IT Support is a service that provides an individual or business support when they have problems with technology.
Businesses can choose to either build their own IT support team or they can outsource it to a managed service provider like ourselves.
When outsourcing information technology support a business will gain access to an experienced team of qualified Information Technology experts, for a fraction of the cost that an in-house support team would cost.
If you were to build an in-house team you would need to hire multiple technicians which can get expensive. Outsourcing your information technology support though gives you access to experienced technicians that can help you with your:
- Critical infastructure.
- Cloud computing.
- Website hosting.
- Cybersecurity.
- Virtual servers.
- Network administration
- Office 365
- Website development.
- Email set up.
Hiring an expert team of experts to carry out the above as an in-house service is going to cost a small business a lot of money so companies often choose to outsource their tech support.
What does an IT support company do?
An IT support company has two functions. The first function is to provide immediate support to their clients when they have a tech problem that is causing their business to lose money. The second function of an IT support company is to install preventative measures so a business can work without interruptions.
IT support companies are also useful for getting in touch with when you have a general query about your businesses tech solutions. For example, you may want to try to install the latest version of Office 365 but you can’t get it to work. In this instance, you could submit a support ticket with the help desk staff and they can then get back in touch with you with a solution to your tech problem.
A managed service provider should also look at your current network and should be able to spot potential problems. Spotting problems before they happen is extremely useful in tech support as even 1 hour of downtime can cost a business hundreds of thousands.
Preventative measures when it comes to tech support don’t mean that your IT team have to have a crystal ball to predict the future. Instead, they simply have to put solutions in place if a disaster were to strike. These solutions could be making data backups daily to moving your computer files to the cloud.
A disaster such as the covid-19 pandemic can happen at any time so having a way of protecting your companies data is going to minimise IT downtime resulting in smaller business losses.
IT support doesn’t have to be as drastic as a global pandemic though it could be that one of your employees can’t access software or they are having problems connecting to the internet. Helping your staff with these problems is going to help them become more productive and it will allow them to focus on their business goals.
Do I need IT Support?
Yes, if you handle data, have staff and want to keep them employed without going out of business.
If you are a business in Canada and you don’t have an IT support strategy in place you could be setting your business up for downtime which could cost you thousands in fees.
IT support doesn’t have to cost the world and many companies offer affordable ways of paying for support. If you need IT support outsourcing it to an MSP is a great way of saving money.
What are the main ways to receive IT support?
Tech support can be received via telephone, email, in-house and via live chat. When looking for a team to hire for your tech support you should read the small print and see what level of service your support team is offering.
Some tech companies will offer on-site support while others will only offer over the internet support. This can frustrate potential customers so make sure to read your service level agreement before signing anything.
How will I know what’s included in our IT Support Services?
When hiring a technical support company you will be shown a service level agreement which you will have to sign before services can be rendered. A service level agreement in tech support outlines the key responsibilities of both parties.
A service level agreement protects both businesses as you are both outlining what is expected from this service. If the service doesn’t live up to the agreement then you can get out of the contract early.
Signing a service level agreement also shows you what you have paid for within the tech support agreement. This once again protects both parties as it outlines the agreed scope of work.
Where can I learn more about tech support and the options available to my Ottawa business?
Firewall Technical is an IT Support service business in Ottawa that can help your business grow by solving difficult tech challenges. If you would like to contact us for a free quote or even for some tech support advice get in touch.