Key factors to Consider when selecting an IT Provider

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Welcome to the Las Vegas IT Management

Podcast.

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I'm your host, Shatoya Marie, and each

week we bring you insights and interviews

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with IT leaders from Las Vegas.

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Today we're switching things up a bit and

discussing an important topic, how to

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choose the right IT service provider for

your business needs.

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Whether you're a small business owner or

managing IT for a large corporation,

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choosing the right IT services providers

or professional is crucial.

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It ensures that your business operations

run smoothly, securely and efficiently.

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Our podcast is a great location for you to

start your research.

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Since we do interview leaders each week,

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It could be a great location for you to

find an IT professional for you to work

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with.

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The number one thing when choosing an IT

professional is to understand your needs,

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identifying your requirements.

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Before you start looking for an IT service

provider, it's super crucial you

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understand your business needs.

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Ask yourself a few questions.

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What are the specific IT services you

need?

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Are you looking for help desk support,

network security, cloud services, or

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something else?

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Do you need support for specific software

or hardware?

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For example, are there particular

applications critical to your operations?

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What is your budget for IT services?

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Understanding your financial limits will

help you narrow down your options.

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It's also very, very important that you

understand the importance of alignment.

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Make sure that that IT providers or

professional services align with your

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business goals and objectives.

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For instance, if

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Plan to expand your business, ensure that

the provider can scale their services

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accordingly.

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Document your needs in detail.

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This will help you communicate clearly

with potential providers and evaluate

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their ability to meet your requirements.

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Number two, research potential service

providers and professionals.

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Gather recommendations.

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Start by asking for recommendations from

colleagues, industry peers, and other

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business contacts.

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Word -of -mouth referrals can be

invaluable.

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Check out online reviews.

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testimonials to get a sense of the

provider's reputation.

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Look for patterns in the feedback, such as

consistently praised aspects of recurring

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issues.

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Also, interviewing multiple providers,

just like hiring an employee.

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It's essential that you interview multiple

IT survivors.

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Don't just settle for one for the first

one you come across.

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Prepare a list of questions to ask

providers focusing on their experiences,

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services, and support options.

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Here are some examples.

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Can you provide a case

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studies or references from clients in my

industry?

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What is your approach to cybersecurity and

data protection?

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How do you handle service outrages for

emergencies?

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I've met with many different IT

professionals on this podcast, and I can

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tell you a lot of them deal with different

aspects of an industry.

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I've met with some professionals where

their target audience is someone who's in

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healthcare.

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I've also talked to an IT professional who

may

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target of audience was retail.

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So for that reason, it's very, very

important for you to get an idea of where,

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what clients are they used to working

with.

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Also, some key factors to consider,

experience and expertise.

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Look for providers with experience in your

industry with similar business sizes.

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This ensures that they understand the

unique challenges you face.

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You know, working with someone that has

experience working with the industry like

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yours, they know how to deal with things

that just because they've dealt with past

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clients like yours.

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Also ask about their certifications and

technical expertise.

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Certifications like Microsoft Certified

Professional, MCP, Cisco Certified Network

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Associate, and others can be good

indicators of their professionalism.

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Also that they've spent the time to get

these certifications shows you that they

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are serious.

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Also take a look at their ranges of

services.

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Ensure they offer a comprehensive range of

services that cover your current and

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future IT needs.

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As your business grows, it's very

important that they can do what you're

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looking for them to

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For example, if you foresee needing cloud

services down the line, check to make sure

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that they provide them.

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Also check to see if they have the ability

to scale services as your business grows,

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your IT needs will evolve and providers

should be able to keep up.

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And know, the worst thing that you could

possibly do is find someone that you think

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that you want to work with.

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And then as you're growing, you think you

find out, they actually can't handle what

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I have going on.

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So

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Do some research.

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Also, evaluate the provider's service

level agreements, SLA.

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Review their SLAs carefully to understand

the level of services you can expect.

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Ensure they clearly define metrics for

response times and resolution times.

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Look for guarantees and penalties for

noncompliance.

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An SLA without consequences is not very

effective.

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Take a look at cost and value.

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Compare pricing models and make sure you

understand what fees is included.

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Some providers may have hidden costs, so

ask for a detailed breakdown.

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Balance cost with the value and quality of

services provided.

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Sometimes paying bit more upfront can save

you money in the long run by avoiding

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downtime and security breaches.

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Very, very important when it comes to IT

solutions that you're not just looking for

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the most cheapest person out there.

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Because when your business is in need,

because it gets breached or anything like

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that, it's very important that you have

the right IT person that has your back.

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So just because someone's affordable

doesn't mean that they're the right person

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for your business.

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Also as an IT professional, building a

relationship is very, very important.

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Communication and collaboration.

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Effective communication is key.

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Ensure that the provider communicates

clearly and promptly.

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They should be proactive in keeping you

informed about potential issues.

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A good IT provider should act as a partner

working with your team.

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They should be invested in your success,

ready to adapt your needs.

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Also, see if they have trial periods and

contracts.

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If possible.

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Start with trial periods to evaluate their

services.

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And I'm not saying to work with them for

free.

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I know I met with Sheila two weeks ago and

she's an IT leader here in Las Vegas with

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the company STEERS.

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And she does have a subscription -based

business and a lot, see what their options

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are depending on what IT professional that

you've decided to work with and see, does

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it have to be a contract or can you work

with them instead of having to be stuck in

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a contract?

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Read contracts carefully and ensure you're

comfortable with the terms and conditions.

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Pay attention to clauses about service

terminations, cost adjustments, and

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service changes.

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There's so many different IT professionals

that you could take a look at from our

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podcast and everyone I've spoken to so far

on our podcast could be a great potential

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for your business.

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Also very important that you do ongoing

evaluations, regularly review the

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performance of your IT service provider,

schedule periodic meetings to discuss

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what's working well and what needs

improvement, provide

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and address any issues promptly to

maintain a strong working relationship, a

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good provider will appreciate constructive

feedback to strive to improve.

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As a business, as ourselves, we need the

feedback.

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That's the only way that we're going to

have a better business.

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Also, choosing the right IT service

provider is critical decision that can

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significantly impact your business.

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By following these tips, you can ensure

that you can find a provider who meets

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your needs and support your business

goals.

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Remember your IT provider is more than

just a vendor.

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They are a crucial partner in your

business success.

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And you could take a look at our podcast

to find IT leaders you want to work with.

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We want to make sure that we have a

location for you guys to do research at.

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So if you have any questions, be sure to

reach out.

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And if you have any questions or need any

further guidance, feel free to reach out

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to us.

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And don't forget to tune in next week when

we will be back with another insightful

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interview with an IT leader from Las

Vegas.

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Be sure to subscribe to our podcast and

follow us on social media.

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for updates and more tips.

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Thank you for listening to the Las Vegas

IT Management Podcast.

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Until next time, stay secured, stay

connected, and keep innovating.