Many companies have had bad experiences with their IT provider. There it’s been said!
The fact is the IT industry has had its fair share of poor customer service issues. Communication black holes, confusing IT terminology, and lack of transparency have all contributed to a poor perception of the industry.
Not all IT companies and service technicians are hard to deal with though. There are IT companies that have become introspective about their industry and have made strides to do better. Axiom Solutions is one of them.
Get to Know Your IT Company – You’ll Be Glad You Did
There are also steps you can take as a business owner to alleviate some of the miscommunication problems that occur and to insure your company has a better experience.
Communication is key. When choosing an IT company, be diligent when asking about the level of communication you will receive. Ask about the response time you should expect when you reach out to them regarding an issue. In other words, is it an hour? A day? Or at their discretion?
Also find out the method of communication that you will receive. Does it meet your communication preference? Will you receive progress updates on service issues? Defining standards for response time and channels of communication will help your relationship run smoother with your IT company.
Your service contract should outline this information, as well as it should tell you details such as any limits to your service calls and whether or not you will have a dedicated service technician who is familiar with your company’s IT needs.
Getting to know the possibilities of the level of service you could expect are very beneficial. When your system is down and you can’t reach anyone is no time to pull out your service contract for the first time.
Educate Yourself On IT Services and Hardware
Another way to improve your IT relationship is to become educated about the services and hardware that will be utilized in your business. We are not suggesting you enroll in Information Technology 101, but become familiar with the basics. It is important to know what IT does for your business.
Talk to your IT company about various solutions and what they provide. Too often customers doesn’t want to know about what IT service provides. They just want to talk when something breaks. Nevertheless, when it comes time to discuss hardware there are some questions you should ask.
What are the hardware options available? Is the solution scalable when you grow? Do you need the add-ons suggested?
Your IT company should be able to answer these questions with ease and transparency. An IT company truly dedicated to you will want to see your company grow as well and will be invested in regularly communicating with you and helping to educate you on IT processes.
IT Managed Services You Can Trust
Managed Services is a popular phrase in the IT world, but it is helpful to know what this will actually consist of for your business. Having a Managed IT program might be the ideal way to have peace of mind and to know what your IT costs are upfront. If having your computers humming is critical to the operations of your business, then having an outsourced IT provider on call that can offer things like 24-hour monitoring, maintenance, and solving the problems that may occur could be very cost effective.
It may seem simple, but having an IT company that knows your needs is important. Furthermore, having a good IT company that communicates clearly without jargon and is available when you need them is a great asset. Any relationship with a trustworthy IT company should start with getting your questions answered and outlining expectations from day-one.
At Axiom, we are dedicated to providing quality IT services that exemplify communication, transparency, and knowledge. We work with companies to ensure any IT issue is taken care of in a timely, consistent manner and our technicians follow a refined process to optimize our services to you. We would love to talk with you to determine how we can meet your IT needs – schedule a consultation.
