For SMEs, IT support can be tricky territory to navigate.
At Q2Q, we recognise that not all companies are the same. From the industry they operate in and their staff culture, through to the cyber-support they require, all organisations are completely bespoke.
So, what exactly does quality IT support look like? We’ve put together a few pointers to help SME owners know what traits to look out for…
Recognition of your uniqueness
First and foremost, the main factor which separates a good IT support provider from a great one, is their ability to see what makes you special.
Providers that are mindful of every firm’s distinct characteristics means they won’t categorise or generalise – instead they will give you the attention you deserve.
Great listeners
Talking the talk without walking the walk is something we see all too often these days, but when it comes to outsourcing IT, you can’t afford for this to be the case.
While the cyber-professionals have all the tech knowledge, you’re the ‘all-knowers’ when it comes to your company and its operations. And it’s the tech-sperts’ job to extract and absorb this background information, before tailoring the support to your needs.
Once they know what makes you tick – and how their assistance can improve and enhance your day-to-day tasks – this is when you should start to see the results.
Honesty
It’s no good appointing a new provider because of all the good things you’ve heard, and none of them coming to fruition once you’ve signed on the dotted line – they need to fulfil their promises.
Hearing someone say they’ll provide all the hardware and software your company needs, as well as regularly monitoring your systems to keep them secure, means nothing if it’s not true.
Put simply, quality support is truthful and reliable. It isn’t installing cyber-security protection and certain programmes because it’s what they’ve done for all their other clients, it’s looking at your system strengths and weaknesses before determining what you need to be efficient, safe and productive.
Always switched on
First-class cyber-help is also synonymous with reliability and consistency.
To fully maintain security, your IT team should have all eyes and ears on your systems 24x7x365. And knowing that your outsourced team is working hard in the background – without impinging on your day-to-day operations – is what gives SME owners peace of mind that they’re in great hands.
Responsive
It goes without saying that quick response times is what takes IT support to the next level. Finding a security issue before the professionals isn’t a great sign, and neither is a sluggish reaction if you do report a problem.
We appreciate that when it comes to business, ‘time is money,’ so quality support should be snappy and above all, pre-emptive – keeping downtime to an absolute minimum.
By spotting problems early, this also fosters a sense of trust between company and supplier.
Scalable to your SME’s needs
Whether your business is in its early stages or it’s moving into established territory, it’s vital to have a support package which can grow in tandem with your corporate expansion.
As your staff numbers rise and workloads increase, your systems’ capacities and capabilities alter. From needing more storage and enhanced cyber-security measures, to exploring remote working and cloud services, as your business matures, your assistance should too.
If you’d like to speak to our expert team about how our managed IT support services could help your SME, please get in touch!
