Be Honest, Do you know how to compare IT providers?

“Our Current IT provider does this,” William exclaimed.

Underdog is an IT provider specializing in cybersecurity and solutions for our clients. However, when I speak to new prospects, I usually get one of two responses.

• Our current IT provider does that.
• We don’t need that service.

When I ask some additional questions, in most cases, that statement is invalid, and there is a blaring blind spot in their business security.

To be clear, I am not saying the IT provider is dishonest, or the individual is evasive. Instead, I have come to the following conclusion.

• There is an enormous GAP between what most people believe their IT provider does and what their IT provider has communicated they provide.
• Most People don’t recognize just like Doctors and Lawyers. IT providers specialize, too.

The reason for this is simple: Technology is an enormous mysteries for many people. They will lump everything from phone repair to web designing as “IT.”

This is a huge topic to cover, in this article we’ll dive in to comparing IT providers. next week we’ll dive into how to determine if your IT provider is doing what you think they are doing.

How do you compare IT Providers?

When comparing IT providers, it becomes difficult because there is no standard “naming convention” or product. There will be similar phrasing and coined terms, but the delivery is how they say the “Devil is in the details.”

I’ll explain it differently. You go to two bakeries to buy a simple chocolate cake. One cake costs $25.00, and the other costs $50.00. They are the same size, and everything on the surface you can compare them with is the same. However, the $50.00 cake has the following differences.

• Chocolate comes from the most exotic places; they are known for their Chocolate.
• The Chocolate is hand-blended, which makes it the richest and creamiest Chocolate.
• They use more eggs in their cake to make it fluffier
• They make the cakes on the same day so they are the freshest

In other words, they use all the same ingredients(Chocolate, flour, eggs, milk, etc.), but it’s the finer details, such as where they get their ingredients, how they deliver them, and how they combine the ingredients, that matter.

When it comes to comparing IT providers, you first need to determine what is important to you. For instance:

• Are you in a compliance-regulated industry, such as the FTC Safeguards (GLBA) and HIPAA, or are you concerned about cyber attacks? If so, you should look for a Security-First IT provider.
• If you want an IT provider that understands the nuances of your industry, you’ll want to ensure they have knowledge and work with businesses in your industry.
• If you want an IT provider with local resources, you will want to make sure your provider is local and has local staff.
• Can your IT provider clearly articulate what services and solutions they can provide you without using “tech speak”? It’s essential to communicate clearly with your IT provider. Yes, knowing how to do it is essential, but articulating what they are doing is really important. This helps deter misunderstandings.
• Does your IT provider meet with you frequently? It doesn’t need to be anything official, but a quick and dirty update might be all you need. Everyone is different; some people want quick information, others want details, so be sure to discuss this with your IT provider. They should be flexible, and if they are not, determine how important this is to you.