Having good, easily accessible IT support is essential for any small to medium sized business.
Do you have adequate IT support?
Do you get the most from that support?
Here are seven ways to ensure you get the most from your IT support provider:
- Establish a relationship with the provider. Don’t just call IT support when you have a technical issue. Get to know them and build a long lasting relationship with them. The more they know about your business and its systems, the more likely they’ll be able to advise and get to the problems before they become urgent matters.
- Treat your IT support provider like a part of your team. As the relationship builds, treat them as an integral part of your team. Working together and in sync will help to get the most from IT support.
- Be clear about your expectations. Every business has different needs and expectations. Some can’t afford any downtime due to system failure or technical issues and others are ok if things are down for an hour or so. The nature of the business will determine the impact any downtime has. Be clear about what you need and want from IT support and the provider can align the type of service you receive, along with any costs, accordingly.
- Let them monitor your systems. IT support companies are able to remotely monitor and manage your systems 24/7 and alert the team before a problem or issue turns into a disaster. This minimises the impact of potential downtime and resolves problems quickly and efficiently.
- Find someone with experience in your industry and systems. Find a company who has direct experience with your industry together with knowledge of the hardware and software your business uses. Some IT support providers are happy to learn the technology at a cost to them as part of a commitment to building a long term relationship to you.
- Find a provider that is proficient in remote support. Over 90% of IT support issues can be resolved over the phone or online. An IT support provider that offers 24/7 remote monitoring and management is cost effective because of the quick response time.
- Know your options. Do you want hourly IT support or a managed services agreement? Look at your IT requirements and decide which is best for you. Hourly IT support can become very expensive when you frequently experience IT issues. A managed services agreement can remove any ‘unexpected costs’ and allow for better budgeting.
If you’re thinking about managed IT support, why not get an idea of the cost? In 3 easy steps, you’ll be able to access an approximate cost and find out more about what Fifteen Group can offer.
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