IT support companies offer all types of services, and they of course are not suitable for all.
Do you know which service do you protect by your IT support company?
Maybe what you want to know is the service level agreement (SLA) that you have and how fast your support ticket will be seen. But with companies all offer various levels of support packages, services and products, you don’t want to pay more than you need for services that you won’t use.
So what’s important to close by your IT company as a minimum?
That’s Helpdesk.
Reactive support is one of the basics of IT support. Your IT support company must offer you access to experienced specialists whenever you need it. Coming freezing software, server blackouts or simple technical queries, they must be easily contacted through online portals, email or telephone, and are ready to save.
24/7 support is offered by many IT support companies in Cambridge . Even though this might sound comfortable, think about whether you really need it – you will definitely pay a premium for it.
Questions to ask your IT support company: What time is the support available between and what happens outside the clock?
Proactive customer support.
On the other hand reactive support lies proactive support. This is a strategy where supporting companies anticipate problems and offer solutions in advance. There are several different ways to be achieved:
Independent resource knowledge base that can be used by end users
A series of written answers or recordings for general questions submitted
Video or tutorial guide that shows how to use certain programs or systems
Regardless of the format, the benefits of proactive customer support are the same: Users are given answers to their problems without the need to contact the support company.
Questions to ask your IT support company in London : Is the support of proactive customer included in the service you offer?
System monitoring
Now, with software packages that can monitor the core systems and software, your IT infrastructure health can be monitored remotely by your IT support company in Manchester . For example, remote system monitoring tools can identify when your hardware reaches the end of life that can be used so you know when replacement is needed before it fails.
It runs one step further from break-fix support from the past and aims to fix problems before you even know they are there. It not only reduces business disruption in the end, but also for the best interest of the support company to offer this service.
Questions to ask your IT support company: Do you monitor our system and proactive support what do you offer?
Data security
In times where businesses collect a lot of sensitive information from customers, data security is very important. Your IT support company must have a protocol to prevent cyber threats such as ransomware (where hackers hold your data ransom with money rewards) and also plan for what will be done if your data security is violated.
There are various different data security services that can be provided by IT support companies, including data encryption, safe file sharing, multi-factor authentication and data backup.
Questions to ask your IT support company: Are there plans for what to do if our hacking protection failed?
Managed backup solution
If the disaster breaks down, you will want to know that your data is safe. IT support companies must be able to give you a solution to back up very important data to run your business everyday. Backup solutions must include:
Local and online backup
Business Continuity Plan
Disaster recovery plan
Minimal, you have to know how quickly a IT professional can be with you, how they will get you up and run again, and how much it costs to do it.
Questions to ask your IT support company: What is our business continuity plan to ensure we can still serve customers if we don’t have a fully functional system?
IT solutions really outsourcing?
If you work with software that is bespoke or specialist, such as accounting or HR software, check whether your IT supports the contract includes support on this. If your IT support company is supposed to be a complete outsourcing solution that handles all your IT requests, they must be able to help you solve any problems or contact third-party vendors on your behalf.
Finally, check what is not included in your support contract
In addition to checking which offers your IT support company for the price they set, also worth checking what is not included in your agreement. What happens if you need a call in a place out to your office, for example? What happens if an employee downloads a virus to their work computer while carrying out activities that are not related to work?
Make sure you know what it is and not borne by your IT support company to keep your IT system in good health, solve problems quickly and prevent surprise additional fees.
About EC-MSP, your IT support partners
EC-MSP is one of the most trusted IT support providers in London. If you want more help and support with technology for your business, contact us today to see how we can help.
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