How can companies use managed service providers (MSP) to prevent business interruption? When your IT systems are down for any reason, there’s a good chance you won’t be able to offer your full attention to clients. But what about customers who contact you for assistance after hours or need assistance with IT issues 24/7? Do you have the in-house staff available? Further, do the people who are willing to work second and third shift have the skills to give clients what they need? This is where a capable MSP comes in.
For any company that wants to offer continuous, around the clock, 365 days per year customer service, managed-services professionals can fill in all the gaps. There are three questions for managers to ask in relation to this topic. First, how do MSPs operate? Second, what are the key benefits of remote access software, whether you run it on your own or your MSP runs it? Third, how do help desks, in and of themselves, benefit your company’s customers? Managers who truly want to stay on top of the 24/7 service question also need to know about potential pitfalls of help-desk software, no matter who runs it.
How DO MSPs Do Their Job?
The concept behind how managed service providers operate can be a little confusing. The simplest way to envision these vital links in the IT world is as a very large outsourcing pool. In fact, depending upon how much help a business needs, an MSP can be called upon to do accounting, finance, long-range planning, HR functions, scheduling, customer service, and dozens of other key chores. But the unique characteristic of an MSP, as opposed to other kinds of outsource help, is that they work on a subscription basis. If your company uses a payroll MSP, for example, you won’t have to call the provider every time payday is approaching and ask for assistance. Nor will you wait until there’s a problem with check disbursement or wage calculation. As a managed service entity, part of their role is to be at the ready, always on the job. Whatever function you outsource to them, they do it as a matter of routine until you tell them to stop.
Other professionals who fall under the outsource category operate on an ad hoc basis, as is the case with plumbers. Your company might have a plumbing service it prefers and finds the need to contact them on occasion. But unless you have an ongoing maintenance contract with them, they’re simply a break-fix provider. MSPs are the opposite, and once you employ them, they’re by your side for the long haul, regardless of what chores you task them with.
Benefits of HD Remote Software?
Why bother with having a remote desktop for IT support at all? That’s the crux of the issue for many business owners. Is it worth the expense? What do you get from the relationship? How do your customers benefit? Who does the bulk of the work? What is the nature of the support and who maintains the ticket intake, customer interaction, and problem resolution? It’s important to select not only an MSP but a software product that suits your company’s needs. If you choose to fully outsource the desk to a managed service provider, then they’ll already have a preferred program in place. If you opt to use a stand-alone package on your own, or if your service provider lets you choose one, it’s essential to know the benefits that HD software can deliver. That’s the only way you’ll be in a position to make an educated evaluation. Those benefits include the following:
- Handles issues that come up before and after sales to customers
- Can use analytics based on customer behavior to come up with realistic marketing plans
- It grows with the company and effectively deals with all customer issues
- It’s available at all hours, every day of the year
- It frees up company personnel for other tasks unrelated to client services
- Allows workers to become more efficient by offering clear, comprehensive customer data whenever it’s needed
- It streamlines the entire business operation by centralizing all client-problem and resolution issues, both with regard to identification and handling
- Offers significant contributions to MIS (management information systems) so that owners and principals are better able to create long-term business goals, mission statements, and plans of all kinds
How Help Desks Help Customers
Business interruptions mean lost revenue. Sometimes, they can lead to hundreds of negative online reviews on influential social media sites, and the effect just cascades from there. In today’s global economy, people have come to expect 24-hour service and support in every part of their lives, and that includes such diverse enterprises as retail stores, entertainment venues, medical assistance, and more. If your company, no matter how large or small it is, wants to become and remain competitive, it makes sense to leverage the power of a reliable MSP that can deliver round the clock attention to your clients when you’re not there to do the chore yourself. Offering 24-hour assistance to your clients ends the threat of business interruption. Your choices for achieving this state of affairs can include hiring an MSP or using stand-alone solutions. Keep in mind that there are multiple alternatives for Teamviewer, many of which are free, so don’t feel as if the marketplace is limited in terms of choices.
Beware: Potential HD Software Pitfalls
Remain vigilant while shopping for HD products, services, and MSPs. Here are some common pitfalls:
- Watch out for high upfront charges and fees, as well as long implementation times.
- Trials are good but you need at least a month of experimentation, in most cases, to fairly evaluate a product
- HD’s that are based in the cloud can become pricey in the long run, plus they are susceptible to downtime and interruptions, which is what you are trying to avoid
- Systems are only as good as the people who run them, so take the time to evaluate the team that will be providing support for a particular package or program.