Oxford has long been known for its institutions of learning, but it is also a haven for many business enterprises today. If you have an enterprise based in Oxford and want to have your business grow and succeed, you have a good chance, indeed. But just like any other enterprise, you have certain needs – the foremost of which is the need for a good IT network.
Without an established IT network, it will be difficult for you to operate and even branch out. But if you are simply starting out or would not like to invest huge sums on an IT department or network of your own, there’s good news: You can now take advantage of an IT outsourced support service.
But before you decide to enlist an outsourced service, you would need to take some necessary steps to ensure that you are choosing the right one for your budget and requirements.
First step: Determine your needs
The first step when choosing outsourced support is to ascertain what exactly it is that you need. Write down a list of your requirements for support. Whilst you may essentially need emergency support, do you really need 24-hour monitoring? How about telephone support? Do you need support on site as well? What kind of technology do you require? Determining all this will help you make the right decision when it comes to the extent of support you need, and it may even help you reduce your overall costs by opting for only the necessities.
Second step: Do your research
Admittedly, there may be plenty of IT outsourcing providers in Oxford. So this is where the right knowledge and information go a long way. Try to get recommendations from your own clients, suppliers, or business contacts. Since you are based in Oxford, it is always best to choose a support service that is located within the area so that it is easier for them to make on-site visits if need be. Once you find a potential provider, determine their level of expertise as well as the type of services they provide. The more comprehensive their service, the better for you, so find out if they offer not only network support and maintenance but also managed backup, helpdesk, health checks for IT, emergency support, and desktop and laptop repairs.
Third step: Ask for additional information
When you finally have your eye on one or two IT providers, make a closer evaluation of what they can do for you. This might be a good time to ask them to give you a rundown and detailed information regarding their services. Give them information about your general IT needs and ask them for recommendations on how to build up and enhance your IT system. If this tallies with what you have in mind, then they might be worth considering further. Ask as many questions as you want, and let them know what concerns you may have. If you present everything at the beginning, it is unlikely that there will be any misunderstandings or disappointments later on.
Fourth step: Hire the provider
When you have determined that a particular provider of IT support in Oxford is the best for your needs, have an agreement drawn up which includes the overall cost and other specifics of the service. Inspect the service agreement closely to make sure it includes the level of support they will give you as well as their response times and compensation (if any) if they do not perform to your expectations.
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