IT outsourcing – how to choose a trusted partner?

The benefits of IT outsourcing have been discussed in hundreds of articles available online. Their authors have thoroughly analyzed issues such as:

The benefits of IT outsourcing have been discussed in hundreds of articles available online. Their authors have thoroughly analyzed issues such as:

• Is it worth using IT services provided by an external IT company?
• Is IT outsourcing profitable, and what are the pricing structures for IT services?
• Which is better: IT outsourcing or an in-house IT department?
• Is a company's IT services provided by an external entity secure?

At the same time, it's quite difficult to find valuable materials on how to choose an IT company. This article is intended for companies and managers considering IT outsourcing who want to make the best choice. The following text will answer questions such as:

• What should you consider when choosing an outsourcing company?
• What should you carefully check before signing an IT support contract?
• What issues must be addressed in an IT outsourcing contract?

1. Verify the size and sources of revenue of the IT company

Verify financial data

The first recommendation is somewhat unusual, but very valuable. Unfortunately, a large proportion of IT companies are sole proprietorships or partnerships employing two or three people. However, high-quality IT support requires the employment of many experienced and specialized engineers, such as:

• computer network administrator
• Windows and Linux server administrator
• helpdesk specialist

When talking to potential clients, we often hear negative opinions about IT companies, and this is not surprising. IT companies employing just a few people focus primarily on handling everyday user issues. The small scale of such organizations can make it difficult to provide support in areas of strategic importance, such as:

• ensuring data security and regular updates to operating systems,
• backup management,
• monitoring IT infrastructure and ensuring its continuity,
• implementing IT projects that improve business operations.

Significantly consider partnering with a company that derives most of its revenue from sales, not services. After researching potential partners (use search terms like: IT outsourcing Warsaw, IT support, IT services), take a look at the profit and loss statement. If a given organization focuses primarily on commercial activities, its IT services will not always be of high quality and will often be merely a lure for potential clients.

You can check the most important information about the size of each company and its revenue structure on the Ministry of Justice website in the Financial Documents Browser section. You can find the company's balance sheet and profit and loss statement there – this information is publicly available.

The annual activity report, which every limited liability company must submit to the National Court Register (KRS), is also a real treasure trove of information. See what the IT company boasts there before signing an IT outsourcing contract.

Every year, we sign contracts with new clients who previously used IT support provided by small entities with just a few employees. In most cases, it turns out that such IT companies do not operate in accordance with industry standards or best practices. For example, a backup policy, which is often simply nonexistent.

Once you verify the size and revenue sources of potential IT companies, you'll filter out 50-70% of offers and save a lot of time.

2. Ask about IT service standards

Ensure your data is secure

Does the IT company have implemented the ISO 27001 standard and does it have specific liability insurance for IT activities? These are the first two questions you should ask during sales negotiations.

Having the ISO 27001 standard ensures that your confidential data entrusted to an outsourcing company will be properly protected. Third-party liability insurance, in turn, demonstrates that the company takes its business seriously.

Remember that you don't have to sign a contract for ongoing IT support or IT outsourcing right away. Suggest that the outsourcing company perform an IT audit. Based on this, the potential business partner will present their recommendations for changes and improvements to the IT infrastructure, and may even be tempted to propose implementing new tools or applications. This will give you an idea of ​​whether the IT company will offer the right IT support for your business.

3. Check reviews of an outsourcing company in a unique way

Check reviews of the IT company

Ask for a short phone conversation with current clients for whom the company provides IT support. Perhaps you can contact a client with a similar business profile to yours? This will make your decision even easier.

It's best to speak with the owner, CEO, or head of the IT department. Remember, satisfied clients are very willing to provide such references, and any reputable IT company will have no problem doing so.

Ask if the company providing IT support provides IT services to clients regulated by the Polish Financial Supervision Authority (KNF). If so, the company must have met strict industry requirements and procedures.

4. Research the topic: IT company and data security

Ask for detailed information

Every IT company responsible for server administration or network administration has access to your sensitive data. Ask about data backup (it's best to immediately ask for a specific recommendation regarding a backup policy), ask about a business continuity plan (DRP), and ask for guidance on edge devices – routers, firewalls. The outsourcing company should present you with ready-made scenarios for protecting your data.

5. Review the IT outsourcing agreement

The agreement is the foundation of a successful collaboration

Ask what exactly the potential partner guarantees and whether their assurances are reflected in the IT outsourcing agreement:

• Does the agreement clearly specify the IT service availability standards (SLA)?
• Is the performance of routine server administrator duties, such as verifying the correctness of backups and periodic security patches, guaranteed in writing?
• Are key elements of the IT infrastructure monitored 24/7?
• How does the IT company assess the quality of its services?
• Does the IT support agreement guarantee the development of a backup policy as part of the IT services provided?
• Do the IT services listed in the contract also include IT support in critical situations, i.e., 24/7?

Each service provider will likely have its own outsourcing agreement template, which should be verified against the points above.

6. Ask about IT projects and IT implementations

Consider the scope of services offered

In addition to the standard set of services such as help desk, server administration, computer network management, IT audits, and network and server monitoring, an outsourcing company should also provide a broad range of IT consulting services. Sooner or later, your company will need to:

• replace the company server with a new one or take advantage of a dedicated server offer,
• upgrade the server operating systems,
• migrate applications and databases,
• use cloud services for businesses (e.g., Microsoft cloud, Google cloud solutions),
• understand the topic of enterprise digitalization,
• implement a Disaster Recovery Plan (DRP),
• consider cloud backup,
• consider high availability solutions (HA solutions),

Before signing a contract, it's worth asking whether the company offering IT outsourcing has experience in areas beyond traditional IT support. Ideally, comprehensive IT services also include IT consulting.

7. IT Outsourcing – What's More?

Finally, consider what else an IT company can support your business with? Larger IT companies operate in groups. The former provides IT services; other companies may offer:

• cloud services, e.g., private cloud,
• dedicated servers,
• cloud backup,
• cloud replication,
• other cloud solutions, e.g., Microsoft Azure.

Online Support – IT Services Warsaw

We have been operating since 2002. Since our inception, IT support in Warsaw and the Masovian Voivodeship has been our most popular service. We currently provide IT services to Krakow and Gdynia. We employ over 100 engineers.

IT outsourcing increasingly includes services that can be performed entirely remotely within Poland, such as:

• Server Administration
• Computer Network Management
• 24/7 Helpdesk
• IT Audit
• Office 365 / Microsoft 365 Implementation and Administration

If you would like to learn more about Online Support and IT outsourcing, please contact us by email or phone.

Support Online Team