Network management is a consistent process to ensure your business offers clients the best services. Small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) have to manage everything with limited staff strength. However, there are better alternatives that they can explore, such as a firm that provides NOC services as part of their managed IT support service Bay Area package.
Since every business has unique requirements, you must ask your potential NOC service partner some important questions to determine if their services align with your business needs.
Things to Be Cleared First
Before handing over the network management to a third-party NOC service provider, you need to see if the firm qualifies as a long-term business partner.
In order to examine the NOC firm’s capabilities, here are a few questions you must ask so that your business doesn’t encounter any hiccups in operations.
- Where is the NOC situated?
The location of the NOC is extremely crucial. You must inquire where your partner firm is housing their NOC since there are companies that outsource their NOC offerings to another organization. Also, make sure that the NOC is owned by the firm and not by another third party.
- What are the terms of the agreement?
Carefully going through the terms of the agreement is critical to a successful partnership. Ask the contact person of the NOC firm if there are any hidden terms or charges they should know about. You don’t want to be blindsided by secretive conditions in the future.
- Are they familiar with your tools and technologies?
Many NOC service providers only claim to provide customized services but instead offer generic solutions. You should ask how they would handle an issue pertaining to your IT network infrastructure. A good NOC service provider will be knowledgeable about your specific technologies and processes, enabling them to provide high-quality services.
- What does their SLA include?
A Service Level Agreement (SLA) will provide a detailed report about the service offerings, resolution times, cost structure, etc. It’s vital that you are clear about the things mentioned in the SLA so that you can make an informed decision keeping in mind your organizational demands.
Ending Note
If you are looking to expand your business, it’s imperative that you partner with a reliable firm delivering managed IT support service Bay Area. Work with a dependable company, and your customers will be happy. Work with a not-so-trustworthy NOC company, and your competitors will be happy.
