Improving the day-to-day operations of your business through technology and IT solutions can be incredibly complex, it requires the deployment and optimization of technology solutions that are perfectly designed to help your business meet its unique goals.
When done correctly, improving your IT strategy can cut operational costs, improve the satisfaction and productivity of your employees, lead to process efficiencies, dramatically improve the quality of the work that your employees produce, as well as a number of other benefits.
Without detailed experience and knowledge in the IT industry, however, these solutions can be near-impossible to implement successfully.
That’s why a large number of small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) in Ontario partner with an IT and technology expert to ensure their IT strategy is perfectly aligned with their business objectives - but what exactly should your company look for when selecting an IT services partner?
In this blog, OT Group takes a look at the top four questions your organization should ask when looking for a technology partner.
#1 - Will they analyze your current tech?
Any decent IT and tech solutions provider should be willing to analyze the existing technology that your company is using. This will give them a deeper understanding of what exactly your organization needs to improve its processes and bottom line moving forward. Working with a partner who takes the time to evaluate your current technology setup, and then uses that information to build a strategic plan, will help your business grow.
#2 - Are they vendor agnostic?
If your entire IT strategy needs a transformation, it’s likely that your company will need to introduce a range of new hardware and software solutions to ensure it’s able to achieve its goals moving forward. There’s no one solution that fits all, so your business will need a solution that’s right for its own unique needs.
To ensure your chosen IT provider can achieve this on your company’s behalf, make sure you choose to work with a vendor-agnostic partner. This will ensure your future partner is supplying you with a solution that works for your business’s unique needs, and not because they are pushing a particular manufacturer’s product.
#3 - Will they operate as an outsourced CTO?
Most SMB owners and managers simply don’t have the time to implement a proper IT plan, they are spread thin with their workload and don’t have the time to research, implement and optimize all of the technologies it requires to transform their IT strategy.
That’s why it’s important they should look for an IT provider that operates as an extension of their business. The partnership with an IT and tech expert should be relationship and trust-driven, and that’s why a partner who works as an outsourced CTO is the perfect solution.
An outsourced CTO will provide all of the services of a chief technology officer - such as network infrastructure, growth planning and risk management - at a fraction of the price it costs to employ someone internally.
More about the benefits of hiring an IT provider that operates as an outsourced CTO can be found on our blog - ‘Can I Outsource a Chief Technology Officer?’
#4 - Are they based locally?
There’s a range of IT partners out there that your business can work with. Some are based locally, while others offer remote and virtual assistance to your company. We strongly recommend working with a local expert.
While you can of course realize great results with a remote partner, a local IT services provider will offer something you can’t find anywhere else - passion for the success of your business and the growth of your local community. A local partner will have unique insight into the solutions and requirements that work for your specific location and market.
To learn more about the benefits of partnering with an expert who is based locally to your business, check out our blog ‘5 Reasons You Should Partner With a Local IT and Office Tech Provider’.
OT Group is headquartered in Belleville, Ontario, making us the perfect solution for Ontario-based businesses located between the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), Montreal and north of Ottawa. For more information on how we can transform your IT strategy, get in touch with our team of technology experts today.
.png)
