How Do I Find The Best IT Support Company Near Me?

Trust and quality define the two key factors when it comes to finding the best local IT support companies out there.

Getting the decision right first time is critically important, so below, we’ve outlined our advice on how your organisation can ensure it finds the best IT support company for it’s needs, and whether “near me” actually matters a great deal…

1. Size Matters

IT Support is big business with some 6 million small and medium businesses in the UK likely to rely upon some external relationship for managing their IT. Providers vary from large corporates to one person providers.

Whilst the larger corporates have great credentials they tend to be rather obviously profit driven and staff turnover tends to be high. The one person show spreads their time between the customers that pay their mortgage. They will tend to favour their best customers and struggle to balance keeping the lights on, with keeping their training current as well as being completely unavailable during their vacation or sickness.

Somewhere in the middle ground is likely to be a sweet spot where the IT support company are big enough to have:

• proper procedures
• buying power
• investment in training
• and enough resource to support you, whenever that might be.

Most good IT people don’t aspire to work for a company with a handful of staff, they are looking for personal development.

2. IT Security

Whoever you contract with to provide your organisation with IT Support must be trustworthy. They have access to all of your information after all. Their Information Security Management System must be set up to protect access to your systems too.

Realistically, we don’t feel that is something that can be impartially verified without an external audit and that means that your provider should hold ISO27001 for Information Security Management. That is going to rule out an awful lot of businesses that are simply doing the best with what they have. However, if they hold this certification then they understand data security and the risks posed by attackers and can put in the appropriate measures to help secure you. IT Security is an absolute, one slip and your systems could take your whole operation down. It has to be 100%

3. Does “near me” matter when it comes to IT Support?

Whilst most of what an IT Support Company does can be managed remotely, being nearby can be really handy for the issue and reissue of equipment, hardware faults, network outages, power outages and because ultimately your provider is a people company and its still easier to have a relationship with a person face to face that it is over a Teams call.

We believe they should be local enough to not make visiting a chore. Account Management and Technical services shouldn’t be difficult to arrange a drop in.

4. Do a Credit Check on the IT Support Company

There is no point contracting with an IT Company that is clearly struggling financially. If its not already part of your new supplier approval process do a credit check on your potential partner. You can likely look at their accounts filings free on Companies House. Look for a track record of growth and financial stability, even through the pandemic.

Poor credit shows poor management. A struggling company will cut corners or be forced into dubious practices. Avoid this.

5. Quality

A good independent measure of a commitment to quality is your potential supplier holding ISO9001. This is an externally verifies quality measure. It means they have committed their procedures to writing and are prepared to be held accountable for them. They have invested considerably in getting it right, consistently across their business and where they haven’t got it right they are invested in a process of continuous improvement.

6. Take References

Having a partner that is willing to let you talk to their existing customers directly at least as a final step before inking paper with them is invaluable. A good company will have no shortage of quality businesses more than willing to sing their praises.

Book an IT Support Consultation

If your business is looking for expert IT support services then do consider booking a consultation with one of our experts to discuss your needs.

With offices in Wiltshire, Buckinghamshire and West London, we cover a wide area and provide IT support services to many local businesses.