As the world becomes more and more dependent on technology- and Internet-related services, businesses are struggling to keep up with demand. One of the best ways to handle this change is to seek out managed IT services; you’re good at running a business, let someone else handle the technical side of things.

However, relinquishing control is easier said than done — worldwide IT spending was projected to reach $3.7 trillion last year, meaning that there are hundreds of companies trying to get a slice of that massively profitable pie. Since they’re all going to be vying for your attention, you need to make sure they believe in the following values before deciding to team up.

• Transparency: Any IT company that isn’t completely transparent, both in the way they do things and why they’re doing them, isn’t worth your time. You’re trusting this business to help yours — that can be exceedingly difficult if you’re deliberately excluded from conversations and entirely unaware of what is going on.
• Collaboration: Remember that this is a partnership. If your IT partner isn’t able or willing to work closely with you on projects, the odds are your personal goals won’t be reached. Both parties need to be working together to avoid confusion and surprises.
• Communication: You can’t possibly expect to collaborate if you don’t communicate! Your relationship, especially at the beginning, should be full of back-and-forth conversations, phone calls, and emails; it’s the best way to ensure your needs (and your company’s needs) are being met. Any automated services are a huge red flag because customer service is a major part of any technical support system or business; if you find yourself juggling robo-calls while trying to get a real, live agent on the line, it may be time to move on.

With technology being so crucial to a company’s success, you simply can’t afford to take a risk with someone that isn’t going to be working by your side to see your dreams come true. Find a managed IT service (or IT support service) that truly embraces these values, and you’ll be amazed at what your partnership can accomplish.