When you’re offering IT support to small and medium-sized businesses, it goes without saying that technical knowledge and certifications are a crucial part of the job. However, one of the things we like to remind our clients and colleagues about is that managing things like networks and software is only half the challenge.
Most of the new clients who come to us do so because they want better support with more capabilities, or IT care that comes with a more predictable monthly bill. However, we also hear from owners and executives who are simply fed up with the treatment they are receiving from other firms. And certainly, the clients who want us to be technically proficient also appreciate the fact that we behave like professionals.
To help illustrate this dynamic, and why it’s such an important part of our industry, let’s look at a handful of “soft skills” that are often lacking in the world of outsourced IT support…
Timeliness
When you are dealing with IT problems, and especially outages, you want them to be dealt with immediately. Unfortunately, not all IT providers treat client concerns with the urgency they deserve. Whether it’s because they don’t have enough staff to provide adequate coverage or because they just aren’t that committed, many can’t even meet emergency requests in a timely way. Why pay for tech support that isn’t there when you need it the most?
Listening Skills
Have you ever had the experience of talking to an IT professional and having them make recommendations – or worse, tell you what you’ve done wrong – before you finished explaining the problem? Unfortunately, a lot of our clients tell us they’ve been through this with other vendors. Every business and challenge is unique, which is why our support team takes the time to listen to clients before taking action.
Patience
Just as failing to listen can hinder tech repairs, a lack of explanations can lead to future problems. If your tech person is in too much of a rush to explain what has gone wrong, or how they’ve fixed the problem, consider that a red flag. It either means the team is overbooked or making sure you understand your hardware and software isn’t a priority. Either way, it’s a problem that’s likely to get worse rather than better.
Politeness
Sadly, this is another complaint we’ve heard from incoming clients who have had to take their business away from other companies. The common explanation would be that a person or team was competent enough at solving problems, but dealt with human beings in a gruff or condescending way. While some IT personnel are more comfortable with machines then clients, that’s not an excuse to treat customers badly or ignore common courtesy. You should never accept this kind of behavior from someone who works at a company that sends you regular invoices.
Want An Outsourced IT Team That Does it All?
If you’re in Los Angeles, or the greater Southern California area, and want IT support from a team that understands why being friendly and responsive is as important as earning the latest hardware certification, then you should give us a try. Contact our sales office today for a free quote and consultation!