As organizations become more reliant on cloud applications, video conferencing, and remote collaboration, your choice of Internet Service Provider (ISP) can significantly impact performance, productivity, and customer experience. A slow or unreliable internet connection can mean lost revenue, frustrated employees, and unhappy customers.
Here are seven factors you should consider when choosing an ISP to support your business needs.
1. Quick Issue Resolution
Likely, your business can’t run without internet, so if you do have any issues, it’s critical to resolve them quickly. In fact, studies show that businesses rank fast issue resolution as nearly 50% more important than 24/7 support alone.
To assess an ISP’s service quality ask:
- Do you provide local customer support?
- What is your average response time for support calls?
- What percent of issues are resolved on the first call?
- Will I speak to a real person or an automated system?
2. Proven Reputation in the Market
An ISP with a solid reputation often indicates reliability and customer satisfaction. Look for providers with strong business partnerships, local industry involvement, and positive feedback from other businesses in your sector. Checking references, online reviews, and case studies can give you insight into real-world experiences. Speak with colleagues in your industry, and there may be some that stand out.
3. Reliability You Can Trust
An ISP’s network design impacts uptime and performance. Ask if they have:
- A redundant, fault-tolerant infrastructure
- Multiple peering locations for better network reliability
- A guaranteed uptime commitment in their Service Level Agreement (SLA).
For a frame of reference, WIN Technology’s committed availability guarantee is between 99.95-99.99% depending on the customer’s circuit design.
4. Direct Peering with Cloud and Content Providers
Does the ISP connect directly with major cloud and content providers to ensure high quality, low latency and high reliability when you connect to hosted cloud services? WIN Technology, for instance, peers with over 500 autonomous systems across the continental U.S. and has several major peering points across the U.S. If you’d like to take a look, visit our PeeringDB page.
5. The Right Type of Connection for Your Needs
Not all internet connections are equal:
- Fiber: Offers high-speed symmetrical uploads and downloads with dedicated bandwidth.
- Cable: Generally reliable but shared with other users, leading to slowdowns during peak hours.
If performance consistency is a priority, fiber is typically the best choice for business environments.
6. Scalability and Flexibility for Future Growth
Your ISP should support evolving business needs. Key questions to ask:
- Are the ISP’s circuits able to support a wide range of bandwidth needs? Ideally, the provider can offer speeds from 10Mbps to 100Gbps.
- Do they support IPv4, IPv6, BGP, or static IP configurations?
- Can they provide customized solutions for cloud connectivity, diversity among internet providers? Some large ISP’s can’t offer the flexibility and provide a one-size-fits all solution.
Look for a provider that offers agile solutions tailored to your needs.
7. Customer Satisfaction and Service Transparency
Reading online reviews, checking testimonials, and asking for customer references can reveal a lot about an ISP’s real-world reliability. Key indicators of customer satisfaction include:
- High retention rates and long-term business relationships
- Transparency in pricing, contracts, and service guarantees
- Proactive communication regarding maintenance and outages
Make the Right Choice for Your Business
Choosing the right ISP isn’t just about price—it’s about reliability, performance, and long-term business impact. By carefully considering these factors, you can make an informed decision when choosing a business ISP that aligns with your requirements and provides a reliable and efficient internet connection.
If you have questions or would like to learn more about how selecting the right ISP can enhance your business performance and growth, talk to us!