Does your IT support disappoint you? There are certain standards you should be able to expect from your IT support or technical helpdesk, particular when it comes to their service to you as a valued customer.
When you need IT support you need it. But you want it to feel good, happy and fill you with confidence. And you want to feel as though your IT support provider puts your needs first on each and every service request you have to make to them.
Here are the signs, that maybe the helpdesk staff you call when you have a problem no longer care too much, their heart isn’t in it, or there’s an issue with the culture of the company.
1. Your issue seems too complex for them
If the quick things you ask for get done ok, but as soon as you ask for anything slightly more specialist, you seem to get pushed to the side, they could have an issue with technicians cherry-picking easy tickets.
The problem any helpdesk will face, if technicians are cherry-picking the quick-win tickets, is that they risk their relationship with customers. By taking into account their own needs, over those of their customers, sooner or later, that is going to get them into a bottleneck of work that will upset system and users.
2. You don’t feel you can ask questions, even by email
Some helpdesks use automated messages, instead of messages from real people. Automated messages are ok, but the tone is important. While automated messages need to be polite, if they are too formal, they don’t encourage you to ask the questions you need to.
If the automated messages are keeping you at arm’s length, maybe they just have their messaging wrong, or they really are trying to keep you away.
3. No one seems able to make a decision
You rang your IT helpdesk with an issue and they identified a solution. Great. But they then have to go and ask a manager, or senior technician for permission to carry out the solution, which takes ages.
It’s frustrating for you if technicians don’t have the powers to carry out the work of actually implementing the solution. And frustrating for them. They either don’t trust their staff or they haven’t trained them sufficiently to do the job they’re supposedly there to do.
4. Misunderstanding or not appreciating your issue
This is about understanding you and your business, and the urgent work you need to get done. For example, if you ring your helpdesk because you have a software problem, say, in order to complete documents for a funding deadline, it can be the case that the technician will focus on the software problem, while what you really need is a quick fix to the current issue you face.
The best kind of IT support is one where the technician you speak to understands the wider business issue you have, not just the immediate tech. Can they understand and help you with what you need now, as a business-critical issue? And see to the wholesale fix later?
5. You have to wait too long for resolution
It goes without saying that if you are waiting too long on the phone or for your service request to be acknowledged, your IT support provider do not have capacity to give a good level of service to their customers.
6. The advisors are grumpy
We all have our off days but if every time you need help you have to speak to a grumpy advisor, then it may be time to speak to IT support people who like their job, their customers and the culture of where they work.
The best business IT advisors are professional and let their pride in the brand they work for, patience and love of the job shine through.
Now you know you should move, what’s stopping you?
Is it hard for you to move IT support provider? It shouldn’t be, unless they’ve tied you into a lengthy contract, which is probably another reason why you might want to leave.
There are lots of providers of IT support for businesses of all shapes and size; it’s a competitive market. This means you can get an excellent provider who ticks all of the boxes, makes you happy and gives you the peace of mind, reassurance and energy you are looking for when it comes to supporting your business for the future.
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