When you’re looking for a partner to help you manage your business technology, you want to make the right choice the first time. However, unless you’re intimately familiar with the various nuances in today’s technological landscape, you likely don’t know what questions to ask to ensure you’re finding the best fit for your company. Here’s a few things you’ll want to be sure to ask when you’re vetting managed IT service providers in Denver.

First Things First: What Are Managed IT Services?

This idea of “managed services” has become increasingly more popular in the corporate world as the technology businesses need to thrive becomes more complex. So, what are managed IT services exactly?

“Managed Services” is basically a fancy way of saying you outsource your IT needs. A managed services provider is a person or a company that takes responsibility for a portion or the entirety of your IT systems. The services are dictated by a contract that is customizable depending on the needs of the business. They may include monitoring, backups, problem resolution, reporting, or some combination of additional support.

The Guide To Finding The Best Managed IT Service Providers In Denver

It sounds simple enough on the surface – you contract out your IT needs and then you don’t have to worry about your technology working properly, right? Not necessarily. If you don’t contract with a reputable managed IT service provider, you’re likely in for quite a bit of headache and frustration. Here’s a few things to consider before you hire one of the many managed IT service providers in Denver.

Do They Offer Fully-Managed IT Services?

There are a few different models available when it comes to managed services. In some cases, you may only want a portion of your IT infrastructure to be outsourced. In other cases, you’ll want comprehensive managed services. You’ll want to ask any managed IT service providers you interview if their managed services include a Network Operations Center that will proactively monitor your systems. If not, you’ll want to get a clear understanding of the potential disadvantages this may cause for your company.

How Do They Handle Backup and Disaster Recovery?

Backup and disaster recovery are among the most important services you can get from a managed IT service provider in Denver. Whether a technical faux pas leads to a system crash or a natural disaster wipes out your entire infrastructure, you’ll want to have the right systems in place to get up and running as soon as possible. Be sure to ask about your options for regular system backups and disaster recovery protocols from the various providers you’re considering.

Is The Business Model Proactive Or Reactive?

For a long time, IT operated under a break/fix model. This means that technology experts waited until disaster struck before doing anything to resolve the issues. As the technology has evolved, so have the resources available to managed services providers. We can now take a more proactive approach to identifying and resolving bugs that may cause bigger problems later down the road. Businesses in today’s corporate climate can’t afford for their technology to go down, so you want a managed service provider who embraces the proactive approach and keeps your business safe from technological threats.

What Is The Model For Tech Support?

This is an especially important question to ask when vetting managed IT service provider in Denver. It’s so important (and also so ingrained in the concept of managed services) that business owners often neglect to ask because they assume it will be built into their contract. You’ll want to get a clear picture of how the company in question handles technical support. Do you have to submit a ticket online? Is there an 800 number you call? Do they have a Remote Help Desk available? Will technicians come out to your place of business?

It’s not a matter of if disaster will strike, but rather when. When a problem does occur, you want to have all the resources necessary to resolve it with minimal downtime.

Finding The Best Managed IT Service Providers In Denver

More is more when you’re looking for the right managed IT service provider for your company. Don’t be afraid to ask the hard questions and dive deep into the service offerings before making a decision to hire a service provider.

If you’re looking for one of the best managed IT service providers in Denver, give Analytics Computers a call to schedule a consultation with one of our tech experts.