Contrary to popular belief, the relationship between a business and its tech support is hugely important. If you’re considering outsourcing the management of your IT to a professional company, then it’s crucial you do your due diligence and ensure they align with your goals and values before you sign anything. The work of an IT support company is fundamental in minimising disruptions in your day-to-day operations and cementing business continuity. As they play such a crucial role in your business operations, it is imperative that you find a service provider that aligns with your values as a business and understands your goals.
If it’s been a few months since you signed the contract, you might be wondering if the company you chose is right for you. There are many reasons why your managed service provider may fall short of the mark. Before deciding to switch or stay with your tech support, be sure to ask yourself the following questions to make absolutely sure you’re making the right decision.
- Are they listening?
Understanding your business goals and aspirations, acknowledging your frustrations and otherwise building a relationship with you and your staff should be of the utmost importance to your tech support. If your IT support goes on about themselves and talks at you, then you may have come across a company that is all about pushing their agenda. It is of paramount importance that your tech support not only listens to your concerns and aspirations but actively takes it all on board and plans accordingly.
- Are they delivering proactive solutions?
A professional IT company will offer a variety of different levels, services and solutions for your business. If you are paying for a fully managed IT service, then your chosen company should be actively monitoring and managing your tech. This is known as a proactive service, the idea being your tech support will find and resolve any potential issues before they escalate. Proactive solutions are rooted in management and planning. This kind of support should eventuate in a long-term strategy that future proofs your system and maintains your digital infrastructure and assets.
If your contract stipulates a fully managed service but you’re encountering a number of problems that have been interrupting your day-to-day operations, then your IT support company may not be monitoring your system as they promised.
Unplanned outages can cause major disruptions and severe migraines for businesses and their teams alike. If it’s within your budget, it always pays to avoid a reactive service, also known as break-fix solutions, where your tech support will resolve issues as they happen. Although it may be cheaper upfront, in the long run, a reactive service can end up costing your business more in unnecessary downtime, data losses and unexpected crashes.
- Do you have a dedicated account manager?
There’s nothing worse than having to repeatedly explain a fault or issue to multiple different people every time you call – or even worse, being put in touch with a call centre representative who has no idea who you are, what your business does or perhaps most pertinent, how to fix the issue you are experiencing.
It’s important to watch out for a business that will pass you from person to person. A professional IT service provider will provide you with a dedicated accounts manager. This dedicated manager will build a relationship with you and your team, get to know your company through and through and build a strategy that nurtures growth within your business.
- Are you receiving reasonable response times?
Are issues with your tech common? Do you have a growing pile of unresolved support tickets clogging up your desk and email?
Slow response times and a “there’s nothing we can do” mindset are immediate red flags when it comes to IT support. If you and your team are attempting to contact your tech support for help and receiving slow response times and lingering resolutions, then it may be time to switch your IT company. A slow response time is especially pertinent if your IT support is responding with disdain or even slap-dash repairs that only work momentarily. If you aren’t receiving a proactive, relatively fast response to disruptions, it may be time to switch to a provider who will.
- Is your team picking up the slack?
If members of your team are diverting their time and fixing issues your IT support should be resolving, then it is definitely time to switch providers. Your staff should not have to resolve tech issues themselves in order to mitigate the effects of a poorly performing IT support service.
Although it can be difficult for you to pick up on this problem, the best way to avoid it is to regularly seek feedback from your staff about the performance of your tech support. Ensuring your IT support is doing their job will ease tension within your own team, boost productivity and in the long-term, cement your business continuity.
Finding the right IT support provider for you
A quick search on any online search engine will reveal hundreds if not thousands of IT support services local to your business all promising the very best in remote and in-house tech support. However, while it’s easy to find tech support, it’s a lot more difficult to find the right support for you and your business.
Your chosen company should align to the same values as your own organisation, as well as take your goals and aspirations into account. Nurturing business growth and evolving with your company should be their primary concern. A professional IT support service will also proactively manage your tech and resolve issues before they escalate, ensuring you experience minimal disruptions to your day-to-day operations in the event of downtime or a crash.
To start off with, try searching a few different keywords with your location. You might try ‘IT Support Bristol’ or ‘IT Management Margate’. From there, it should be easy enough to narrow down your choices until you find a company that vibes with your business. Just don’t sign with the first company you find!
