IT companies: the benefits of specialization

“A technology is a technology” could not be further from the truth. While any good technician can keep your network up and running and secure, it takes a specialist who is familiar with your specific software and hardware needs to provide support efficiently.

For example, consider a medical or dental office looking to outsource its IT needs. In this case, the company you choose will need to be HIPAA compliant and must also have procedures in place to keep your data compliant. Also, in a medical or dental environment, complex hardware and software work together creating a complex database that requires maintenance and administration. In this situation, a network technician may not have all the necessary skills and training to keep your hardware and software configured efficiently while complying with the data restrictions mandated by HIPAA.

Additionally, the network technician may not be familiar with the operating system and software adjustments that may be necessary to enforce efficiency in a medical practice.

Another example of a vertical-specific IT company might encounter financial planners and other companies that have detailed information about their customers. Identity theft is a growing concern, and there are strict regulations on how to retain and release this type of financial and identifying data. Encryption is an important piece, for example. In this case, a medical or dental technician will not have the data security training required by NIST and other government agencies.

Finally, when considering an IT company, choose one that has ongoing support plans. A company with continuous support will guarantee not only the equipment it provides, but also the service. If a problem occurs with your installation, or if your network becomes slow, your on-going specialist IT company can take care of it without increasing additional charges. This is the biggest benefit of avoiding a do-it-yourself plan for YOU: while you can do it yourself, unexpected problems can occur. When this happens on time, it can lead to costly lost production. Instead, you can get these guaranteed services so you don’t take up your valuable time after a big installation.

How to find a company specialized in IT? Google is one way, but many times these companies do not spend the money necessary to be on the first pages of Google. This leaves word of mouth. Usually there are specific forums created for people in your specific market. Find one of these and ask those groups the questions: What companies in your market work best with what you work with? Word of mouth is the best way to find a good tech company.