Do I Need a New IT Guy? Ask These 10 Questions.

With all the intricacies of running a business, it’s easy to get complacent with areas of your business that are working “good enough”. We get used to what we’ve been doing. We get used to the services we’ve always used. 

Of all the businesses we work with in the Greater Phoenix Area, one thing always rings true: those that are willing to embrace change, and pivot when necessary, gain a competitive advantage over their competition. 

Many prospective clients will come to us saying “we’ve had the same IT Guy for 10+ years”. The question becomes: is it time for you to find a new IT Guy?

Let’s start with a quick definition. What is an “IT Guy”? We consider an IT Guy to be any outside IT person providing a business with IT services. IT Guys are a common and necessary resource if you’re a small team or run your business with minimal technology requirements.

Do you need a new IT Guy? These questions will help you vet your existing IT Guy to find out if he is serving your business to its fullest potential.

Ask Your IT Guy These 10 Questions

1. Is your IT Guy continually learning and adapting their offerings as technology advances?
2. Does your IT Guy ever discuss measures to protect you from the risk of ransomware and/or phishing attacks?
3. Are you getting weekly or monthly confirmations that your backups are working and can restore successfully?
4. Is your business’s technology comparable to your competitors’ technology (e.g., digital records, remote access, Office 365)?
5. If your IT Guy gets hit by a bus or is otherwise disabled, do you have all your passwords and a backup IT resource to provide critical support?
6. Is your IT closet clean and tidy with little to no outmoded IT equipment collecting dust?
7. Is your business using a business-grade email solution (not yahoo, gmail, etc.)?
8. Are you using business class malware protection software that gets regularly updated?
9. When you need help is your request tracked and are tools or reports available so that you know the status of all your requests?
10. Does your hardware and software get regularly monitored and will you get notified of possible future failures before they happen?

If you answered “no” to any of the above questions, please reconsider if your current IT Guy is still the right choice for your business. If you’re open to having a conversation about this and are in Arizona, contact us here. We recommend sharing information about your IT environment and asking your prospective IT Company how they’ll get you up to speed and what it will cost upfront and over time. At PK Tech, we are very upfront about expectations and costs.

If you answered “no” and think along the lines of — It’s fine, it’s cheap, and it works for us — please consider:

• If you’re planning on selling your business or attracting a future buyer, a company running with low technology maturity may cost you more in the long run. Buyers want a turn-key business with a reliable infrastructure already set up. If you’re not trying to keep things modern, you’ll likely see a reduction in your selling price when they factor in bringing in their own IT Company to modernize the business. 
• A single cybersecurity event can put you out of business. If your backups, anti-virus, and general security measures are anything less than rock-solid, this is a real threat every business with an internet connection faces. Is your IT Guy staying up to speed on cybersecurity? We’re going to say it’s highly unlikely, as it’s a full-time job to stay up to date. With one person, it’s simply too much work. With an IT Company like PK Tech, it is our mission to understand IT issues, solutions, AND to stay up to date on cybersecurity trends for companies like yours.

Ready to chat about IT services? PK Tech is here to support your business. Reach out to us here.