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Ask Slashdot: How Can You Find a Good IT Consultant?
Slashdot reader Thelasko says his wife manages a small eight-person business -- but remains unhappy with the company's IT consultant:
She's had endless problems with Windows 10 Pro's update system causing downtime. Anytime she calls the IT consultant, they don't resolve issues to her satisfaction, and the company gets stuck with a large bill. She's resorted to researching and providing support for the company network herself.
The contract is up at the end of the year, and she wants to find a new consultant. The company owner however, doesn't want to switch because all of the work the consultant provided is covered under a "warranty" for 3 years (the company typically gets charged). I don't work in IT myself, and am unable to provide advice. What should they do? How would Slashdot find a reputable consultant?
Leave your best answers in the comments. How can you find a good IT consultant?
The contract is up at the end of the year, and she wants to find a new consultant. The company owner however, doesn't want to switch because all of the work the consultant provided is covered under a "warranty" for 3 years (the company typically gets charged). I don't work in IT myself, and am unable to provide advice. What should they do? How would Slashdot find a reputable consultant?
Leave your best answers in the comments. How can you find a good IT consultant?
It seems her boss doesn't value her work, and quality work in general. I wouldn't advise to stay at such a company on the long term. Nothing will change until she gets overwhelmed and burnt out, and then she'll be the scapegoat for the crisis.
She's had endless problems with Windows 10 Pro's update system causing downtime.
Yes, that is what it's there for.
Anytime she calls the IT consultant, they don't resolve issues to her satisfaction
Thought: Maybe this is not on the consultant, but the choice to use Windows for everything. But despite all that, lets move on to the main issue...
The company owner however, doesn't want to switch because all of the work the consultant provided is covered under a "warranty" for 3 years
What would a "Warranty" even mean even mean for IT consulting? Within a single year so much about the system would have changes because of Microsoft or hardware updates that any kind of warranty would be meaningless. Also if the work is covered under a warranty, shouldn't that mean they have to repair whatever even if not under contract?
If they are not happy move on, though as I stated before I do not think they can find happiness given what they are giving the IT consultants to work with.
"There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
True dat. The original question is: "How do you find a good (Windows) IT consultant", which is a subset of "good Windows IT", which is, of course, the null set.
She's had endless problems with Windows 10 Pro's update system causing downtime.
The problem here is Windows 10 Pro for which there is no magic fix other than not using it. If the product does not perform to your satisfaction then the solution is to not using the product.
People hate this answer because it means moving to another operating system which can be unpleasant but that doesn't make it any less true.
Anons need not reply. Questions end with a question mark.
No, you're wrong and spewing the typical kind of bullshit useless people do.
The problem is the choice of operating system, not the consultant. Microsoft's windows 10 update ills cannot be fixed by any consultant.
The problem is that not many companies are will to pay for expert advice.
No. The problem is that people that need an IT consultant are not able to judge quality. If they knew enough to make that judgement, they wouldn't need the consultant in the first place.
And don't give me that crap about "You get what you pay for." That is absolutely untrue in IT.
The best solution in this case is likely for her to build her team's internal skill set. Learn how to troubleshoot and use ServerFault, Microsoft.com, and Google for solutions. If she pays for a "solution", she should make sure she understands exactly what the consultant did, so she can do it herself next time.
If you need an IT consultant, you can't handle Linux.