What IT support services do I need?

Are you are thinking of engaging external IT support services for the first time? Perhaps you have made do in-house until now, but your company has grown and the time has come to outsource; or maybe you have lost your internal IT guru to pastures new. Whatever the reasons, IT support providers offer a range of services and charge accordingly, so it helps to give the matter some thought. For example:

Will you want your computer services supplier to install and configure new hardware and software so that it is up and ready to go? Or do you have enough in-house expertise for this?

Do you wish your supplier to provide user training for your employees? Will this be provided on-site?

Does the supplier provide telephone support and a help-desk so that your staff can contact them at any time during their shift or working day if there’s a problem? How much will this support cost and on what basis will you be charged?

If email or online support is offered, how rapidly are problems dealt with?

What do call-outs cost? What is the response time?

As well as engaging the services of external IT specialists, consider what you are willing to pay for internal IT training. Having someone on the spot who can solve minor problems can save you time and money, as long as they aren’t duplicating services that you would be getting anyway for no extra charge under the terms of your contract with your supplier.

The British Computer Society

The British Computer Society (BCS) is the organization for the IT industry and personnel. With many thousands of members in over a hundred countries worldwide, it provides useful resources for IT professionals.
British Computer Society >

Choosing and managing an IT supplier
If you are running a company, you need to be able to trust your IT systems and have confidence in whoever is maintaining them. As your company grows, you may wish to outsource this responsibility. How do you assess a potential IT supplier? The DTI publish on their Business Link pages a guide to selecting a suitable one, with guidance on subsequently developing a successful relationship with them.
BusinessLink >

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