10 Questions to Ask Before Hiring an IT Company in Knoxville

The short answer: Before hiring an IT company, ask about guaranteed response times, who answers when you call, onsite support, exactly which security is included, how backups are tested, their ransomware plan, pricing, working with your in-house staff, their experience, and what happens if you part ways.

Choosing an IT company is a lot like choosing a mechanic. Most people don't think about it until something breaks, and then they go with whoever answers the phone first. The businesses that end up happiest with their IT are the ones that asked hard questions up front.

Here are the 10 I'd ask, including of us, and what a good answer sounds like.

1. How fast do you respond, and is that in writing?

"We're really responsive" isn't an answer. Ask for guaranteed response times for urgent and routine issues, and ask whether they're in the contract. A good managed IT plan spells this out.

2. Who will actually answer when I call?

Some providers route you to a call center, others to a voicemail box. Find out whether you'll reach someone who knows your setup. With a local provider, you should get a person who has been in your office and knows your network.

3. Do you come onsite, and what does it cost?

Most problems can be fixed remotely, but not all of them. Ask where they're based, which areas they cover, and whether onsite visits are included or billed separately.

4. What security is included, and what costs extra?

This is where quotes get hard to compare. A good provider can tell you exactly which layers you're getting:

• A managed firewall protecting your network

• Antivirus and endpoint detection and response (EDR) on every computer and server

• Email phishing protection, security awareness training and dark web monitoring for your people

If a quote just says "security," ask for the list.

5. How are my backups tested?

Having backups and being able to restore from them are two different things. Ask how often backups run, where they're stored, and when a restore was last tested. Also ask whether your Microsoft 365 email and OneDrive are backed up. Many businesses assume Microsoft does this for them, and it doesn't in the way most people think.

6. What happens if we get hit by ransomware?

You want a plan, not a shrug. A good answer covers who gets called, how infected machines get cut off from the network, how your data comes back, and roughly how long that takes.

7. How do you price, and what isn't included?

Flat per-user pricing makes your IT budget predictable. Hourly break-fix pricing can make sense for very small offices with simple needs. Either is fine, as long as you know what falls outside the agreement: projects, new hardware, after-hours work and software licenses.

8. Can you work with the IT person we already have?

If someone on your team handles IT part-time, you may not need to replace them. Co-managed IT lets an outside provider handle security, monitoring and after-hours coverage while your person keeps the day-to-day.

9. What certifications and experience does your team have?

Certifications aren't everything, but they show a provider keeps learning. Ask about hands-on experience with the tools you already use, such as Microsoft 365, your firewall brand and your line-of-business software.

10. What happens if we part ways?

This is the question most people forget. You should own your passwords, your documentation and your data, and handing them over should be written into the agreement. A provider that makes leaving hard is telling you something.

Why I think about it this way

I served in the Marine Corps from 2000 to 2004, including in Iraq in 2003. The Corps taught me to plan for things going wrong and to adapt and overcome when they do. Good IT works the same way. You don't find out whether your provider is any good on an ordinary Tuesday. You find out on the day the server won't boot or someone clicks the wrong link.

That's the standard I hold Roo Tech Services to, and it's the standard you should hold any IT company to.

Frequently asked questions

What should I look for in an IT company for my small business?

Written response times, a clear list of included security, tested backups, local or onsite support when needed, and a contract that says you own your data, passwords and documentation.

What is a managed service provider (MSP)?

An MSP is an IT company that takes ongoing responsibility for a business's technology, including monitoring, security, updates, backups and help desk support, usually for a flat monthly fee.

Is a local IT company better than a national one?

Not automatically, but a local provider can come onsite when something can't be fixed remotely and often knows your setup and your business better.

Want to ask us these questions?

Roo Tech Services is a veteran-owned IT company in Knoxville, supporting small businesses across East Tennessee. Book a free consultation or call 865-332-0008 and ask us all 10. We'll give you straight answers, even if the answer is that you don't need us yet.

About the author: Shannon Jones is the founder of Roo Tech Services, a veteran-owned IT company in Knoxville, Tennessee. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 2000 to 2004, including in Iraq in 2003, and is Fortinet NSE 3 certified.