So, you’ve made the decision to outsource your IT Support. Now is the time to get to know them, before any emergencies arise.
First among your list of priorities is to find a support provider that has experience in your industry and with the systems you use. If your support provider already understands your business, you’re two steps ahead of any problems that may arise with your technology.
An IT support provider that has some experience with your industry is invaluable.
In any new relationship, the first order of business is to get to know one another. Learn the names and contact information of the people who will be working with your account, as well as members of their support staff. Find out about their education, their experience, and develop a personal business relationship with them. When the time arises to call for help, you and they will feel more comfortable working together.
Once you have gotten to know your support service staff, bring them into the fold, so to speak. Instead of treating them as a vendor, begin to think about them as part of your team. Share your business goals with them, and give them insight into your priorities and concerns. This groundwork will benefit both parties when IT support is needed.
As with any member of your team, you will need to lay out your expectations in a clear, concise manner. If your business needs to up and running 24/7, then your IT Support staff needs to know this in order to give you the kind of service you need. If, however, your business can function effectively with short bursts of downtime, knowing this will help reduce “emergency thinking” on the part of your IT Support staff. And as a bonus, being clear about your expectations can help your service provider to respond and invoice you efficiently.
Trust your IT Support service to monitor your systems. After all, that’s what you’ve hired them for, right? Allowing them to employ remote monitoring and maintenance will help them to head off problems before they arise. If you’ve done your homework and hired an IT Support service that can provide remote support, you can further increase your efficiency while reducing downtime and costs. Upwards of 90% of support issues can be resolved via phone or Internet, eliminating the cost of travel time and the wasted time waiting for a service provider to physically come to your business.
If you have all of these criteria in place, then when issues arise your IT Support provider can take action more quickly and efficiently. Lieberman Technologies always seeks to establish a solid working relationship with our customers for this reason. Call me, Jeff Brown, at 812.434.6648 or send me an email at Jeff.Brown@LTnow.com to begin an efficient working partnership for your IT Support needs.
Lieberman Technologies provides IT Support to the Evansville, Newburgh, Henderson, and Tri-State area.
Article #2 in a Series