5 Ways To Get The Most Out Of Your IT Partnership

Diana Johnson, Wood Networks

An IT Partnership with the right company can decrease your downtime and increase your productivity. Most small to medium sized businesses use the services of an IT Support Firm, but many feel frustrated by the experience. There is no doubt that nothing is as frustrating as having everything you need on your PC or laptop and not being able to access it. For businesses with critical data on their computer network and those that require functioning servers and computers in order to do business, the IT Partner is an important consultant in the day to day operations of the company.

An IT Partner is a technology management company that you have contracted to monitor and manage your IT Network. The question is, do you have an IT guy who comes out and fixes things when they break, or do you have a fully vested IT Partner? If you have an IT Partner you need to know how to maximize that relationship.

1. Determine the level of partnership

Almost every IT company out there will tell you they are your “partner” and that they are “concerned with your business.” Really? Here are some questions to ask yourself to see how true that is:

What kind of follow up are you receiving? Is someone checking to see if your issue was handled properly and fully resolved?

Is your IT support company constantly fixing the issue right in front of them or are they looking for a long term resolution?

Do they recognize when they have made a mistake and make it right, or are they more concerned with covering it up?

2. Know your contract

If you truly desire an IT Partner, then you signed some type of Managed Services Agreement. If you are only calling your IT guy when something breaks, you aren’t allowing them to be your partner. If you have a contract, know what it says. Often times it is read when signed and never glanced at again. In order to expect the best possible service, you need to know what you agreed to expect and what your IT company agreed to provide. If you agreed to next day response time in your contract, you can’t expect 1 hour service. You get what you pay for. Know what you are paying for.

3. Make nice with the person who answers the phone

Remember that the person who answers that phone when you call in has it within his or her ability to make you glide through the process. Be ready to provide as much detail as possible. He or she may not be a technician, but that is the person who will create your service ticket and make sure it gets assigned properly.

4. Communicate clearly

Know what the problem is and how many people it is affecting. If you do not have all the information or if the person who is assisting you does not understand what the issue actually is, it will only lengthen the amount of time to resolution. When talking to your tech let him know how often and for how long you have had this particular problem.

Make sure that all your frustrations and concerns are communicated. You need to make sure all parties are aware of ongoing issues. If you find there is something that is not being addressed to your satisfaction, send an email to your IT partner letting the appropriate people know. In the email tell them you will follow up with a phone call within 24 hours to check on the status. The email should clearly state the problem. This gives you a point of reference when you call. A technology partner would rather know and resolve the issue than for you to be unhappy with their service.

5. Ask for a report

A good IT company that has agreed to manage your network (you are in a managed service agreement with them) will be more than glad to provide a report letting you know the status of your network and will offer guidance for better performance and IT growth. Depending on the level of service that you are contracting for, this may be offered on a biannual, quarterly, or monthly basis. In higher level partnerships a monthly report combined with a CIO Meeting 2-4 times a year should be requested, whether in person or via a conference call.

Know how to read your report. In most cases a quick review with your Account Manager or IT Engineer will acquaint you with the basics you need to determine how to understand and use the report. If it looks like a bunch of pretty pie charts and meaningless squiggly lines to you, ask for a translator! A good IT partner will be able to talk to you in terms you can understand, not that ever incomprehensible “geek speak.”

Once you have your report and you understand it. Hold your IT firm accountable to make right any weak areas, or explain what is needed to improve your network.

Bear in mind a partnership will only work well if both parties are committed to it. Advice without action is empty air. Both sides of the partnership must be willing to work together to implement best practices that will keep your IT Network humming.

There are lots of "IT partners" to choose from but if you are looking for a company who can keep your systems and networks running at the highest level of performance and availability, a company that will be there when you need them and a company that works as part of your team, call TeamLogicIT at 650-204-3150.  IT servcies from professionals you can trust.

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