/fpa-logo-tagline.gif){kind=logo}
In many relationships, there comes a time when something feels amiss — you can’t identify exactly what, but you get that gnawing feeling in your gut that tells you something is off. Often times, it gets to the point where you just know it’s not right, but then it becomes this internal tug of war where you may find yourself warring between wanting to not rock the boat and running away from the situation. This same situation can be said about a business owner’s relationship with their IT service provider and the concerns they have about the service they receive
In fact, nearly 50% of 132 surveyed IT service provider enterprise customers said they are not satisfied with the service they receive, 25% of whom said they are “highly unsatisfied,” according to a global survey by Everest Group. As a client, you should be able to expect quality service from your IT service provider.
Before allowing yourself to reach a point that you’ll accept IT services from just anyone, or from someone who is “not as bad” as the last service provider, here are seven signs you can use to determine whether you need a new IT service provider (and what you should expect from a good provider):
- “Timeliness” means your IT guy now responds to your issues in around a week — While this may be an improvement over the month or so it previously took for them to respond, it’s still not the timely response an effective, successful and growing business needs. At FPA, we respond to helpdesk requests within 15 minutes.
- Being on time means your “computer guy” shows up sometime during the same week as the original appointment — This is a more common occurrence than I would like to admit with many IT service providers. However, punctuality is important to me. As a representative of FPA, I show up on time for our appointments. If, for some reason, our team is running late, you will be notified ahead of time. It’s as much about showing respect for you and your time as it is about just being professional.
- Being responsive means they get back to you after your fourth call — FPA proactively runs and monitors your network to ensure that there aren’t any issues brewing. As such, we will contact you before you even know there is an issue. This is at the center of our concept of “worry-free IT.”
- Documentation means handwritten notes (and only after you’ve asked for them) — While receiving handwritten notes from a friend or loved one has meaning, they’re not necessarily appreciated from your IT service provider. Frankly, it’s unprofessional. Everything we do at FPA is documented. In fact, it’s one of our core values! And because of our dedication to service, everything we document is available to our clients through our proprietary Client WebPortal.
- They think teamwork means having more than one guy (although their catchphrase seems to be “Sorry, Joe’s the only one who knows your system”) — At FPA, we truly embody the word “team.” Everyone on your dedicated Client Team knows your network, and everything is so documented that anyone at FPA can jump in at any time and not miss a beat. Unlike with other service providers, you don’t have to worry about sitting and explaining a situation over and over again as you get passed from person to person.
- Security means everyone has the admin password, so “what’s the problem?” — Our Network Operations Center (NOC) team ensures all security access points are locked down and monitored proactively. With FPA, there’s no such thing as saying that your sensitive information is “secure, but….”
- And last, but certainly not least: The only time you hear from your computer guys proactively is when they want to sell you something — This comes back to having clients vs. customers. At FPA, we believe in investing in long-term relationships with our clients. We’re not out to “sell” anything; instead, we’re the trusted advisor providing solutions and options to our clients, partnering with them in their decision-making processes.
Are you looking for a new IT service provider that understands your business and enables you to focus your attention where it matters most? We are here to help you do just that. Simply put, FPA delivers “IT The Way It’s Supposed to Be.” Contact us today to discover the IT service solutions we can provide for your business.
/Individual%20Staff%20Images/CP%20Head%20Shot%20IMG_8539%20(2017)%20-%20Hubspot%20Author%20Avatar.jpg){kind=avatar}
