Over several years, one of the recurring problems I see out there is that, when you need IT, you’re not even sure exactly what kind of IT you need. People ask their family, their friends, their coworkers; if they’re lucky, the person needing help already knows their “IT guy” at work or another person who is actually in the IT industry, but all too often, they’ll conflate tech with IT and start asking family members who work for Facebook as a programmer to help them with their Wi-Fi.
So, the question: what is the “right kind” of IT? To answer this as simply as possible, I have somewhat oversimplified the industry into three main kinds of IT experts or resources you could hire for help:
- Computer repair shops
- Local IT Consultants
- IT Managed Service Providers (MSPs)
Read below for more info on each, why you would choose them, and how to find them.
Computer Repair Shop
If you have photos or videos on a computer that you need help finding or extracting from a crashed computer, then the best option would be a computer repair shop. They will often take the computer itself into their shop and do what they need to without you being there the whole time, and if the computer is crashed, they may even be able to repair it and get it running as a bonus.
To find one, we recommend doing a Google or Yelp search for “computer repair shop” and include either your city or zip code to find one nearby.
Local IT Consultant
If you need more extensive IT assistance unrelated to your physical computer, like social media or email, and/or you really don’t want to bring your computer anywhere, you might work with a local IT Consultant. They help either in-person or remotely on one-time, short-term projects. However, because they are individuals, they are often not responsive when it comes to being an ongoing IT resource, and often take days if not weeks to get assistance from them when they get busy.
To find one, we recommend doing a Google or Yelp search for “local IT Consultant” and include either your city or zip code to find one nearby.
IT managed service provider (MSP)
If you want an ongoing relationship with your chosen IT resource, this is the best option. MSPs specialize in providing ongoing support, consultations, and additional protection and training for things like backups, stronger security software, maintenance, and robust password management. Because they are a company with multiple staff, they are much more responsive when you need something later and will be available when you need them.
If you are a small business with fewer than 10 employees or are a home user or freelancer looking for help with your computers / general IT, then BH Tech Connection is a great resource for this type of ongoing IT support and service.
And if you have a business with more than 10 staff but don’t know anyone in IT, then don’t hesitate to contact us! We’ll help you find a good IT company.
Thanks!