Over the years, we've had numerous interactions with potential clients. However, we often find that the questions asked are not as insightful as they could be. Frequently, these inquiries revolve around the shortcomings of their previous service providers, offering only a partial perspective.
Enquiring about the cost, while important, should not be the main concern. In response to this query, we emphasize, "The lower the price, the higher the potential hidden costs." Opting for the cheapest option may ultimately lead to increased expenses due to data breaches, service disruptions, and various other complications.
When it comes to selecting the ideal IT service provider for your business, it is imperative to pose the following questions to ensure that you are making the right choice.
1: How Extensive is Your Business Experience?
The duration an IT service provider has been established speaks volumes about their expertise and stability within the industry.
RCS Professional Services, for instance, has proudly operated since 1999. Our extensive tenure in the field has exposed us to the full spectrum of Microsoft Windows iterations, along with the challenges presented by constant updates and upgrades. Over the years, we've navigated the evolving landscape of technological solutions, and yet, we continue to thrive, diligently supporting businesses in fulfilling their IT requirements.
In contrast, younger IT service providers may lack the track record and experience necessary to efficiently manage older, unsupported systems or address routine service needs promptly. Unlike many of our competitors, we approach our clients' IT demands with a "business before technology" mindset, ensuring they remain firmly focused on achieving their business objectives.
2: What Is the Size of Your Team?
When considering an external IT service partner, it's crucial to ascertain whether they possess an adequate in-house workforce to manage your requirements, or if they rely on subcontracting to third parties. Engaging an IT service provider with insufficient internal resources can lead to delays and lower service quality, in turn costing your business valuable time and money.
At RCS, our dedicated team comprises 23 professionals, including over 15 highly skilled technical staff members encompassing senior project managers, network engineers, and remote desktop assistance experts. Unlike many other firms, we refrain from outsourcing our daily operations. This strategic choice ensures that we maintain the high level of specialized and personalized service that our clients expect from our committed IT experts.
3: What is Your Expertise and Background?
Understanding the journey, background, and motivation behind your potential IT service provider is paramount. It sheds light on their approach, and competence. Here are some crucial aspects to explore:
Origins and Path: Discover how the team arrived at their current position. Do they have a history rooted in technology, or did they enter the field from other backgrounds? Understanding their journey can offer insights into their approach to IT solutions.
Team Composition: Ascertain whether the team consists of individuals who started their careers as tech enthusiasts or if they are seasoned computer professionals. This differentiation can reveal their depth of technical expertise.
Certifications: Inquire about industry-standard vendor certifications held by the team. It's essential to ensure these certifications are up-to-date, reflecting their commitment to staying current with technology trends.
At RCS, our expertise extends beyond technical skills. We adopt a "business-first" approach to IT services, focusing on how technology applications impact your business. While we possess ample technical proficiency, we view technology as a tool rather than the sole offering. As business advisors first and foremost, we prioritize aligning technology solutions with your strategic objectives, ensuring that the underlying technology serves as an enabler for your business success.
4: What Is Your Business Knowledge?
Evaluating the service provider's grasp of business management alongside their technological expertise is crucial. Your IT service partner should possess a deep understanding of the intricacies involved in running a profitable enterprise. This understanding encompasses various facets of daily operations such as strategic planning, budgeting, leadership, personnel management, talent acquisition and retention, financial decision-making, investment strategies, and growth management, among others.
At RCS, we go beyond providing technical services; we see ourselves as trusted advisors to our clients. Our commitment is to align with their strategic business objectives and facilitate connections with valuable resources like capital, marketing software, and more. Our every action is framed within a business context, and we communicate with our clients using the language of business. We believe that the most effective IT partners are always on the lookout for innovative ways to enhance their clients' productivity, success, and, ultimately, profitability.
5: What Is Your Availability and Responsiveness?
The accessibility and responsiveness of your service provider can significantly impact the smooth functioning of your business. Ideally, your provider should offer support that aligns with your company's hours or maintains office hours that closely match your own. At RCS, we prioritize being there when you need us, with operating hours from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., ensuring our availability during crucial business times.
One standout advantage we offer is real-time assistance from live agents who can promptly address and resolve your issues. When you reach out to us, you won't be greeted by automated systems but instead can engage with a live person.
Even after business hours, your concerns don't fall into a void. Our voicemail system is programmed to immediately alert our on-call team members, the same professionals you interact with during our standard operating hours. This seamless response to IT emergencies underscores our commitment to accessibility. We understand that the more responsive a service provider is to your IT needs, the more accessible and dependable they become for your business.
6: What Does Your Hiring Process Look Like?
A service provider's hiring process is a window into the quality of their personnel and their ability to fulfill your IT needs effectively.
Are their hiring procedures meticulously designed to select candidates possessing the highest levels of technical expertise, business acumen, and inherent character? Do they go beyond standard interviews, conducting comprehensive online and in-person technical assessments, online workplace evaluations, DISC assessments, and multi-tiered interviews? Is there a stringent process for background checks and reference verification as well?
