Looking for ‘Mr Right’…from the Start? Tips on Finding the Perfect IT Support Partner

With Valentine’s Day looming, cards & hearts appearing in all the shops and Lindor introducing their valentine’s chocolate box (yum!), we’re jumping on the band-waggon and turning our attention to helping you find the perfect <IT Support> Partner!

Are you looking for a team with a GSOH? Or perhaps a Partner who is DTE (down to earth, for those not in the know!) is more important for you?

Just like in life, it’s important you find the right IT Partner…someone who understands you and your business, can provide the necessary expertise, resources and skills, and can help you achieve your ambitions and dreams.

Here are 4 key attributes which should be top of your wishlist…!

1. Designated, Friendly Team

Would you rather deal with an impersonal call centre where turnover is rapid and you may not chat to the same consultant two days in a row? Or would you prefer a designated team which invests time to understand your business and communicates effectively in order to resolve issues and help move your business forward? It may be a rhetorical question..!

While there are many IT Support companies out there to choose from, it goes without saying that top of the list should be finding a competent friendly team with whom you can envisage having a long-term relationship.

The secret is to find an IT Support company which:

• Offers a friendly, designated team who your employees know by name and vice versa.

• Builds up an in-depth knowledge of your team’s history, key objectives, and what they need to get their job done.

• Doesn’t need your employees to explain each issue from scratch.

As a small business ourselves, we understand small businesses and appreciate your concerns.

The VCI support consultants you speak with on the phone are the same individuals who will visit your site to install, configure, repair and consult so we can build up an in-depth knowledge of your company, your key objectives and can advise on how best your IT systems can help you achieve them.

2. Proactive Support

Although their knowledge & skill set is obviously important, your IT Support team should not be there to just reactively put things right when they’ve gone wrong.

Instead, they should be proactively:

• Analysing previous issues and identifying common themes
• Suggesting ways to improve your operations
• Advising on the latest security threats and giving advice to your users around cybercrime prevention and strong passwords
• Scheduling regular meetings to discuss recurring issues and how to enhance your team’s experience

At VCI, we love to be involved in your planning, so we can discuss the goals you have and any forthcoming projects, and ensure that the appropriate infrastructure is in place, within the correct time scales – or, perhaps, steer you away from a solution which would be both costly and unworkable for your organisation.

We monitor and maintain servers for a number of our clients to ensure they are running continuously so our customers have no need to worry about the state of their network or hardware.  We are able to offer an informed overview of the network at any given point as well as being able to make changes where needed or foresee areas which may need some thought and planning to address over time.

3. Quick Response Time

It can often be very frustrating when you are hoping to have an IT issue resolved, only to receive an automated email saying you are in a ticketing system and need to wait for a call-back over the next few days.

Instead, you want to find a team who understands the urgency of your query and can respond efficiently there and then.

At VCI, we don’t operate a ticketing system and you won’t be waiting hours for a call back. You can pick up the phone & chat to us directly. Just explain the issue to the member of our team you first speak to and they will do their best to resolve it immediately. If further investigation is required, we will agree timescales with you so your day is not unduly impacted upon.

Several remote support options allow us to go beyond telephone support and view your screen to assist and resolve most queries instantaneously. Our focus on local businesses means we can easily visit you should the need arise.

4. Working in Partnership

At the end of the day, choosing an IT Support company who actually cares about you and your business is what it’s all about.

You’re looking for a company you can trust who will:

• Invest time and effort into understanding your business, your priorities, and your team before telling you what they can offer.
• Challenge your existing plans if they can identify better ways of achieving your goals.
• Offer competitive pricing on hardware and software solutions but also happily work on hardware which you have sourced yourselves.
• Be understanding that there is no one-size-fits-all solution and offer flexible billing options to suit your business needs.

We pride ourselves on developing long-standing relationships with our customers, offering a friendly, flexible service and informed, straightforward advice.

Don’t just take our word for it though – we are delighted to have received testimonials from many of our clients, some of whom have been with us for over 25 years…right from the start!

We know that choosing a long-term partner can be a big decision – if you would like to discuss how we can help you with all your IT requirements and be ‘Mr Right’…from the Start, do give us a call on 0118 9767111.

We can always arrange a date for a coffee and catch up – but we can’t promise we’ll be armed with flowers and choccies..! 😉

Happy Valentine’s Day to you all – and best of luck in finding your ‘Mr Right’…from the Start!

Find out more about how you can Save Time & Money by Outsourcing IT Support.