Does Your Business Need a Paid IT Assessment? 4 Things to Look For.

Small business, big business: it’s easy to get wrapped up in the day to day operations and accept the way you’ve always done things. We at PK Tech are here to emphasize two things. One: the world of tech is fast-paced and there’s almost always something you can be doing better. Two: we can help you figure out what that something is.

If the following situations describe you, you need a Paid IT Assessment: 

1. Is your business looking to transition away from an “IT guy” or IT company?

2. Is your business experiencing rapid change (i.e. rapid growth) and feel like you’re outgrowing your current IT solutions? 

3. Is your business looking to acquire a business with IT assets involved? 

4. Does your business want a high level, top to bottom, review of your IT as it exists today from a trusted outside source? 

Did you answer YES to one or more of the above questions but you’re still feeling skeptical?

We get it.

Why would you pay an IT company to assess you if everyone feels like it’s running fine? Fair question.

Here’s why: 

Without a qualified IT resource spending time analyzing the micro and macro components of your IT infrastructure, proper vetted advice could never be given in good conscience. It’s like operating on a patient without any medical history or buying a used car from a private party without a mechanic’s inspection.

For example, you could have several generations of IT guys/companies over the years with old equipment still turned on AND functioning in critical roles. Small businesses with several generations of IT guys/companies add great complexity. Complex systems must be properly analyzed before a new IT company can resolve issues or give long-term focused advice.

So what does a Paid IT Assessment entail?

• Signed confidentiality agreement

• Temporary administrator access to workstations, servers, cloud accounts and network equipment

• On-site walk through documenting workstations, servers, network/server room(s)

• Backup and disaster recovery analysis

• Cloud and critical vendor analysis

• Face-to-face meeting to review the data, recommendations and draft an IT road map

Still skeptical? Wondering why when you searched online, a local IT guy or company will do an assessment for free?

Simple answer. They will. BUT an hour meeting and walk around your office is NOT an assessment. It’s a pre-assessment.

And at the risk of yelling EVERYONE NEEDS A PAID ASSESSMENT (we aren’t yelling, those are just caps  ), we are really just here to give you this message: 

The world of IT is moving and growing and outpacing itself. Your business is moving and growing as well. In order to maximize efficiency, growth and profit, you want your IT and your business to move IN UNISON. To support one another positively. Efficiently. Effectively.

We see it every day. Our industry is littered with “IT guys” and companies who are under qualified to serve businesses with more than a couple employees. If technical people are truly analyzing your network for free, the advice they’re giving is going to be worth the same.

So here’s our final warning to you. In fact, in the spirit of this blog, we’ll call it “free advice”:

If administrator credentials are requested and “assessment tools” are run during that first meeting without a confidentiality agreement and clear scope of what they’re doing, this is a red flag that your prospective IT company is under qualified.

If ongoing technical work is performed or advice to at immediately is given without a comprehensive understanding of your IT infrastructure, this is a red flag your prospective IT company is under qualified.

So are you ready? Schedule a free Discovery Session with us to talk about it by clicking here.

No, but seriously do it for your own good  .