Is your company covered? New technology opens doors and offers better security for your company. Hiring a Collar Counties IT company for your business means getting the specialized tech support you need. The 2018 Industry Trends for Managed Service Providers found that ¾ of all small businesses outsourced some or all of their IT. Getting outside support for your company will trim staffing costs, improve your tech capabilities and increase virtual security.

Finding IT Support in the Chicago Collar Counties

According to the 2019 State of IT©, the top five reasons businesses plan to increase their IT budget this year are:

  • Need to upgrade outdated IT infrastructure (64%)
  • Increased security concerns (56%)
  • Increased priority on IT projects (56%)
  • Employee growth (43%)
  • Changes to regulations (37%)

No matter what your tech need, outsourcing solutions with managed service providers can help you get the expertise you need without hiring on a full-time in-house tech department. You can hire an IT team that will audit your current network, policies and practices, offering recommendations to bring your company up-to-speed. Your tech company should be experienced in helping you meet regulations for your industry, keep high-security standards and get the updated technology you need without excessive spending.

Questions to Ask Your Collar Counties IT Managed Service Provider

When you are looking for a company to help your Illinois business with tech support, you will want to make sure you are finding the right fit. Not all tech MSP companies are the same or offer the same support packages.

Do You Offer After Hours Support?

When you need help, you need a tech company that is ready to get moving towards solutions. Ask your tech support company about after-hours support. Find out who will be answering your call and how long a response typically takes. The average response time of IT support is 4 hours. That is way too long to be waiting for help if your network crashes, you get hit with a virus or your data is lost and needs recovery.

A good tech support company will have a real person answering the phones who can start working on your problem immediately. And, not just a secretary or call service that will relay your problem to a tech, but a trained and qualified tech that understands the needs of your business.

How Many Qualified IT Techs are Currently on Staff?

You want the agility and attention of a small IT MSP, but not the inconsistency or limitations. While large IT companies may have you slipping through the cracks, small IT companies can struggle to keep up and may not have enough experience professionals available to help. When a one-man-show gets sick, who helps cover the IT needs of the clients?

Find out how many qualified professionals are available that you would trust with your account. You want to know who will be mainly responsible for handling your account, but also that you are covered if something changes or your tech leaves the company. You want to know that the best people are handling the various needs of your business IT, but that you do have an account manager to contact as needed. You need an IT company small enough to remember you, but big enough to support you.

What Will IT Managed Services Cost our Chicago Collar Counties Company?

When you are finding an MSP for tech support in the Chicago Collar Counties, you should be able to clearly understand the pricing and services they offer. If the company is unclear about costs or have fees incurred for various services, then you need to steer clear. You don’t want to need support and suddenly find out your monthly IT budget is shot with hidden fees. Pick a company that offers transparent and consistent pricing tailored to the needs of your company.

What is My Company’s Biggest Security Risk?

You have to make security decisions based on risk analysis. If your consultant isn’t asking if you’ve had an assessment, then something is already off. Once you have had a risk analysis done, your tech company should immediately be able to tell you where major breaches are likely to occur. This is going to be incredibly important in helping you find the tech company that will have solutions that support the needs of your business.

When are Tech Audits Done?

Don’t hire a company that isn’t going to stay active in protecting your company. Your IT MSP should be watching your back and suggesting changes regularly. You need a company that will carefully audit your company but won’t nickel and dime you with unnecessary changes. Your company should offer employee tech security training to reduce the human error factor that is the leading cause of data breaches and can cost your company big time. Ask your company how often they are looking at your account and auditing your network.

Can You Provide Client References?

Your tech support company should have experience with companies in your industry. A great company should easily be able to provide clients who have been happy with their services and are willing to provide a testimonial. You want to hire a local IT company you can trust with a great longstanding reputation in the community. Those references should support all the claims your company is making. You need to know that your IT company is experienced and will act on their promises. Don’t trust the security of your company to anyone who is unproven or inexperienced.

Finding Tech Solutions for Your Business in The Chicago Collar Counties

When you are looking to outsource IT, you need a company that offers all of the tech services you may need. Finding a one-stop-shop for your IT means you have fewer companies to juggle and a lower chance of services clashing or leaving security gaps. At ACT Network Solutions, we offer a wide number of the services you need:

  • Security Sentinel
  • Cloud Services
  • DataVault Data Backup Services
  • IT Security Services
  • ACT Managed Network Services
  • HIPAA Compliance Services
  • Mobile Device Management
  • Security Awareness Training

We are a family owned and operated business with more than 30 years of experience as a local tech support company in the Collar Counties. We stand out in the area as an IT MSP company that takes time to really understand the businesses we serve. Our team of professionals is ready to help you find the tech solutions you need. Are you ready to get tech coverage for your company? Call us at (847)639-7000 or start a Live Chat now to find out how we can help provide the solutions your business needs to thrive.