How to Choose the Best Managed IT Provider in Austin, Texas

Businesses, especially those in our native Austin, rely on technology more and more all the time—and with this increasing reliance, these businesses need a reliable IT infrastructure. A reliable managed service provider will be a huge asset in this regard, but it's important that you work with the right one. Let’s talk about some of the considerations to have when selecting your managed IT provider, and walk you through the process of making the best decision for your business.

What to Consider When Selecting a Managed IT Provider

What Expertise Do They Have to Offer?

As you seek out your managed IT provider, you first want to find one with the experience to effectively assist you with your technology needs. Don’t be afraid to ask your candidates for their credentials. What have they proven themselves to be capable of, in terms of cybersecurity, cloud computing, network management, and other essential business needs? Ask them for testimonials they’ve received, check reviews, and otherwise investigate how effectively the provider has proven themselves to be in the past.

What Services Do They Offer?

You should also evaluate how well your prospective managed service providers are able to cover your needs based on their range of available services. Can they meet the requirements that your business presents? Do their services come into effect before you encounter issues at all, working proactively to maintain your operational uptime? Inquire what you can expect in return for your monthly subscription costs.

What Can They Do to Help You Scale… Ideally, Up?

Let’s say that your business comes into some success and is ready—or needs—to expand. You want to be sure that your IT provider is ready and able to support this expansion, accommodating your shifting needs and adopting new technologies as they become available. Many MSPs will also offer flexible pricing plans in order to help your business goals and your budget work hand-in-hand, so be sure to take note of that.

What Kind of Response Time and Support Can You Expect?

Critically, you need to know what level of support you’ll receive from your chosen provider, specifically, how rapidly that report will come in to resolve critical issues and whether it is available 24/7. You should seek out a provider that uses a reliable and user-friendly ticketing system that allows you to simply and efficiently reach the dedicated support team waiting to assist you.

Choosing the Best Managed IT Provider in Austin, Texas

Let’s walk through the process that will help you find the best provider for your needs.

Research Your Options and Compare Providers

Austin has a variety of managed service providers for your consideration, so you’ll want to look at each of your options in depth and thoroughly research what each has to offer. Of course, we recommend that we at Capstone Works are at the top of your list. At the very least, we’d like for you to come to us for a second opinion. Speaking of which…

Schedule Consultations with Your Prospective Providers

Taking your shortlist of IT providers, reach out and schedule times to sit down and hash out your IT needs and goals, all the while asking questions about their services and IT management approach. During these conversations, make sure you also evaluate how well they communicate and how interested they are in getting to know your business and what it needs.

Inquire About Their Security Measures

Security is paramount, plain and simple, so you need to ensure that your provider is ready to uphold your cybersecurity through comprehensive measures and protocols, assessing how capable they’ll be to protect your data and prevent cyberthreats. For instance, ask if they offer periodic security audits, and ensure they’ll help educate your team through employee training to better ensure that your data will remain protected.

Determine How Long You Can Work With Them

It’s important that whomever you choose as your IT provider is going to be with you for the long haul, as you want someone who will help you shape your technology strategy moving forward. Is your candidate for a provider committed to providing you with ongoing support, including updates and general technology improvements? You want to make sure that your partnership remains strong and stable over time.

Choosing the Best Managed Service Provider in Austin Doesn’t Have to Be Difficult…

…it’ll just be a bit of a time-consuming process, as you need to weigh out what you prioritize in your information technology and identify the MSP whose services best match your needs. While the above steps are certainly an effective way to make your selection, we’d like to offer you a quicker means: call us.

We are committed to helping our fellow Central Texas businesses be the best they can be, by delivering precisely the IT needed to get them there. Find out what we’ll do for you exactly by giving us a call at (512) 343-8891.