In order to ensure that only the most exceptional and qualified candidates are selected, a prospective service provider should subject potential hires to a rigorous evaluation, akin to passing through a traditional "gauntlet."
7: What Constitutes Your Training Process?
Understanding the depth and precision of an IT service provider's training process is paramount. It reflects their commitment to ensuring their employees are equipped to handle your unique IT needs.
At RCS, our training regimen encompasses a multifaceted approach. We offer training not only on essential business software but also on industry-specific concepts tailored to your business. Furthermore, we delve into intricate strategies designed to enhance the workflows of each team member. These strategies span a range of skills, from optimizing productivity in Office applications to mastering multitasking and improving communication techniques.
Our training program culminates in a comprehensive "Final Exam," which assesses both technical proficiency and consulting skills. Candidates must successfully navigate this evaluation, along with completing a specific number of on-site shadowing experiences and producing requisite documentation.
Once onboarded, each team member is allocated a personal training budget, emphasizing the significance of continuous education for personal growth.
These rigorous steps ensure that only the most exceptional, intellectually astute, and driven individuals are entrusted with managing your company's IT challenges, reaffirming our commitment to excellence in service delivery.
8: What Is Your Employee Retention Strategy?
The longevity of employees at a service provider is a key indicator of their organizational health. It's important to understand how long individuals tend to stay and, equally crucial, why there may be turnover.
Every company experiences natural attrition due to factors like retirement and career progression. However, a high turnover rate, characterized by a majority of employees departing within a short timeframe, can signal underlying issues within the organization.
Excessive turnover disrupts the continuity and stability of your service team. Frequent replacements mean extended periods of onboarding, which can lead to delays in meeting your IT needs. More concerning still, a company struggling to replenish staff quickly may compromise the quality of service you receive.
We believe in fostering a work environment that encourages employee satisfaction and loyalty. Our commitment to staff retention ensures that you can rely on a consistent team with a deep understanding of your IT requirements, providing you with the dependable service you deserve.
9: What Are the Internal and Outsourced Components of Your Service Delivery?
We pride ourselves on maintaining full control of every aspect of our service delivery. Our networks are our own, ensuring a seamless and accountable experience for our clients.
In the realm of Managed Service Providers (MSPs), it's increasingly common for certain providers to outsource critical tasks in an effort to cut costs. While this might benefit the MSP's bottom line, the advantages may not necessarily trickle down to you, the client. As more intermediaries are introduced into the IT service equation, the risk of service delays and potential breaches of Service Level Agreements (SLAs) becomes amplified.
We believe in transparency and accountability, which is why we ensure that every action is conducted in-house, mitigating the risk of service disruptions and delivering on our promises to our clients.
10: What Can Your References Tell Us?
While it's valuable for a managed service provider to claim they deliver quality and excellent customer service, hearing from satisfied clients provides the most credible insight. Therefore, requesting a list of references is a crucial step in your evaluation process. When speaking with references, consider posing challenging questions to gain a comprehensive perspective:
How Do They Handle Challenges?: Inquire about instances when things didn't go as planned. How did the IT solution provider respond, and how effectively did they resolve issues?
Staff Transitions: Find out what happens when a staff member departs unexpectedly. How does the provider manage knowledge transfer to ensure minimal disruption?
Past Shortcomings: Ask when was the last time the solution provider failed to meet expectations and how they rectified the situation, if at all.
Suggestions for Improvement: Probe for recommendations on what the solution provider could do more or less of, and areas where they could enhance their services.
Additionally, delve into why these clients initially chose the MSP and why they continue to use their services. These insights can unveil valuable facets of the provider's performance that may surprise you.
11: What Does Your Commitment Look Like, and How Do You Deliver?
At RCS, our paramount core value is "Care for the Client." Notice we say "client" and not "customer," a distinction that reflects our unique approach. Unlike many competitors who refer to their relationships as mere transactions, we forge enduring and meaningful partnerships with our clients. Our objective isn't to simply sell to them; it's to consistently uphold our commitments.
We provide our clients with unfettered access to our Client WebPortal, granting them a transparent view of their networks and access to our expertise. To empower our clients, we offer a comprehensive dashboard where they can track network metrics and monitor our performance.
In addition to the behind-the-scenes maintenance we conduct, we ensure transparency through monthly email reports detailing network status and performance.
Our commitment extends beyond technology. We prioritize our clients' safety and knowledge by offering complimentary education through LinkedIn live streams and cybersecurity awareness training for them and their communities.
In everything we undertake, our goal is to add substantial value. In simple terms, we don't just meet expectations; we consistently exceed them.
We value your perspective: How effectively does your current IT service provider assist you, and what improvements can they make? We invite you to share your insights and suggestions in the comments below.
