By the end of 2025, the cybercrime industry is projected to cost the world over $10 trillion annually. Even a single incident can be difficult or impossible for most companies to overcome. You also risk irreparably damaging your company’s reputation.
For LA-based companies, working with the right cyber security provider can ensure you maintain the right levels of data protection. Not everyone knows what to look for in cyber security providers in Los Angeles, though.
Let’s explore how to find the right cyber security companies in Los Angeles for your needs.
Their Level of Experience in Network Support
This is one of the most important attributes to consider during your search. Inexperienced firms aren’t likely to meet your needs and could cause unnecessary risks.
For example, an inexperienced firm might not understand the unique nuances of your situation. What was once a minor issue could evolve into something much greater. It’s best to find someone with at least a decade of experience in the industry.
This will help guarantee they can provide the results you need. Reputable companies will proudly display their level of experience on their websites, making finding a suitable candidate straightforward.
Be wary of companies that seem to dodge questions about their experience. This could indicate they can’t meet your expectations.
Enthusiasm for IT Support
Never hire someone who isn’t enthusiastic about helping you. There’s a good chance they’ll fall short of your goals.
For example, assume you hired a firm that doesn’t particularly care about how your company performs. There’s a good chance they won’t be available when you need support.
They also won’t be proactive about monitoring for threats. You can gauge their level of enthusiasm by assessing how many questions they ask about your company. Firms interested in your project will want to learn as much as possible about your ambitions.
They’ll also proactively reach out to you to provide important details or ask for clarity. Pay close attention to these details when making your decision. This can often be the difference between whether you get the desired results.
Scalability for Managed IT Services
As your company grows, so will its security needs. Large companies are much more difficult to handle, and outgrowing resources is a common issue people face.
Scenarios like these can also prevent you from keeping your customers satisfied. The provider you choose should be fully equipped to handle your company’s growth. Ask them how they adapt to situations where their clients’ needs change drastically.
It’s best to find a business with a solid plan for handling these obligations. They should also allow you to scale back your services if necessary. For instance, some companies operate seasonally.
Others might need to downsize during times of economic hardship. If you’re stuck paying for services you don’t need, this can quickly cut your revenue.
Communicativeness
Getting left in the dark when problems arise can be frustrating. It can easily derail your productivity and detract from your other obligations.
In some situations, the problems you face could be impossible for your company to accommodate. You should have no trouble getting in touch with your provider’s customer support team.
Most businesses will offer some form of 24/7 support. It typically comes in the form of outsourced employees or chatbots. Before moving forward, determine what type of support they provide.
The last thing you want is to be stuck with a low-quality chatbot if issues occur outside of business hours. You should also ask how they handle common issues that arise, such as data breaches. This will help you provide them with necessary information if incidents like these arise.
Cybersecurity Compliance
The company you hire should have no problem adhering to your industry’s security standards. For example, companies in the healthcare space must comply with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).
Breaching regulations like these can result in costly fines and similar penalties. It can also damage your company’s reputation. Before making your decision, ask how the firm maintains compliance with the required standards.
They should have plenty of experience working with businesses like yours. If they can’t give you a comprehensive answer, explore other opportunities.
Service-Level Agreements
Service level agreements are amazing ways to narrow down your options. As the name implies, these guarantee a certain level of service after you hire a cyber security provider in Los Angeles. The terms you encounter will vary depending on who you work with.
Some companies might guarantee more favorable levels of service than others. The agreement you sign should be detailed enough to give you accurate expectations.
Don’t sign anything that has ambiguous language, as this could cause problems later on. A great way to make your decision between providers is by considering response times. The shorter the response time, the better.
Even a few moments can make a difference when handling a cyber attack. The same can be said about recovering from disaster recover and data loss.
Cost-Efficiency
It’s not impossible to handle cyber security responsibilities on your own. However, you’ll spend more time and resources doing so. It’s better to budget for a professional.
You’ll need to make sure you choose a cost-efficient firm. This means you should get a substantial level of service for the money you spend.
This comes with the added benefit of allowing you to invest in other areas of your business. When you don’t have to worry about your cyber security responsibilities, you can focus on improving your company’s key metrics.
Outsourced Technical Support Red Flags
Understanding red flags will help you avoid hiring the wrong companies. Keep a close eye out for these, as they aren’t always readily apparent. Listed below are some of the most notable.
Instilling Urgency
Never work with someone who urges you to make a decision. This is a sign you should stay far away from them. Companies that do this often want you to decide before you have a chance to see if the details aren’t in your favor.
This often occurs when someone needs to sign an agreement. Instead, look for someone who has no issue letting you take your time before making your choice. They should also offer a free quote for their services.
