The Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, (DC-VA-MD-WV), or the Washington Metropolitan Area as it is popularly called, is one of the best regions in the US for entrepreneurship, economic resilience, and high-growth businesses. The region is home to forty-four company headquarters that have five hundred or more employees.
As the region shares similar economic strength, workforce, and consumer base, it’s one of the most competitive. Washington DC’s influence plays a significant role in a stable economy in this region.
Thus, it’s vital for firms located in this region to invest their resources in trusted partners. A Managed service provider that aims to manage your IT resources is one such partner that can put you on the path towards a secured network and IT infrastructure.
Since this investment is integral to your business success, it requires careful consideration. Failure to choose the right managed IT service partner can put a strain on your resources and time. Here are top mistakes you should avoid while choosing to seek help from some of the best-managed services in Washington DC:
Table of Contents
Choosing the cheapest option
Whether you are a government agency in DC working with SCIF that requires secured networks or a healthcare provider in DC looking for automated IT solutions, you should never settle for less. The average cost of Managed IT services in DC varies with price structure ranging from monthly rates to a per device or per employee rate to manage your IT assets.
IT serves as the lifeline of your organization. Instead of considering the cheapest option, make a suitable investment and evaluate the level of services on offer.
For instance, the best managed IT services in Washington DC should offer 24/7 help and support for after-hour emergencies, which can have significant advantages for your organization. On the other hand, choosing a cheaper option may not provide comprehensive security to your IT infrastructure.
Opting for A-la-Carte packages
Even if you have the freedom to choose the features you want from the managed IT service provider, it pays to invest in an all-inclusive and comprehensive plan. Since all the components in your IT infrastructure, including the network, are intricately connected, it can pose a significant risk for your security without a collaborative system.
For instance, if you simply choose automatic data backups and antivirus management plans, you are still missing potential security gaps in other parts of your networks, including email filtering.
Email phishing scams are prevalent in DC. These emails are falsely generated by fraudulent parties that appear to originate from the federal government, healthcare provider, or financial institutions, thereby endangering your businesses’ IT systems and confidential data.
Thus, opt for the full range of plans that leaves no room for a compromise.
Not reading the contract carefully
Another common mistake that companies make is the failure to assess the contract guidelines carefully. Some providers may try to sneak in hidden costs and vague jargon in contracts that lead to last-minute surprises.
Hence, ensure to go through the fine print and the service level agreements or SLAs in detail. This will help you clear your expectations of the services and their delivery timelines. Check if they include services like desk support, cybersecurity, and disaster recovery planning. This way, you can reduce your downtime and improve greater business productivity.
Also, check if they help you meet compliance requirements in DC like HIPAA and EMR or other IT regulatory requirements for contractors of government agencies.
Choosing an IT support company that cannot Remotely Monitor
It’s vital to look for managed IT services that offer remote monitoring and support. Remote monitoring enables the IT technicians to fix problems faster and avoid downtime. This will dramatically impact your network’s security and make it possible for efficient remediation services.
Not planning for the future
The partner you choose should account for your growing needs to continually help you upgrade to the best solutions while safeguarding your networks. Especially with the current pandemic situation, local private and public sector companies in DC are switching to remote working. Therefore the managed IT services provider should help you enable a seamless transition and set the proper security parameters for appropriate access controls.
Else, if you want to expand your workforce or move to a new office, the partner you work with should provide you with the proper assistance to expand your current infrastructure or network.
Washington DC is the world’s most competitive city with some leading companies and serves as the hub of entrepreneurial activity. Thus, with its heart in DC, the Washington metropolitan region can offer firms a lucrative business climate. However, only with the assistance of the best managed IT services in Washington DC, you can ensure your business is sustainable in the long run. Thus, invest in the right services to elevate your business to a new level and avoid costly mistakes.
