More and more, businesses are moving operations online. With the progression of technology and the internet, this outcome was inevitable. However, the COVID pandemic accelerated the process by forcing companies across the globe to embrace remote working.
Conducting your business online makes it easier to save and store documents. In many cases, you can automate a wide variety of operations, which streamlines your business and helps cut costs.
However, having your entire business online exposes you to cybersecurity threats. Hackers can steal your and your customer’s information. That’s why you need cybersecurity services to keep your business and your customers safe.
But how do you find the best cybersecurity company?
We’re here to help you sift through your options. Keep reading for everything you need to know about how to hire the right cybersecurity team.
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Background and Qualifications
First, it’s important to find cybersecurity services offered by certified technicians. Cybersecurity specialists should have a bachelor’s degree in computer science, as well as a certification in cybersecurity.
You can find their qualifications online. If not, feel free to ask about their background (how long they’ve been in business) and certifications while talking to the company.
Learn more about the company and its employees. What training must their IT technicians complete before being assigned to clients like you?
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Industry Reputation
While looking at your cybersecurity options, do a little digging to learn more about each company’s reputation. You can look online using Google Reviews or Yelp Reviews.
Alternatively, visit the company’s website. Many Cybersecurity specialists list their client testimonials on their sites. Here, you can get a better understanding of their services and the way they treat their clients.
Look for an online security company that has great ratings. If there are repeating complaints or a lot of negative reviews, it may be a bad sign. If a ton of their other customers had a bad experience, there’s a good chance you will too.
The company you hire should have customer reviews boasting of its performance, reliability, communication skills, customer services, etc.
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Communication and Accessibility
For most online companies, any issues with digital security could spell trouble. If the site is hacked, it could go down or leak private information.
This is unacceptable and could lead to financial upsets and angry customers. In other words, the situation needs to be handled as quickly as possible.
For this, you need cybersecurity services that are accessible around the clock. If you call your cybersecurity specialist in an emergency situation, you shouldn’t be stuck on hold for several hours before you can even begin to address the situation.
For this reason, you should also consider using cybersecurity solutions with excellent communication skills. While there’s nothing wrong with hiring companies outside the US, the language barrier should be minimal (or nonexistent). Clear and concise communication can make all the difference in how quickly a situation is resolved.
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Additional Services
While assessing your cybersecurity options, find out what other types of IT services they can provide. If you can hire a company that handles all of your IT needs, including cybersecurity, you can save a lot of money and simplify your operations.
For example, other common IT services you might want include:
- Data backup and protection
- Managed IT services
- Cloud services
- Tech support (software and hardware)
- VOIP services
- Monitoring services
- Firewall services
- And more
Talk to a consultant to determine what types of IT and cybersecurity services you need. Then, find out what companies on your list can provide those types of services.
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Relevant Experience
Finding the right cybersecurity specialist is like finding the right contractor or personal trainer. Not all professionals in a given industry are created equally (at least, not for your specific needs).
For example, a new mom looking for a personal trainer to help her lose her pregnancy weight wouldn’t go to a powerlifting coach. Similarly, you shouldn’t hire cybersecurity services that don’t have relevant experience to your needs.
Find out what other companies they’ve worked with and on what level to make sure they’re the right service provider for your business. If you own a largescale company with multiple sites, hiring a cybersecurity tech who’s only ever protected mom-and-pop businesses may not be a good call.
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Pricing
As with any business investment, sifting through your cybersecurity options should be done through the lens of your budget. Go online to identify the costs of the top companies on your list. However, to find out exactly what your costs would be, you might need to contact each company to get a free consultation and quote.
A representative will talk to you about your business and your website to help you determine what you need in terms of IT and cybersecurity solutions. Based on these parameters, they’ll give you a quote for their services.
We recommend getting a quote from multiple cybersecurity providers to make sure you’re getting the best deal. Just make sure they hit all the other items on our list.
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Guarantees
Finally, before choosing cybersecurity services, take a look at their contract or talk to a representative to find out more about their service guarantees. Do they offer any kind of customer satisfaction or protection guarantees?
Just as importantly, what happens if they fail to deliver? You should be awarded some level of compensation if your site is hacked or your information is exposed.
Make sure these guarantees are included in the contract. Otherwise, it will be difficult to enforce, should the time come.
Are You Looking for Cybersecurity Services?
Cybersecurity services are becoming more important every day. Not only are more business operations being conducted online, but the technology is becoming more and more in-depth. This means computer hackers are finding new ways to infiltrate private systems.
Fortunately, this also means that cybersecurity services are evolving to keep you safe. Follow our guide to find the best provider for your business.
And if you’re looking for more business advice or tech tips, we have more to offer. Before you go, take a look through the rest of our blog to find more relevant articles.
