Getting good service from your IT company is imperative to the success of your business. And with more people working remotely due to the current situation, having the right IT support in place is even more important than ever. But what is it your IT company should be doing exactly?
Many companies, particularly small to medium sized ones, employ a third-party IT support company to help with various technical issues that may arise. Having this support in place, means that if something does go wrong with your IT, it can be resolved quickly and avoid as much downtime or malfunction as possible.
But when employing third party IT support, it can be difficult to know exactly what to expect from their service. So, we have put together this short list of exactly what you can expect to receive.
Level of Support x Cost
Most IT support companies will offer a tiered structure, providing a trade off between the amount you pay on a monthly basis, versus the level of support you receive. Simply put, the more you pay, the higher the level of service.
This could be the difference between, number of call outs per month, 24 hours vs. restricted hours support and whether or not the support is over the phone/online vs. physical support.
It is often possible, that if required as a one off, you can pay a set fee for something your particular package doesn’t cover, such as a physical call out if absolutely required.
1. Keep track of changes
When an IT company manages your technology infrastructure, it is essential they document any changes they make to your systems and any issues they have resolved.
Unfortunately, when frequently being used by those not trained in the IT profession, it isn’t unlikely for the same issues to occur. IT infrastructure can also be very reactive, meaning that a change to one aspect can affect another.
As a result, it is essential for your IT company to be able to review all of the changes they have made previously, so that they can make reference to them and can swiftly rectify any new issues which occur.
2. Employ endpoint protection
Endpoint systems refer to your laptops, desktops and servers. It is essential that these are adequately protected by your IT company’s packages to ensure that your systems and data are not subject to a virus attack.
Whilst it may seem unlikely that you will ever be the target of such attacks, these happen more frequently than you would expect. It can often be something which is overlooked by small to medium business owners without a background in IT, but is certainly something your IT support company should be looking into on your behalf.
There are multiple versions available, and more often than not, the free versions will not provide the level of protection you require.
3. Advise you on your infrastructure
The key reason for employing an IT company is to leverage their expertise. As a result, essentially during the onboarding process, they should be reviewing the needs of your business and advising you accordingly.
This could be changes to your physical infrastructure, it’s set up and the way it is implemented. Or the virtual side of your business from the software, server setup and the various protection you have in place.
As an expert on IT, they should be staying up to date with the latest trends in the industry and providing you insight into the technology world, taking the weight off of your shoulders from doing so.
4. Ongoing IT support
Previously touched on above, the level of IT support you receive will strongly be influenced by the package you have with your chosen company. This type of IT support involves employees having access to an advisor when something goes wrong with their personal workspace.
This could be anything from getting locked out of their machine, to their phone being down or even not being able to deploy an update. Many IT companies now adhere to a ticketing system which involves creating a ‘ticket’ to highlight the issue to your IT company and someone on the other end will pick it up when it reaches the front of the queue.
5. Telephony support
As discussed, more people are working remotely now which means organisations are moving to either an IP or online phone system. This is also usually managed by your IT company.
When moving to this type of system, your IT company should be able to talk to you about the various options available and help you get the process set up. They will also be on hand to ensure that your system is working properly and address any issues if they arise.
Get the right support for you
As with any industry, the level of IT support you require will be highly reliant on your business. As a result, it is always best to speak to multiple providers, discuss your needs and come to the best solution for you.
Everything from budget, to IT requirements and reliance can affect this decision, so it is essential you choose the right option to suit your company’s needs.
