While it can be tempting for a small or mid-sized business owner to go with the cheapest IT services available, it’s important to remember that not all IT support is created equal.
All managed IT services providers offer some form of remote support, but as you shop around for a partner, it’s in your best interest to go with one that supplies you with some level of on-site support as well.
Not only that, but you need to find out just what type of remote support your provider offers.
Most lower-cost providers offshore their remote support capabilities, and while this is definitely more cost-effective for them, the level of support you receive often leaves a lot to be desired.
There are generally two common issues businesses have with offshore remote support:
1. English is not the first language, which can lead to frustration and misunderstandings.
2. Offshore support centers usually work on a tiered system, meaning any issue that can’t be resolved quickly needs to be escalated further and further up the chain.
Since remote support is ideally supposed to offer a more efficient way to address hardware and software issues, having to navigate language issues and continually describe your problem over and over again as your ticket gets escalated isn’t exactly ideal.
It also ends up being less cost-effective in the long run. Time is money, as they say, and the more time you have to spend on the phone or in a chat with support, the less time you’re able to spend focused on being productive.
But there can also be issues with an IT provider that offers remote support stateside.
Here in the Pacific Northwest, for example, many providers outsource their support to other areas within the state — or other states altogether — where the cost of living is cheaper.
There’s nothing inherently wrong with this model. Every business owner would rather save money than spend it, after all. But when the remote support you call or chat with doesn’t really understand your business and its unique needs, it can make untangling issues more complex and time-consuming.
You also often encounter that same problem of escalation found in offshore support. A managed IT services provider that outsources its remote support won’t have direct control over how support is offered, which means your first contact when a problem occurs will likely lack the technical experience to handle anything beyond a quick and simple fix.
Then there is the issue of on-site support which, while not as common as the remote option, is still a necessity in a number of situations.
Some tech issues simply can’t be resolved — or at least resolved in a timely manner — over the phone or chat. Many catastrophic failures, for example, can be all but impossible to diagnose without investigating in person.
But many low-cost IT providers don’t include on-site support in their packages, or they require you to pay an extra hourly rate for it — a cost that can quickly get out of hand if the problem requiring on-site support is severe.
A better support model
At Dynamic Computing, we believe IT support — even remote support — should feel personal. That’s why every one of our clients has a dedicated service technician that is a member of our team.
These technicians are all local, have years of experience, and take the time to actually understand our clients and their needs. They also have access support of their own from a lead service technician.
There are benefits to this approach for both our clients and our organization itself. For one, having local and dedicated technicians allows us to serve our clients quicker remotely and on-site. And since our technicians already have deep knowledge of a client’s technology, they are usually able to solve 70-90% of issues when a ticket first arrives.
For us, having dedicated and local support makes us much more efficient as an IT provider.
It also greatly reduces our turnover — and associated costs from it — because we only hire experienced technicians instead of relying upon individuals earning far less at outsourced locations.
Support is the backbone of IT
Remote and on-site IT support play a crucial role in maintaining the technology health of your business.
Given this, it’s important to find a managed IT services provider that excels at both.
The cheaper option may solve some of your tech problems, but you risk wasting time and resources that can be better used building your business and serving your customers.
To learn more about our unique approach to remote and on-site support, schedule some time to chat with us.
