Managed IT service providers like Pearson-Kelly Technology offer businesses many options for outsourcing IT needs. One of the most common outsourced services is technical support.
But “technical support” is so broad that you could buy way more than you need, or substantially less. Before signing the dotted line, know exactly what you’re getting and what you can expect from your support team.
What Does Technical Support Include?
Technical support can include a tiered helpdesk, project support, implementations, or daily maintenance of your systems. Because not every managed IT provider defines technical support similarly, it is difficult to identify the right providers.
For clarity and simplicity, our Outsourced Technical Support service includes troubleshooting technology issues and proactive maintenance to prevent tickets before they happen.
• When you can’t log into your computer, you call us.
• When your Internet goes down, you call us.
• When you click on a suspicious link, you should call us.
We manage your backups and monitor your systems to prevent as many issues as possible. But when something goes wrong, our team fixes it or at least gets the ball rolling.
Who Handles Technical Support?
At Pearson-Kelly, we have a tiered team of support technicians to manage your outsourced technical support needs.
That means we have a team of technical resources that your staff can use to troubleshoot any issues involving your office technology. They can supplement the activities of your in-house team or fill the gap.
In addition to your support team, we have a dedicated Project and Implementation team that helps you manage projects, rollouts, and large implementations.
Helpdesk
Our helpdesk handles most of the ticket volume we receive. A helpdesk technician can resolve password resets, minor technical glitches, and other simple issues in 10 to 15 minutes. By triaging incoming requests, your challenging tickets don’t get bogged down in the queue.
Tiered Technicians
A helpdesk technician may escalate a ticket because of the time or experience required to complete any troubleshooting. These technicians are tiered based on their experience, qualifications, and certifications. They solve the more complex technical issues. Because they receive only technically advanced or high-priority tickets, they can dedicate the time and energy to fix your problem quickly and accurately.
Specialists
Our specialists are some of our most highly skilled technical resources. They have specialized in one IT area, like network administration or security, and stay up-to-date on the latest threats and trends that affect our clients.
They are responsible for managing their current client’s environments, handling escalations, and working hand-in-hand with vCIOs and account managers. They ensure any new products we plan to add to your environment work without issue.
Why Would You Outsource Technical Support?
Technical Support services work for three types of businesses: ones with no internal IT support, those with an overwhelmed team, and those with skilled technicians for basic troubleshooting.
If you have no internal IT support, this is a great option. Many MSPs struggle to find talent because IT resources are in high demand. With outsourced IT services, you don’t have to worry about headhunting, training, or scaling the team as your business grows.
If you have an overwhelmed internal IT team, outsourced technical support lets you utilize the team you have more efficiently. Whether you’re looking for a specialist or project team to offload specific tasks or want someone to take the day-to-day troubleshooting off your team, outsourced technical support augments what you currently have so you can align their workload with their skill sets.
It also lets your highly skilled employees focus on high-value projects that make it easier for you to do business or focus on the initiatives that will protect your data from outside attacks. That’s a better use of their time and your money than resetting passwords all day.
Either way, outsourced support gives you freedom. It allows you to work on your highest priority projects instead of worrying about what you will do if your one IT person decides to use their vacation days. Or they leave and take all their know-how with them.
How to Vet Technical Support Services?
When you’re looking for an IT service provider to outsource your technical support services, grill them like you would if you hired an internal specialist. They’ll have access to all your systems and data just like an internal hire would, so ensure you treat your vendor with the same level of scrutiny.
If you pick the wrong provider, the best-case scenario is you get frustrated at the lack of professionalism or experience. The worst? You leave your data and business vulnerable to a cyberattack that could leave you paying thousands.
Here are some basic questions you should ask every provider you’re vetting:
- What is your SLA? How do I hold you accountable for it?
- What qualifications or certifications do your technicians have?
- Are your services available 24/7 or only during business hours?
- What happens in an after-hours emergency?
- How easy will it be for my users to get technical support?
- What internal security protocols or procedures do you have in place to protect my data?
- What happens if my data gets breached?
If you don’t like the answers, move on. There are plenty of options available to you. Be choosy and find the right IT partner that fits your business and needs.
