The Most Important Metrics Business Owners Should Look For In An IT Firm

There are many metrics you need to take into consideration when looking for an IT firm to partner with, like House of I.T. After all, you will be spending a great deal of time before and after onboarding with an IT company to optimize the output of the time, money, and effort you will be paying.

Ultimately, the reality is that some firms will be a better fit for your business than others. Below we will take a brief look at just a few of the top points you and your business’s stakeholders should consider. First, however, let us take a quick look at the benefits of a partnership with an IT firm.

Why Should Businesses Partner with an IT Firm?

Business consulting firms have existed in their current form since at least the 19^th century. IT firms, in contrast, have only started to gain widespread traction in the late 20^th century. While most people are familiar with large technology companies like Microsoft or Hewlett Packard, the purpose of IT consulting firms may not always be immediately apparent.

There are many things that an IT firm can do a business. Here is a shortlist of just a few things virtually all IT firms, like House of I.T, can do for you:

• Implementing IT hardware
• Structured cabling
• Software licensing and implementation
• Implementing cloud solutions
• Installing enterprise Wi-Fi

In short: IT firms exist to find and implement technology-based solutions into your business to enhance its overall productivity and potential for profit.

The 5 Most Essential Metrics to Look For

If partnering with an IT firm is affordable for your business (which it should be for most companies), the immediate upfront cost shouldn’t be the first consideration that your business makes when seeking out an IT firm for partnership.

As experts in the IT consulting firm industry who have worked with an extensive range of different types of businesses and individuals, we feel that the following five metrics are, by and large, among the most critical things you should consider before putting your signature down on any contract.

Technical Experience

Let’s not mince words: the technical experience and overall knowledge of the technology a firm is consulting on and implementing will be the most critical aspect when it comes to shopping around for IT firms to partner with.

While the number of years a firm has been in business is a good metric to look for, the amount of combined, relevant industry experience its employees have is even more critical.

Our employees at House of I.T. have a wide variety of talent, all of whom are experts in the IT field and have many years of combined experience between us all.

Offers the Right Services/Overall Value

The majority of IT firms will offer many of the same (or similar) types of services. However, keep in mind that not all firms will offer up the same amount of services, often having or excluding some that others do not offer. 

House of I.T offers a large number of services under our belt. Outside of the five services we mentioned previously, we also provide uncommon services, such as installing and implementing access control systems. We highly encourage you to check out the range of our services by checking out our homepage.

Communication Skills

Have you ever spoken with someone who treated you like an idiot or made things way too complicated? Trust us, we've been there, and we hate it. 

We feel that speaking with employees at an IT firm and feeling like a partner is critical for business success. At House of I.T, not only do we believe that mutual respect is vital for clear communication, but it is the most effective way to ensure that both parties can understand what the other is trying to accomplish.

If an IT firm is unable or unwilling to make time to clearly explain technical concepts in a way that you and your employees are unable to understand, this should be an immediate red flag.

Company Values and Culture

Sometimes you must look within someone or something to understand what they represent and bring to the table. While the concept is mostly used to describe getting to know a person, this concept is also applicable to companies. It is easy to forget that companies, in their ideal form, are a collection of individuals working together as a group to accomplish a goal or goals.

Because of this, companies tend to form values, ideas, and visions. Take the time to ensure that your IT firm has a clear, unified culture that aligns well with your business.

We at House of I.T, for example, aim to follow these core values:

• Results Driven
• Customer Service Excellence
• Creativity & Innovation
• Relationship Oriented
• Helping Communities
• Leadership Excellence
• Team Work
• Quality Driven
• Consistency

Reputation

As we said, the age of a business should be an essential factor when looking for an IT firm to partner with, but it should not be the primary factor. Reputation, for example, is more important. A company can be older than its competition, but that does not necessarily mean providing a better service. It would be best if you were on the lookout for reviews, testimonials, and other types of social proof when looking for an IT firm.

We at House of I.T not only have over 15 years of operational experience but are frequently given positive feedback from our clients (see our testimonials on our homepage!).

Reach Out to House of I.T For Any Questions

At House of I.T, we take great pride in optimizing businesses like yours. We enjoy seeing the results of our labor and love to see companies grow and scale over time.

If you have any questions about what an IT firm can do for you, please feel free to speak with us at your convenience for a free consultation session. We can determine a plan for improving your company’s productivity by improving and streamlining your IT needs. We hope to hear from you soon!