Feb
5
2010
IT Services By Denver IT Services | No comments yet

2 More Questions to Ask About Denver IT Services

So you’ve decided to go with a managed service provider for your IT support – excellent! You’ll find numerous cost-effective benefits by going with managed support – not the least of which being the money saved by having a pro-active service provider.

Here’s 2 more important things to think about when choosing a managed support provider who offers Denver IT Services:

1) Do they offer flat-fee pricing?

Flat-fee pricing gives you the ability to work within a very specific budget each month. You won’t be spending more on IT support than you need, because the flat fee is already worked into your budget.

Additionally, the benefit to flat-fee pricing is that your Denver IT support provider won’t be tempted to capitalize on your emergencies. Think about it – your server goes down, leaving your business operations crippled. If you’re depending on a pay-as-you-go IT support company, they can charge you more for things like ‘rush fees’ and other costs that you’ll feel compelled to pay, just because you need the server up and running, now. If you’re paying a monthly flat fee for Denver tech support, however, you won’t have to worry about someone capitalizing on your emergencies.

By paying a flat fee, you ensure that compensation is based on performance. If they don’t live up to your expectations, you can jump to another Denver computer support company.

Another thing to ask when shopping for a Denver IT services company:

2) Do they offer remote IT support?

Lots of computer support providers don’t offer remote support. This means that when you have an emergency, you’ll have to wait on a technician to come to your place of business and help solve the problem. While it’s nice to have the face-to-face service, there are some big drawbacks. Most importantly is the lost time in employee productivity. Every minute that you have to wait on someone to be dispatched to your office is a minute that you’re losing money.

Additionally, adding insult to injury is the fact that most providers who don’t offer remote IT support will charge you for their travel time as well. These costs can add up over time.

A Denver computer support company that offers remote support is your best bet, because they can ensure that you keep costs (and frustration) down by providing immediate support, as soon as you need it.

(And if you really like having a live person come out, don’t fret – most Denver IT support companies have on-site divisions as well).

Feb
3
2010
IT Services By Denver IT Services | No comments yet

Finding the Right Size IT Services

Whether you decide to go with IT support or a full-on managed Denver IT services provider, it’s important to find the right size company to offer you computer support. Small and medium size businesses have incredibly different requirements from enterprise-level companies – if you choose a Denver IT support provider that isn’t geared to support a company of your size, you can find yourself facing a lot of issues right from the start.

A smaller business will appreciate a smaller managed service provider for a number of reasons. First off, they might appreciate the personal touch that a smaller Denver tech support services company can offer them. If you want a company that knows your name, you want to go with a small business IT support provider.

You also will find that IT technology for a small business is completely different from that for an enterprise. You want to be sure that a support company knows you and the level you operate at. If they’re used to managing massive banks of servers, they might not be as well-equipped to handle a small business, whose Denver server management needs are much less. Or those who are used to buying and deploying software updates across thousands of workstations may not understand the practices needed to be cost-effective in a company of 20 computers.

And a small business Denver IT services provider is much more likely to understand your company’s vertical as well. If you’re a bakery, you don’t exactly want to be seeking out a firm that offers network management for banks and brokerage firms.

Ultimately, it’s all about finding the right fit. If you’re a larger company, you may not even be wanting to look for an outside provider. It tends to be a better idea to bring your Denver IT support in-house, once you reach a certain stage. But if you’re a small business in the front range, it’s important to find a Denver IT services firm that fits your company.

Feb
2
2010
IT Services By Denver IT Services | No comments yet

What Denver IT Services do you need?

When you’re looking for a Denver IT Services provider, you want to be sure you’re getting the type of service you need. There are lots of different types of IT services providers in Denver – taking the time to find the right type of service will save you lot of headaches later.

IT Management vs. IT Support

The real question is whether you’re looking for a Denver IT management provider or an IT support provider. Not matching yourself to the right one can lead to trouble down the line – and the last thing you want is to be stuck with an IT problem without the right type of solution that you want. Matching yourself to the right one will save you money and make sure you get the support you need.

What’s the Difference?

It’s fairly simple, really. IT Support is reactive in nature – if you have an issue, you go to your IT Services provider and they fix it. They don’t provide hands-on network management support, nor ongoing project management. It’s traditionally billed on a per event basis, or an hourly basis.

IT Management is a bit more hands-on. It’s proactive in nature, involving IT consulting (to make sure you’re set up with the right IT solutions for success), network management, and more. It’s usually offered with results-based billing, or on a flat fee basis.

Which One Do I Need?

The answer to this question all depends on a lot of factors – what sort of company you have, how crucial uninterrupted IT service is to your organization, whether you’re a small business, a medium business, or an enterprise-level company (although if you’re an enterprise-level company, you likely will require your own internal IT support department.

In the next post, we’ll examine some different reasons why you might choose IT support or IT management as the best Denver IT services for your company.