7 Questions to Ask an IT Support Provider

In this day and age, digital information and communication technologies are so essential for businesses that they might even suffer in their sector if they don’t keep abreast of the latest technology solutions. Since the onset of COVID-19, there has definitely been a heightened demand for IT modernisation, but the challenge is that many businesses – particularly small- to medium-sized businesses – may find it too expensive to do so.

The best solution available is for businesses to partner with IT support companies that have greater resources at their disposal, and offer modern IT solutions with a subscription model. TechQuarters is an example of a tech company that has been helping customers modernize their IT in response to the pressures of COVID-19. As a highly rated service provider, they know what businesses should look for in their IT partner – they outlined some of the questions company’s should ask IT support providers.

1. How big is your company?

There are many different IT support providers out there, and some will have different customers depending on their size. If an IT support provider is large, then it is likely that they will be able to provider better and more diverse services. At the same time, however, a larger provider will cost more, so smaller businesses should take this into account. Smaller IT providers may also prove to be more agile, which can also have advantages for the customer. What is more, some businesses may prefer to partner with a smaller organisation, because of the type of business relationship they can have with them – large businesses are often bureaucratic in nature, and it can be harder to have plain conversations with them.

2. What types of support do you provide?

IT support is a very diverse field, and each business will have slightly different requirements for their IT. For this reason, it is reasonable for businesses to ask potential providers what kinds of services and plans they offer. For example, some businesses may be fully remote, and require only remote IT solutions; while other businesses will have a site that needs supporting. Or perhaps a business uses a specific line of products in their organisation, and would like to have those products supported by an IT provider.

3. What is your case management process?

The way in which IT support providers manage each case is important. For example, many larger providers with lots of customers use call logging to manage the number of calls they receive every day – this can be a frustrating process for users that are experiencing IT issues, and have to wait for a call back from an engineer. Some IT support providers, like TechQuarters, ensure that their case management process means that users who call their helpdesk are always put through to an IT engineer on first contact.

4. What are you hours of operation?

This is another important question to ask. Many businesses looking to partner with an IT provider will appreciate flexibility around when they can contact the helpdesk. Some IT support providers may offer extended hours with their IT support plans; and they might even have options for 24/7 helpdesk access. Some providers have a helpdesk that operates around the clock, whereas others do not, due to the time zones that their helpdesk engineers are operating it. If extended hours, or round the clock helpdesk access is something your business might need, it is worth asking this question of an IT provider.

5. What is covered in your plans?

TechQuarters was one of the top managed service providers London businesses have worked with throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Managed services and IT support services often encompass different solutions and services. For this reason, it is worth asking what an IT partner includes in their IT support plans, as it may even be more suitable for a business to opt for a managed services plan.

6. Do you provide proactive solutions?

The traditional approach to IT support is based mainly around a break-fix model – when users experience IT issues, they call the helpdesk and an engineer will help them fix the issue. This is what most people think of when they talk about IT support. However, this is not the most efficient approach to supporting a business. These days, the best IT support providers also implement proactive support solutions with their services. This might involve network and server monitoring – this enables IT helpdesk engineers to receive alerts whenever there are potential issues occurring with a customer’s network. This, and many other proactive solutions, can ensure that businesses receive IT support in record timing, and even reduce the overall number of calls they need to make to their provider.