The 3 Most Important Things Businesses Need In A Help Desk Provider
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The help desk is the most familiar point of contact between a Managed Services Provider (MSP) and its client. It’s also among the most important elements of the relationship. How should you choose a provider for such a frequent and important service?
Let’s examine 3 things businesses need in a help desk provider:
- Availability and Fast Problem Resolution
- Affordable Custom Service
- Experienced and Certified Technicians and Engineers
Availability and Fast Problem Resolution
Help desks are only helpful when they’re available, and they’re extremely helpful when problems get resolved quickly (and painlessly, if possible). Preferably, help is received immediately and the problems or questions are resolved within that contact time. This contact may come through email, text, phone, or an online portal.
Investigate what measures providers have taken to ensure 24/7 availability and quick resolution times. Do they have a large and experienced team at hand, to solve large and small IT issues anytime and on any day of the week? When it comes to help desks, availability and quick resolution times are essential attributes to look for in a provider.
“An in-house IT professional usually works Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. But what if your workers or a customer need help after hours?” – Business Bee
Affordable Custom Service
A startup business with 2 employees doesn’t have the same help desk needs as a distributor with 100 employees. Maybe one business wants to outsource their technology management entirely, while another wants to supplement their IT department with on-call expertise through outsourced help desk and IT support.
Whatever the scenario, businesses should find a help desk provider that customizes services for their needs; paying only for the services needed and used.
Paying only for the services needed is one way to keep the outsourced help desk service affordable. What pricing is the provider offering? What are the details within each pricing plan? Is there a flat rate fee structure? Basically, businesses need to calculate an accurate total budgeted expense; this puts a premium on finding a provider that’s upfront and specific about their pricing.
Experienced and Certified Technicians and Engineers
Beyond the availability, fast problem resolution, and cost factor is where the rubber meets the road – what the provider is like to work with. How efficiently the techs or engineers help a client depends not only on their technical knowledge, but also on their people skills. They need to understand when a client gets frustrated, be compassionate when the client wants to throw their computer through the window, and be able to explain technology issues in an easily and understandable language.
Businesses need to research what qualifications, certifications, experience, and style the technicians have, and match these up with their help desk needs.
Summary
Help desks are the main contact point between MSPs and their clients. Partnering with the right MSP gives businesses peace-of-mind, knowing their systems are backed up with a 24/7 help desk service that expertly understands their business’s systems.
Cloud and mobile computing technology have given MSPs the ability to provide remote cloud based IT services to clients across the country. Yet, for clients with on-site support needs: hardware installation, repair, training, etc.- choosing a local or regional MSP provider is necessary.
The good news for businesses in the Pacific Northwest is that CORE Business Services is a quality MSP (offering excellent help desk support) that’s based out of Medford, OR. When businesses look for these three things in a help desk provider, CORE Business Services is sure to satisfy their considerations.
Posted by Scott Anderson, CEO