Look through the online reviews for Fantastic IT and you will discover that clients love our ability to function as a growing business without losing that feeling of serving them one on one (not to mention highly competitive rates). Occasionally, though, a prospect will tell us they have gotten an even lower bid from an individual operator or local provider.
The question they sometimes ask is: how big does your outsourced IT vendor need to be? Is it smart to save money by hiring an individual contractor or an unknown team?
Every situation is different, which makes it hard to give definite answers. After all, before we made the Forbes list of fast-growing firms, we were once an unknown entity in the IT space. We did a great job and that led to our growth.
Of course, it’s also fair to say that the trajectory of our business is unusual. There are a lot of small IT providers out there who offer great rates but can’t match the depth of service we provide. With that in mind, let’s look at the questions you need to answer as you balance the proposals you see from small vendors and established managed services providers like our company…
What Kind of Coverage and Support Do You Need?
The smaller an IT company is, the more issues you can run into in terms of coverage. One of the reasons clients turn to us instead of in-house employees, for example, is that they like being able to get 24/7/365 assistance without worrying about vacations, sick days, training sessions, etc.
Working with a small vendor might save you money but it could leave you without the full-time helpdesk you and your employees need.
Is Technical Expertise a Big Concern?
A larger and more established IT firm can employ (or contract) technical experts who know any hardware configuration or software tool your company might use. We can also afford to keep team members who focus on specific areas of the business like backup and disaster recovery and networking applications.
No individual person could stay on top of every major IT topic. And small teams usually can’t afford the time, training, and certifications needed to master subjects that are common to dozens of clients.
How Do You Prioritize Spending Versus Consistency?
What we are hinting at here is the decision to prioritize savings over performance. If your top need is to keep monthly expenses low, then it might make sense to find the smallest IT vendor you can and get a low-priced package of services. However, if you want to keep your business running reliably and have the capacity to take on new or unknown challenges, then you should be careful not to cut corners.
Cutting costs is usually a good move, but not if it means you have bigger bills or headaches to deal with later.
Looking for the Best Value in Outsourced IT and Managed Services?
Getting value is all about the return you see on your investment, not just the price you pay upfront. That’s a lesson most business owners and executives learn early on, and usually after trying to cut corners somewhere they shouldn’t.
We believe you shouldn’t have to sacrifice service or expertise to get a great rate from your managed services partner. To learn more about what makes us so competitive in the world of tech support, contact the Fantastic IT sales team today to schedule a free consultation!