A quick bit of good news: we’re not about to hit you with endless technical jargon and acronyms, although we’d appreciate why you might expect that, given the title of this blog post.
As a business owner, it isn’t your job to be an expert in the technology you use. You simply need to understand how to get the most out of it and when to ask for help when you need it.
That’s where great IT support comes in, but there are some basics you’d benefit from knowing already. This makes not only your IT company’s life easier, but yours, too.
Here are the five things we wish every client knew about IT.
There are very few ‘one-off’ jobs
If you have a new piece of software configured, or a new device implemented, the IT work continues long after you begin using it.
That doesn’t mean it’ll be a burden to use and operate, but it does mean that your new piece of tech or software will need monitoring and maintaining.
It’s why you’ll regularly see a bunch of software notifications pop up on your screen. This stuff evolves constantly, and if you take your eye off the ball when it comes to a security update or laptop that’s “acting funny occasionally”, you could land yourself in hot water further down the line.
The good news is that most IT support companies will monitor your setup silently in the background, but if you spot something amiss or Microsoft requests that you update your Office installation, then it’s better to be proactive.
It’s all about triangles
Bear with us.
Think of a triangle. Quality, price, and speed are represented on their own sides of the triangle. If you make one of those sides longer, then they’ll all lengthen to ensure the triangle remains in one piece.
So, if you pick a faster computer, the price will increase and the quality probably will, too.
It’s the same theory with IT support. If you buy cheap support, it’ll be slower, and the quality will be lower. We’re sure you’ve heard stories of when a company have been waiting a number of days for something to get fixed. This is why budgeting for what you can realistically afford at the top-end of your budget for IT support is always best.
Be wary of bedroom warriors
Imagine a one-man-band IT support company sat in his converted garage, carrying out your IT support service. He doesn’t have the overheads that companies like Compex have, so his service will be cheaper. So you think it could be a good option.
But think back to that triangle. Yes, he costs less, but his response will probably be slower (unless you’re the only client, which is unlikely), he can go on holiday at any point with no one to support you, and he probably won’t have the best tools because they’re too expensive.
Even if you’re the only client, what happens when he gets a second, third, and fourth? As tempting as it might be to go for the bedroom warrior option, it will almost definitely cause you big problems further down the line. These micro-businesses can come and go, and when they go, you’ll be left to pick up the pieces.
Short-term contracts don’t work
There’s a reason we don’t work with our clients on a short-term basis or on ad-hoc projects: we want to build a solid and effective partnership with them, and that takes time.
The reasons for this have become clear over the years. It means we gain strong, recurring contracts and our clients gain a relationship that’s vital to the smooth running of their business.
With a long contract, your IT support company can work more closely with you, learn about your business goals, and build an infrastructure that will grow with your operation.
Outsourced is always best
If you’re reviewing your IT support, it’ll be natural to think about whether or not you should hire someone in-house.
For some large enterprises, that makes sense, but there’s a big downside for nearly every other business. With an in-house IT person, you’ll be asking them to undertake several specialised jobs, supporting a whole bunch of people, possibly with different tech, all at the same time.
Trust us – you’ll struggle to find someone that can undertake that kind of role easily! And you’d spend an awful lot of time and money training and developing them – considerably more in the long run than you would on outsourced IT support.
Fancy expanding your knowledge?
The above might not sound particularly exciting but gaining a top-level knowledge of these basic IT concepts will have a tangible, positive impact on your day.
If you’re thinking of switching IT support companies, you can download a copy of the 2021 IT Buyer’s Guide here which covers why you should be looking for a partner that thinks strategically, the reasons why business owners and managers like you switch IT providers and why you should be sceptical of all IT support companies (yes, including us)
