IT systems can make or break any business. They provide an avenue for communication and collaboration, help with organizational efficiency, and drive improved customer service. Without proper IT support, businesses are often left in despair and experience hindering productivity. Good IT support keeps the systems running smoothly and provides a secure architecture that safeguards sensitive information. Working with the right provider can also offer solutions tailored to specific needs, meaning that companies can optimize their resources without compromising on performance. It is vital to understand what signs to identify when it’s time to prioritize better IT support for the success of a business. The post discusses the impact of poor IT support and five signs that may mean you need a better IT support solution.
The Impact of Poor IT Support
In today’s digital world, many businesses rely on their IT systems to remain competitive and efficient. Inadequate maintenance can cause companies to face a range of critical issues, such as outages or data breaches. Below are some of the key areas where we see businesses suffering from improper IT support.
Downtime in the business
Downtime issues caused by unreliable IT support is a serious problem for businesses of all sizes. When systems are down or programs are not working properly, it creates delays and missed opportunities which can be extremely detrimental to a business’s bottom line. Companies need to ensure they have the right support in place to protect their IT infrastructure from downtime-related problems and ensure their business remains competitive in today’s fast-paced market. Minimizing the impact of resulting downtime is a key component of great support.
Customer dissatisfaction
Poor IT support can have a significant impact on customer satisfaction, particularly in industries where technology plays a prominent role. Customers expect consistent functionality from the services that are part of their day-to-day and any delays can be extremely disruptive. One reason why poor IT support can lead to customer dissatisfaction is when customer requests are left unanswered. This causes customers to feel neglected and impacts the customer experience. Even worse, sometimes customer service staff can’t address customer issues because of technological difficulties and that leads to immense frustration and disappointment.
Negative impact on employee morale
Poorly functioning equipment, slow response times from IT staff, and inadequate access to networks or software can leave employees feeling unhappy in their work environment. It is a must for employers to provide effective IT support and understand how it affects employees. When employees are not given the support to do their jobs, talent retention will become an issue. On the contrary, employees who feel supported by their employer have been demonstrated to be more productive. To ensure that employee morale remains high, employers must invest in robust IT support services that meet everyone’s needs in a timely manner.
Possible breach or intrusion
Inadequate IT support poses a serious threat to the security and integrity of the business. For instance, lack of timely updates can leave organizations vulnerable to malicious attacks. Inappropriate support hinders the ability of companies to respond in a way that is both timely and effective in the event of an intrusion or compromise of the network. Such consequences often lead to further complications down the road, leading to expensive penalties. It’s easier said than done, as security tends to fall off the plate of priorities.
Learn how Axxys helped a business that had just lost their IT Admin.
Five Signs you Need Better IT Support
Support unavailable when needed
Unavailable support is a red flag that your current IT support isn’t meeting your needs. Both employees and customers expect support at all times for the success of the business. Support teams that have limited hours are just the start. Some support teams only offer support by ticket or email while others offers support by phone or chat.
If your support team is difficult to get ahold of and only available sometimes, it may be time to explore different support options.
Slow time to response
Responsive IT support is crucial, often standing between success and failure. The first component of technical support? A response or acknowledgement from support staff. This response typically includes starting a ticket for the issue and guidance on expected time to resolution.
Slow response times are a sign that your IT support may be resource constrained and not sufficient to your business needs.
Slow time to ticket resolution
Slow time to ticket resolution can be a sign that your IT support isn’t up to par. When IT tasks take too long to complete, it can cost you and your business time, money, and energy. Nothing is more frustrating than waiting for an IT issue to be resolved.
If your existing solution leaves employees and customers waiting for resolution, it may be time to evaluate your IT support.
Lack of expertise to solve the issue
Dealing with IT problems and finding accurate solutions can be difficult. Unfortunately, it’s common to see organizations without adequate in-house IT experts. This can quickly become overwhelming when difficult tickets arise for support. As your business grows, the complexity of technical issues will only increase.
If you see a trend of not being able to solve tickets, it might be the time for you to invest in better IT support.
Lack of sufficient training on systems
Often a lack of sufficient training on the use and maintenance of such systems can be a major contributing factor. A good IT support team will provide the necessary guidelines on how to utilize existing tools effectively. This can come in the form of updated documentation and regular training sessions.
If you’re finding that your employees are not receiving enough training to use the IT tools they need to do their job, that can be a sign that your existing IT support is inadequate.
Conclusion
Waiting for a ticket to be created, waiting for a resolution, and hoping that someone on your IT support team knows how to ultimately solve your issue is a terrible feeling. Business downtime, customer and employee dissatisfaction, and decreased security are real outcomes from living with mediocre IT support for too long.
That’s why the best IT support team is the one you don’t need to worry about to get things done correctly and in a timely manner.
With Axxys Technologies, you can trust that your company’s technical support capability is world-class. From extended support windows to deep expertise in both older and new technology, Axxys delivers excellent IT support to small and midsized businesses for years. Reach out today to learn how we can help you strengthen your IT foundation.
