While you may have some sort of IT department in your company, there are many benefits that come with outsourcing your IT support.

Perhaps you’ve assessed these benefits yourself recently, and you’re interested in getting an IT consultant for your business. But you shouldn’t just go with the first one you find; you need to get a good picture of what certain consultants offer, how much they charge, what their experience is like, and more.

To help you out, here are the top questions you should ask when hiring a reliable IT consultant.

Why Should I Choose You?

This is a pretty loaded question, but how the IT consultant answers can tell you a lot about them, such as how confident they are in their skills.

There are so many IT consultants out there, so whoever you’re considering, they should have a good argument as to why you should go with them and not someone else.

A reliable IT consultant should be able to confidently answer this question with evidence. For example, they might point you to some of their case studies, which prove that they’ve not only gotten results but have also gained the trust of several companies.

The IT consultant should also be confident in recalling any stellar examples of how they’ve handled difficult clients or situations.

You can gauge how their reaction is to this question and see if they feel confident and comfortable in responding. If they get defensive or clam up with no answers, then this may be a bad sign.

How Much Experience Do You Have?

Obviously, you’ll want to work with someone who knows what they’re doing. If you choose poorly, not only will you put your network at risk, but you’ll also be getting a poor return on investment (ROI).

The ideal IT consultant should have years of experience in the industry. However, just because they have a lot of years under their belt doesn’t necessarily mean they’re good at what they do. And the opposite doesn’t mean they’re terrible either.

Instead, you have to delve deeper. If they have decades of experience, have they actually worked with clients in your industry? Or have they worked with clients with your company size?

If they don’t have that many years of experience, find out what they have worked on. What were the results? Were they what the clients expected?

By digging deeper, you might unexpectedly find a gem, so don’t be afraid to keep asking questions.

Do You Have Any Areas You Specialize In?

Of course, you want an IT consultant who has experience working with clients in your industry, as well as your company size. But you also want someone who has certain areas of specialization to better fit the needs of your company.

For example, in IT consulting, there are specializations like remote support desk and network security. A good IT consultant can handle multiple areas of IT, but they’ll also shine in certain things.

If your main concern is, say, network security, then it goes without saying that you want to choose an IT consultant that specializes in that, rather than remote support.

How Would You Approach Certain Situations?

Shopping around for an IT consultant is kind of like conducting job interviews. You want to make sure they’re not only good at their jobs, but that their values align with yours. Otherwise, you risk clashing heads.

Think of some challenges you’ve faced while doing business and pose these scenarios to the IT consultant. Ask them how they would approach the issues and find solutions.

Not only does this show they can think on their toes, but it can reveal their personal approach to things. You can then assess their answers to see if it fits with your company culture.

What’s Your Availability?

You want someone who can dedicate an appropriate amount of time to their services. As a result, you need to know what exactly they’re working on now and if they’re capable of dedicating enough of themselves to you.

A reliable and trustworthy IT consultant should be completely transparent. They should be able to tell you directly how many clients they’re currently helping, or at least how much time they’re devoting to those clients.

You want to choose someone who doesn’t have too full of a plate. This is especially true if you’re being charged by the hour. If they’re trying to juggle multiple clients, then you might get a consultant who’s not as productive but still charges you a hefty rate.

How Do You Charge For Your Services?

One of the most important questions you should ask is how much an IT consultant charges for their services. Most small businesses will have a limited budget, so you don’t want to stretch yours too much and risk excess overhead.

Figure out if they charge per hour or on a subscription basis (such as charging a certain amount per month). The optimal type of service will depend on your needs.

For instance, if you need remote support 24/7 for your clients, then a subscription would probably be more worth it than an hourly rate. But if you just need someone to manage an IT project from time to time, you might want to look into hourly rates.

Use These Tips To Hire A Reliable IT Consultant

Hiring a reliable IT consultant is crucial for not only growing your business but also keeping it secure. This is why it’s incredibly important for you to vet candidates and take your time.

By investing some care and thought into the process instead of rushing it, you can ensure your business will flourish for years to come.

For more helpful readings on technology, please take a look at our other blog posts.