Avoid companies that charge for consultations. This is a sign they care more about money than providing excellent service. It also means you’re less likely to be satisfied with their service.
To clarify, they wouldn’t need to charge for consultations if they made enough money from working with their clients. Their work should speak for itself and entice people to hire them.
A Focus on Sales
If the firm seems overly concerned with sales, you should look elsewhere. While sales are important for every business, they shouldn’t prioritize them above your satisfaction.
These are often easy to recognize, as they’ll typically steer the conversation toward upselling. They might also seem pushy if you’re on the fence about working with them.
If they make you feel like another sales number instead of a unique client, chances are they’ll fall short of your goals. The good news is behavior like this is often easy to discern. Once you recognize it, you can avoid that company and focus your efforts elsewhere.
Poor Transparency
It’s imperative to find a company that has no problem offering insight into their practices. This should be true regardless of how long you’ve worked with them. For example, the firm should provide detailed information about how they’ll help you with cloud solutions, network security, and your overall data strategy.
The more you know about how they operate, the easier it will be for you to make your decision. Companies that aren’t transparent are likely to outsource their key roles.
While there’s nothing inherently wrong with this, it could lead to lower-quality results. You might also experience security concerns depending on who they outsource to.
Refutable Claims
Are the claims they make verifiable? They should provide reliable resources for all of their claims. These should be links to reputable websites or press releases.
Never choose a company whose claims are easily refutable. For example, they might declare they can help your company eliminate cyber threats.
While this is something to strive toward, it’s impossible to fully prevent certain attacks. Keep this in mind on moving forward so you can avoid wasting your time and money on the wrong firm.
Low Pricing
You often get what you pay for when choosing a cyber security firm. This is not an obligation you want to cut corners on.
Selecting the cheapest firms is sure to fall short of your expectations. However, many people make the mistake of assuming they’ll get better results if they choose expensive options.
There’s a point of diminishing returns regarding what you pay. Spending more money doesn’t always mean that you’ll get a better outcome. Somewhere in the middle of the price range can likely meet your needs without stretching your budget.
Risk of Choosing the Wrong Company
There’s a handful of risks you’ll face if you choose the wrong company. It’s imperative to avoid shady companies so you don’t place your company in jeopardy. Let’s explore some of the most notable.
Risk of a Cyberattack
As you might assume, working with a poor-quality professional increases your risk of a cyberattack. You’ll have fewer safeguards in place, and the software your company uses could be outdated. Regardless of the situation, this poses an enormous risk.
For example, a hacker could slip through your company’s defenses and hit you with a ransomware attack. This scenario involves a criminal encrypting crucial data and preventing access to it. They then demand that you pay a ransom in cryptocurrency.
If you don’t satisfy their demands, they leave your data encrypted indefinitely. Under no circumstances should you pay the ransom. The hacker will only use the money to facilitate future attacks.
Even the FBI states you shouldn’t satisfy the hacker’s demands. A single attack can have long-lasting consequences, so it’s best to avoid situations like these at all costs. You can do so by working with the right provider.
Extended Downtime
Even a brief period of downtime can lead to substantial issues. If your customers can’t engage with your business, they’ll turn to a competitor instead. In scenarios like these, it’s virtually impossible to get your previous customers back to your company.
Now, imagine for a moment what could happen if you have extended downtime. Let’s assume you pay a team of 10 workers an average of $50 per hour each.
For each hour they can’t work, it costs your company $500 in lost productivity. If they can’t work for a full workday (usually eight hours), you’ll burn $4,000 per day. This can quickly add up and get out of control.
This scenario also doesn’t consider other costs, such as missed opportunities and reputational damage. Disreputable companies have fewer resources and won’t use them as effectively as they should. You’ll likely have major issues avoiding obstacles if you don’t hire someone ideal for your situation.
Overspending
Many people overlook how much they’ll end up overspending if they work with the wrong company. The less effective they are at handling your projects, the longer it’ll take them to meet your needs.
This means you’ll spend more money per task. Small companies might deal with financial hardship as a result. This can make it difficult to handle your company’s other obligations.
Overspending comes with other consequences, as well. Choosing the wrong firm means you’ll eventually have to budget for the right provider, causing you to spend more money than you anticipated.
Finding a Professional Cyber Security Company in Los Angeles Is Simple
The consequences of not having cybersecurity managed service providers can be dire. But don’t let the process of finding the right fit deter you making the calls and setting up the interviews.
The process is actually much more straightforward than most people anticipate. From here, you’ll have no issue getting the best results for your needs.
Since 2007, the team at Be Structured has helped our clients overcome their IT needs and keep their data safer. We strive to deliver outstanding results that meet all of your needs while maintaining transparency throughout the process.
You can learn more about how we can help when you schedule a consultation today.
