Lockdown tested the strengths of many IT support companies; how they reacted to the work from home rules and how quickly and seamlessly they moved their clients to remote working showed many that they were not quite up to the task.
So, this meant that some companies have been looking for new IT support! BUT, there’s a few awkward questions you may need to ask them to establish whether they have just what you’re looking for. This month, our blogs will be focusing on the answers you want to know and how to find them out…
- Who will be responsible for looking after us day to day? Will we speak to a different person every time?
If the IT support company does assign an account manager to each client, how do they assign them? Will they match their skills with your needs? Do they judge which personalities will get on the best? Or is it just a random decision based on who has the highest or lowest workload? It’s really important that you have consistency from your IT service provider. Ideally, you’ll usually speak to the same person or small group of people who know your history and set up in detail. It’s hugely frustrating when you have a problem, to have to go over background information before you can begin a resolution.
Here at AGT: We get to know YOU and you get to know us! Our team work closely together (Obviously keeping a nice 2m social distance), so that means you always know who you’re speaking to and can trust we know everything there is to know about your accounts.
- Are you a specialised 1 sector band or do you work across the board?
For example, if they typically work with call centres, how will the service they provide translate to your estate agency? The set up is very different. How well will they understand your needs? If they’re used to working with large organisations, how does what they do adapt to a smaller business? Do their solutions differ depending on need or will they recommend the same devices and software to everyone? Should you expect the costs to be similar to those a large corporation would pay, or will they be tailored to your requirements?
You should also ask if one client makes up more than 50% of their business. It might sound quite intrusive, but what would happen to your support should that one client go away? Would the IT support company go under? And what would happen if that one client had an issue at the same time as you? Would they become a priority, leaving your business to come grinding to a halt while their problem is solved first?
Awkward questions- maybe! But, any IT company worth their salt will provide this information for you to ensure you are happy to proceed.
Here at AGT: We are honest and upfront with all of our clients. We work with a wide variety from small to large businesses and we work on a priority system. You will never be left unsure as to how and when your IT issues will be resolved. That’s a promise
Our next blog will follow next week with more of the questions you should be asking and what answers you should be hearing!
In the meantime, we’d be delighted to have a chat and answer these questions in more detail for you! Get in touch here and let’s talk
