Since IT first became available to the masses it has become more and more involved in the everyday workings of a lot of businesses. From organisation to communication IT has revolutionised the way that businesses run forever and it is only becoming more and more advanced as we move forward into the future.
The businesses that are embracing of what IT can do for a business will enter this modern age the frontrunners, and those who don’t will more likely be left behind in the long run.
Knowing now how important IT is, it should be easy to see why having as good IT support is paramount to make sure all of your IT is up and operational. Relying on and making best use of the advanced IT we have today is fine and will help your business to flourish however, to have good IT you need to have a good, reliable IT Support provider.
With this in mind here are some areas that might be tell-tale signs that your IT Support provider isn’t up to the task:
Their Communication isn’t up to par
Some people have a persistent misconception that because IT is about technical outputs, good customer service comes second. This couldn't be further from the truth because having a likeable, engaging IT partner is essential to making sure you get the most out of any new investments and to aiding your team in understanding current or upcoming changes.
Your IT professional needs to be cooperative, friendly, patient, and helpful. Their enthusiasm for their profession need to be evident in the way they conduct themselves, and they ought to be ready to interact with you and your team in order to make sure you're happy with the assistance you're receiving. They should serve as a consulting presence for your company, constantly there to help with big and small issues and eager to steer you toward the best goods and services.
Your provider is unlikely to be the strategic IT partner your company needs as it navigates substantial changes if they are conspicuously silent, only communicate in perplexing jargon, and never offer guidance on their own.
Service Level Agreements dictate the service standard
Wait, isn't it a positive development? Don't you want an IT company that honours its commitments? Of course, a reputable IT supplier would strive to perform far better and will view a service level agreement as a minimal quality baseline.
A solid IT support SLA won't outline intangible components. For instance, your provider should be a wealth of technical expertise and should explain changes and decisions in terms of how they will benefit your company in quantifiable ways. They should be aware of financial and regulatory restrictions and create solutions with these stipulations in mind. A strong IT provider would also put a lot of emphasis on service components like proactive network maintenance that may be less constrained by contractual performance obligations.
Contractual duties are essential for defining the limits of service delivery, but if all you receive from your supplier is those obligations, you should question if the partnership offers a fair value.
Recurring issues are halting you productivity
An essential part of IT assistance is remote monitoring and upkeep. To preserve the overall integrity of your environment, your IT provider should be handling software/operating system upgrades, checking the health of your network, and remotely implementing security fixes. Minimizing downtime (a period of system unavailability) and making sure your environment is protected against cyber threats are the goals of all of this.
It's possible that your provider is taking a casual approach to preventative maintenance if your company experiences frequent network outages or if the same issues keep cropping up. Additionally, they can be using band-aid solutions rather of addressing deeper, more complicated problems.
They promise too much
Businesses often outsource their IT to access into a vast pool of skills and information that would be financially prohibitive to create in-house. Naturally, having a provider with a variety of talents and specialisations is really helpful, but it's also a good idea to be wary of providers that claim to "do it all," especially if they're working with a very small team. Without a team of experts, maintaining technical proficiency in every imaginable subject in the large, complicated world of business technology is a severe task. Ask about certifications, vendor alliances, and even case study samples if your provider claims to be able to handle all and anything to find out whether the bold claims are true.
Conversations are too product-focussed
In the end, technology exists to support your business; your company does not exist merely as a technology consumer. Smart IT service providers are aware of this and begin a conversation with their clients to learn about the demands, limitations, and issues they are dealing with. They then work backwards from these business concerns to find or create solutions that best address these problems.
Unfortunately, some providers use the incorrect strategy. They always begin a conversation with a sales pitch about a product they sell, promoting nonsensical goods and services that don't cater to the needs of their customers.
Although your IT provider will never fully comprehend the inner workings of your company, they should have taken the time to get a general understanding of how you operate, any commercial and regulatory pressures you may be subject to, any logistical challenges you may be facing, and the team's working arrangements. Your provider won't likely be able to serve as your strategic technology partner if they have shown little interest in your company.
It may be time to reassess your provider's performance on several of the aforementioned fronts to see if they can still be the reliable tech partner for your company going forward. Keep reading to learn about the five essential qualities you should look for in an IT supplier.
A Reliable IT Support Provider
If you are seriously experiencing issues like this with your IT Support provider, it might be time for a change. We promise to provide a high level of support, to ensure that problems are nipped in the bud as often as possible and if a problem ever does arise have it sorted out as fast as possible. Don’t hesitate to Get in Contact if you have any questions about your IT Support.
