What to look at when choosing an ICT partner

When selecting an ICT partner, there are a number of factors to take into account. Technology partners can help enterprises match their strategies with their digital transformation goals. A digital partnership should enhance business operations and streamline processes.

Businesses should look for technical competency as well as suitable products and services when choosing an ICT partner. High-quality ICT solutions should be coupled with excellent customer service. Let's explore some of the important considerations to bear in mind...

An ICT partner that provides tailored solutions

While an out-of-the-box solution may work for start-ups or SMEs, most large enterprises already have extensive systems in place. As such, your ICT partner must be able to provide integrated solutions that, if necessary, can integrate with legacy systems.

Businesses need to decide on a suitable cloud migration and network strategy to evolve with the needs of a modern workforce due to the growing shift towards the cloud. Whether you choose to completely rebuild the system in the cloud or take a "lift and shift" or "lift, tinker, and shift" approach, your chosen ICT partner should support your business.

They should also recommend the best course of action for your company, taking into account its requirements and budget. Whether a top-down or bottom-up approach is needed, cloud architects can be called upon to guide your strategy.

An understanding of the local market

Be sure to choose an ICT partner that understands the local market. This involves having a comprehensive understanding of the cyber threats aimed at local businesses. All businesses should consider email protection software as a basic cyber security solution. IT networks and digital environments are kept safe by filtering suspicious communications.

For large enterprises, there is a strong business imperative to protect digital assets. It is essential that no personally identifiable data from customers and employees is manipulated or stolen. To prevent large-scale attacks like distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks, businesses must safeguard their data.

A DDoS attack can bring down a company's network, making it inaccessible for up to a few weeks at a time as technicians scramble to get things up and running again. In line with local cyber security trends, SEACOM Business offers DDoS protection to East African businesses.

Flexible and scalable solutions

There is a strong correlation between business growth and a capacity to expand the digital ecosystem. Experience and track record in providing scalable digital solutions is a good indicator of the right ICT partner. An example of how an agile ICT solution may support digital business models is the ability to handle seasonal spikes in web traffic.

Look for a provider that offers burstable capacity. This means that bandwidth can be rapidly scaled up to cater for unexpected spikes in demand. Also have a look out for providers that can offer solutions that scale as your company, employees and network grow.

Choose an ICT partner that has a proven track record

A great way to learn more about a potential ICT partner's reputation is to study what their customers have to say about them. You can learn about the types of companies that the ICT provider works with by reading testimonials. These reviews will indicate the services provided and highlight whether this is a suitable ICT partner for your enterprise.

SEACOM Business offers services to a range of Kenyan enterprises and SMEs, including fintechs, telcoms, banks and educational institutions. We've worked with our clients for a very long time and our track record speaks for itself. We understand the needs of our local market and our dedicated teams work closely with our clients to ensure the best possible service.

Excellent customer service and industry-leading SLAs

Ensure that your ICT partner is consumer-centric. You'll need a reliable partner who is always available for support and service delivery. Whether it be a result of a technical fault, a software issue or the result of a cyber security threat, businesses need to be always-on when it comes to digital.

SEACOM Business offers 24/7/365 customer support. Our technicians are available at all times to ensure that your company's networks and ICT solutions are operating at peak performance. Customers may lose trust in the service and choose an alternative if they are unable to execute online transactions or access web portals, and businesses may suffer reputational consequences if their online platforms stop working.

SEACOM Business recognises the value of true seamless connectivity. Our industry-leading SLAs guarantee 99% uptime. For more information or to get a quote for our connectivity, cyber security or cloud solutions, email us at marketing@seacom.com or leave us a message.

SEACOM owns Africa’s largest network of information and communications technology (ICT) infrastructure, including fibre optic networks and subsea cables. We offer a wide range of industry-leading scalable ICT solutions for large companies that operate throughout the region.

SEACOM is privately owned - making it adaptable to the needs of the client. We are the preferred ICT and internet connectivity supplier for African enterprises. We can guarantee fast, reliable and secure internet and networking services at affordable prices.

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