Executive Summary
- Running a business in 2022 requires robust, reliable IT. If you’re outsourcing your IT support, you’ll also want some honesty.
- As a Managed Service Provider, we know exactly what it takes to deliver high-quality IT support — but we also know how to spot shortcuts.
- In this article, we’ll share 6 secrets of IT support providers who might be cutting corners or not delivering the service your business really needs.
Introduction
IT support can be a complex landscape to navigate, especially for a small business.
All you want is for your business to run smoothly, your computers to work, and your internet connection to stay reliable.
The how of making that happen is the real secret — and it’s an area which can trip up even seasoned businesses. So, if you want to verify that your IT support provider is doing things in your best interest, here are 6 secrets some of the bad apples won’t want to tell you.
If your IT support company isn’t being honest about the following facts, it might be time to look for an alternative.
#1: Break/fix providers are not incentivised to rush your resolution
A break/fix provider, the IT support equivalent of a ‘pay as you go’ IT company, is the primary alternative to the subscription-based Managed Service Provider (MSP) model. However, because break/fix companies are effectively paid based on time spent on a job, they’re more likely to take their time fixing certain issues. On top of that, they will be less incentivised to ensure an issue doesn’t recur, because they know they’ll be called out for the problem if it strikes again.
Now, we’re not tarring them all with the same brush of course – we know there are bad apples in every industry – but it’s something worth pointing out about the fundamentals of this business model.
#2: The best hardware and software isn’t always enough
IT support is an industry in which it’s surprisingly easy to spend a lot of money on equipment, both hardware and software. But if that investment isn’t backed up with the years of training and experience it takes to understand the most complex IT support problems? Well, let’s just say there’s no substitute for experience. If you’ve been working with a newer MSP, even one with all the bells and whistles, it’s worth looking into their credentials before trusting them with your company’s IT infrastructure.
#3: Lots of IT support problems can be fixed yourself
Here’s another reason that break/fix providers might not always be the best choice. When asked to fix a problem, even one which could be easily fixed by the user, they’re unlikely to say no when it means turning down a job. By contrast, an MSP will always be honest about things which can be fixed in just a couple of clicks because, well, there’s no financial incentive for them to do otherwise.
If you’re finding a break/fix provider is billing you for doing simple IT support tasks which you’re sure you could do yourself, you might want to ask why.
#4: Some don’t want you to ask about hidden costs
As we mentioned earlier, it’s easy for costs to get a little bit out of control when it comes to IT support. Whether it’s a fleet of new laptops, a new server for the office, or a software license for an entire company, the price of managing a business’s IT can ramp up fast. That said, these costs can often be incurred over long periods of time, meaning some IT support providers won’t mention them when it comes to signing up a new client. Instead, that client gets a shock when an unexpected bill lands on their doorstep a few months down the line.
At Get Support, this is the opposite of how we do things. We take the time to be 100% up front about the long-term costs of good IT support – and that includes alerting our customers to the bigger things on the horizon, like the hardware and software costs they should expect.
#5: Business continuity is usually a two-way street
When you’re on the lookout for a new IT support provider, some of them can sound too good to be true. Unfortunately, there always comes a moment when those promises made at time of sale have to be made good – and it doesn’t always happen that way.
Take backup and business continuity as an example: for most UK businesses, it won’t be immediately clear how this works. Do you backup your files yourself? Or does your IT support provider take care of it for you? In the vast majority of cases, the answer is a little of both. The MSP or break/fix provider may deliver the infrastructure to support business continuity and backup, but the client must also take regular steps to ensure files and backed up and secure. But if your IT provider has told you they’re taking care of everything – and without any proof – you might want to double-check the fine print.
#6: IT support contracts can be more restrictive than they first appear
Another way in which the less scrupulous IT support services cash in on the unsuspecting is by obscuring some of the details in their contracts. This can take many forms, and differs greatly from company to company, but if you’re seeing things like:
- Long-term, unbreakable contracts which run for multiple years
- Auto-renewing contracts which don’t give you an alert of indication of the renewal
- Rolling contracts with no end dates (or any flexibility)
… then it may be that you’re dealing with an IT support provider who could be doing their job better.
Luckily, you’re never too far from a better alternative…
Work with an IT support team built on honesty
We know how easy it is for an IT support company to say how honest they are, but we like to think the proof of the pudding is in the tasting.
That’s why we’d invite you for a free consultation with one of our IT support experts to discuss exactly how our MSP could help your business thrive. No generic solutions — just a specific plan tailored to your business and priced just right.
To start the conversation today, just call us now on 01865 594 000 or fill in the form below and we’ll get back to you ASAP.
