Short answer: Choose an IT provider whose help desk your staff can actually reach, whose technicians can get to your building when a remote fix will not do, who puts the scope of support in writing and who documents your setup in a way you can take with you. A provider that quotes before seeing your systems, or cannot say who owns your passwords, is guessing.
Start with who answers the phone
The first test is simple: when one of your employees has a locked account at 8:15 on a Monday, who do they reach? Ask whether the help desk is staffed by the same company that will do on-site work, and whether requests are logged so a repeat problem gets noticed. A ticket number with no follow-up is not support.
Check how far away the technicians are
Most issues can be solved over a secure remote session. Some cannot: a failed switch, a cabling problem, a new office being set up. For a business in Mt. Juliet, Brentwood or Hendersonville, a provider with technicians based in Middle Tennessee is a different experience from one that has to fly someone in. The same goes for Chattanooga and Cleveland. Ask where the nearest technician works from and how on-site visits are scheduled.
Get the scope in writing
"We handle your IT" means different things to different providers. Before you sign, you should be able to point to a written list that says:
- Which services are covered by the monthly plan
- Which work is quoted as a separate project, such as new computers, office moves or network installs
- Whether on-site visits are included and where
- How new users and devices are added
- How the agreement ends
Our managed IT cost guide has a longer list of pricing questions worth asking every provider you talk to.
Ask who owns the documentation
Your admin passwords, network diagram, firewall settings and software licenses belong to your business. A good provider documents them as part of onboarding and gives you access. If a provider is vague about this, switching away later will be painful.
Look at what they can cover together
Phones, Wi-Fi, cloud email, security cameras and door access all run on the same network now. When each one has a different vendor, problems that cross between them tend to bounce around. Ask whether one team can look at the network, the computers and the phones together, and how they coordinate with whoever installed your cameras.
Red flags
- A firm monthly price quoted before anyone has looked at your setup
- No clear answer about on-site support in your area
- Reluctance to share documentation or admin access
- Promises that sound absolute, like "you will never have downtime"
- Pressure to replace equipment that still works and is still supported
How TechCore answers these questions
TechCore is the business IT sister company of Turner Security, with offices at 106 Enon Springs Rd E in Smyrna and 5959 Shallowford Rd in Chattanooga. Our help desk resolves most requests remotely, and when a problem needs hands-on work, a local technician from one of those offices comes out. We cover managed IT, networking and network security, servers, cloud services, VoIP phones and business computers, and we can support the network behind Turner's cameras and access control.
We start every relationship with a free IT assessment: a look at your users, devices, network, accounts and current support. You get a written plan with what to fix first and a quote that lists what is covered. If something you have still works and is supported, we will tell you to keep it.
Choosing a provider: FAQ
Should we pick the cheapest quote?
Only after comparing what each quote includes. A lower monthly number that bills on-site visits, onboarding and after-hours work separately can cost more over a year.
Do we need a managed plan, or can we call as needed?
Both work with TechCore. Our managed IT vs. break-fix guide lays out when each one makes sense.
How do we switch from our current provider?
Collect admin passwords, license details and any documentation first. The new provider should help with the handoff during onboarding.
Comparing providers right now?
Use the questions above with everyone on your list, including us. When you want TechCore's answers in writing, call (615) 237-5700 to set up a free assessment with a technician from Smyrna or Chattanooga.
