5 Things to Consider Before Hiring Managed IT Services in Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh is amidst a tech revolution in its post-industrial age. Here are 5 things to think about before hiring managed IT services in Pittsburgh.

While most C-level executives bristle at the idea of spending more money on tech, you need to be prepared to spend money on setting up and maintaining services. When on the hunt for managed IT services in Pittsburgh, it's important to look for companies who know how to help pitch to management. In the post-industrial age we're in, it's vital that you have managed IT services that are on your side, there to help you succeed.

Here are five of the most important things to consider when you're looking at managed IT services in Pittsburgh.

1. Are They Local?

One of the most important things to look for in a managed IT service provider is where they're located. When you can't find a company that's local to where you are, you'll struggle to get the kind of service you need on a regular basis.

One of the reasons for working with someone local is to know that they're ready to help when you need it. Emergencies happen and if you get hacked or there's a natural disaster, you need them around to help you take care of things. If you need to have something replaced or installed or just some help setting up a system, having someone who can come by to help is vital.

The Pittsburgh region is buzzing with all kinds of businesses and if you want help today, you need to have someone who can help. In order to stay competitive in your region and across the globe, your managed IT services have to be catered to your needs as a Pittsburgh business.

2. Do They Know Your Industry?

One of the most important things for any managed IT service provider in Pittsburgh to have is an understanding of your industry. When they know what you need, they can help you by anticipating your tech needs. Every industry has some specific needs that only their tech and IT staff can provide.

There are software, productivity, and server needs that every company has to have, like design software, web development tools, and email servers. However, in some industries that deal with e-commerce, there needs to be a robust system for storing data about products and services. There needs to be an infallible tool for ordering things and fast and secure payment processing.

If you're in the health and wellness industry, you'll have different needs than other companies. You'll have to keep information secure not just for the happiness of your clients but also for the legality of the services that you provide. If you don't adequately protect data, you could be liable for thousands of dollars in fines and fees and even lose your license to operate.

When your managed IT service provider knows your industry well, they can help you by predicting the needs you might have. They might even help your business run more efficiently by removing potential obstacles that businesses like yours encounter.

3. How Fast Can They Scale?

If you're a new business or just making the jump to the digital world, you might not know what to expect or anticipate in your tech needs. You might grow faster than you may have anticipated. This means that you'll need your technicians or service providers to come back and help you deal with your IT services not long after you've first set them up.

When your business grows quickly, you might end up needing to scale fast so that you don't leave your customers hanging. If your system gets hung up because of too much traffic and not enough bandwidth, you're likely to lose those customers forever. It takes so much money and so much effort to win over a customer that losing just one is tantamount to flushing money down the drain.

During hard times, you might need to cut back on your spending. If you've ordered too complicated of a system or your system is much more complex than your needs are, then you need to scale back. Having local Pittsburgh managed IT professionals in your corner means that the work can be done quickly and your system can be scaled quickly.

4. Do They Offer Support?

When you're first looking to set up your system, you might end up setting up something you don't quite understand. You're an expert in your industry but that doesn't mean you're an expert in all of the latest productivity software and data management systems.

You need the help of your managed IT services experts to help ensure that you're able to stay on track and stay ahead of customer needs.

You also might encounter problems that hit in the middle of the night and need some help to get problems resolved before they impact your customers. With the help of local managed IT services, you can ensure that you get help quickly at the level you need.

5. What Is Their Security Plan?

With the cost of the average data breach now brushing up against the $4 million mark, it's important for you to have a security plan. You could lose money through a damaged reputation, loss of current customers, and even lawsuits due to negligence.

If your managed IT service provider in Pittsburgh doesn't have a security plan to ensure you protect your data, you need to keep searching. No matter who you work with, you need to put your data and your customers' information first, protecting it like the vital resource that it is.

Managed IT Services in Pittsburgh Provide Value

When you're on the hunt for managed IT services in Pittsburgh, don't be afraid of asking too many questions. It's vital to know what you're getting for your money and what kind of value you can expect in the years to come.

For more tips on choosing the right service provider, check out our guide for tips.