the digital world is constantly evolving, and so you would assume that a professional IT company is learning and evolving too.
They Offer an Actively Managed Relationship
Any IT support and network installing company will be able to fix your computers. The real value in such a company is when they can actively manage your systems to get the best performance out of them. This way, your business will be more efficient and your staff won’t have as many interruptions in their workday from computer issues as they may have had before.
Say for example that the network installation service deals with your wireless network installation. Once it is installed they should manage it for you and also make any improvements if new technologies come along. When you find a company like this that you can rely on, all your stresses and worries concerning IT-related issues will disappear.
Furthermore, a good IT and network provider will ensure that their services align with your company’s goals and way of doing business. They won’t try to change everything you have developed in terms of processes so far but instead improve on them by integrating their technology to better suit your needs.
They Have Experience with Organizations Your Size
A network installer may have excellent credentials and impressive staff members, but if they haven’t worked with a company of your size, they might not be right for the job. Thus, ensure they have relevant experience with companies of your size.
It may be that you come across a company that is growing and has been dealing with companies that are a little smaller than yours. If this is the case, then may sure they are up to the task of dealing with your network installation by asking them to show you detailed plans of how they will achieve it.
They Know Your Industry Inside Out
It is much more beneficial for your company to choose a network installer and IT management company that knows about your industry. Without any knowledge of your industry, how will they know what IT solutions will work best for your business?
For instance, they should know about things like compliance regulations, how you receive money and the typical day-to-day issues that your company faces. They also ought to know what specific applications and technology they can offer to improve your existing setup.
They’ve Earned Their Credentials
The best wireless network installers and IT professionals will have earned their credentials, not bought them. Just like in any industry, the IT world has special awards that they give to companies that perform the best, show innovation and leadership, and provide inspiration for others in the industry.
Some stand-out awards that top IT companies will have include CRM’s MSP 500, MSSP Alert’s Top 250 MSSPs, and Channele2e’s Top 100 MSPs, for example. When an IT company is awarded a spot in these lists, they have proven they are worth their salt in the eyes of industry experts.
In addition, you should also look to see what partnerships the IT specialists you’re looking to hire have. Some companies might have a partnership with Microsoft, while others could team up with HP, Dell, or someone else. Think about what brand that most of your current hardware is and then see if you can find an IT company is partnered with that brand so that they have experience with what you use.
Their Onboarding Process is Thorough
While your network installer should be flexible for your needs, if they are too open-minded then trying to agree on things can lead to stagnation. At the very least the IT provider should have their fundamental onboarding processes well-documented so that you and them can get the ball rolling right away.
It’s crucial that the IT company you are with can make immediate transitional changes with ease. If they seem baffled by your current setup and take time to figure out where they need to start, you might want to consider another network installer.
They Take Security Seriously
As much as you want a network installer to talk about your security needs, you need to question how seriously they take their own security. After all, if they have a breach, it doesn’t matter how tight your security is because a hacker may be able to gain access to your network through your provider.
A simple way to find out about the IT provider’s security is to ask them what measures they have in place. Ask if they are equal to or better than the security that they are suggesting for you.
If you want some industry lingo then you say “what’s your cyber security posture like?” You should expect to hear about phishing simulations and vulnerability scans, and that they carry out penetration tests. If they don’t ask them about these specifics and try to gauge their confidence and knowledge of the issues.
They Have Previous Success Stories
Many IT companies will have independent online customer reviews written about them which you should definitely check out if they are available. a good place to read these sorts of reviews, for example, is on Trustpilot.com.
Reading testimonials on a company’s website will not be the best way to figure out how a company works because the company will always only ever put positive testimonials. On websites like Trustpilot, you can see verified reviews and really get the gist of what a company is about. Their star rating system is also a good quick indicator of how a company fairs against its competition.
Furthermore, you should ask the company you’re considering going with directly about people they’ve worked with. Ask how they helped them grow their business through their networking and various other IT solutions.
Some evidence you can ask for is cross-feedback from support ticketing systems they have used with other clients. You can also request permission to chat with current clients they have as well.
Making Support Requests with Them Is Easy
One thing you should endeavor to find out is whether the IT company you are checking out allows you to make support requests with ease. Once the company has set up your network and got everything running, will they continue to offer great service or will they slump into a less enthusiastic nature when you deal with them months or years down the line?
To learn about how a network installation service and managed IT provider deals with support requests, ask them to run through their processes with you. Any provider worth their salt will allocate time to do this, as it’s a sign that they are willing to put effort into the potential to grow their own business.
Here are a few questions you can ask concerning support requests:
- How do you track issues?
- How is your after-hours support different from business hours?
- How do you escalate issues to higher support levels?
- What will be your approach to working with my vendors?
- How does your onsite support function?
IT providers should be able to track tickets through every step of the support process. This is what keeps them accountable.
professional IT providers should offer 24/7 services. You should find out if the provider offers you 24/7 support as part of your package or whether they will bill you separately for after-hours support.
If you end up having a complicated IT issue, you need to know that you can get it escalated to IT specialists that will deal with it fast. So a good IT provider will have an excellent chain of escalation in place to make your IT problems disappear quicker.
Another thing a network installer should be competent at is dealing with all your vendors with little fuss. The last thing you want is you have to be a go-between with your vendors and network management company.
Sometimes you need onsite support, so make sure the company you choose can offer this with ease. This means an ideal company will be one that’s local and can reach your office in a short timeframe to fix any issues you have.
They Have Clear Verbal Communication
Anyone will expect an IT company to be an expert in their field, but the best companies also can offer excellent verbal communication in various ways. For instance, such a company might be able to simplify the complex language of certain IT issues and boil them down into a straightforward explanation.
Also, you should be able to talk to the company’s customer service representatives with little fuss. These reps should also know, to an extent, about IT issues so that you don’t have to spend time explaining the mechanics of any problems that you happen to have.
It Makes Clear Financial Sense
Like any business decision, hiring a network installer has to make financial sense for your company. This is why you should spend time running through the numbers to ensure you’re going to see benefits to your company when you hire an IT provider.
To ensure you do get bang for your buck, make an effort to run through the numbers with at least two to three options before you commit to any contract. Also, it’s always worth asking for a discount.
How to Do Network Installation the Right Way
As you now know, there are several tips to help you find the right network installation service for your company. Some of these tips include looking for respected credentials, checking on the company’s experience, and making sure that they value their own security as much as yours.
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