How to Choose the Right Remote IT Support Service Provider?

As businesses face increasingly complex workplace demands, IT professionals can benefit from assistance in streamlining their operations. The ideal solution for small, midsize, or large enterprises involves a comprehensive package that encompasses various essential tools such as remote IT support services, remote access, remote monitoring and management, conversational ticketing, camera sharing, and more. However, determining the most suitable solution for your specific business can be challenging.

What is Remote IT Support Services?

A managed service provider (MSP) offers remote IT support services, delivering professional assistance to your employees at various locations without the need for an in-house IT team. A reliable remote IT support service not only ensures uninterrupted productivity but also ensures robust security measures even when employees are working remotely, traveling, or using personal devices.

Nevertheless, choosing the appropriate IT service provider for your business can be challenging due to the abundance of options, often with similar-sounding offerings.

In this article, we provide five factors to help you differentiate between IT managed service providers (MSPs). We also show how our remote IT support service from IBT addresses each factor.

Increase Productivity with IBT 24/7/365 UAE- Based Technician Help Desk

Our IBT help desk is equipped with experienced technicians based in the UAE who are available 24/7, enabling us to promptly address 80% of issues on the initial call. Moreover, we strive to answer your call within an average of one minute, ensuring efficient support.

Rather than spending valuable time attempting to resolve problems independently, your employees can rely on our team for swift troubleshooting assistance.

7 Factors to Consider While Choosing IT Support Company for Remote IT Support Services

Vendors are essential to every business, regardless of size or industry. When choosing a vendor, it is important to ask the right questions and evaluate the provider on a few essential aspects. The more in-depth your evaluation, the better it will be for your business from a sustainability perspective. Here are seven essential aspects to consider when evaluating a vendor.

1. Areas of Expertise

When evaluating a remote IT services provider, it is essential to assess their areas of expertise and the services they offer as your IT support partner. Ideally, you should opt for a vendor that provides comprehensive end-to-end Outsourced IT support services. Choosing an IT remote tech support company that offers the following services proves advantageous in the long term, as it helps prevent and address various IT-related issues.

• Desktop support
• Network Monitoring and Troubleshooting
• Server Updates and Support
• Backup Maintenance
• Software Implementations
• Upgrading Operating Systems
• Managing Security Patches
• Malware Prevention
• Spyware and Antivirus Removal
• Network Setup
• Network Security
• Cloud Computing
• Database Management, and others.

By embracing a proposal that is as comprehensive as, if not superior to, the aforementioned one, you can alleviate the burden of routine IT issues and regain the ability to concentrate on the core aspects of your business.

2. Years of Services as a Remote IT Support Services Provider

While technical and strategic expertise are crucial, the number of years a company has been in the business also holds significance in the field of IT. The IT landscape is continuously evolving, and support companies in UAE that have been operating for several years indicate their ability to adapt and endure through these changes. They possess valuable insights into what methods are effective and what are not.

Such experienced companies are well-equipped to provide recommendations, suggestions, and develop sustainable and strategic IT plans for your organization. In essence, these remote IT support service providers not only offer technical assistance but also extend their expertise to empower you strategically. Therefore, it is advisable to consider the vendor’s years of experience before finalizing your choice.

3. Industries Served by the Remote IT Support Provider

IT support is a vital service that is essential for every modern-day company, regardless of its industry. It is crucial to engage in discussions with a remote IT support services company that possesses sufficient experience in serving businesses across diverse industries. Additionally, the vendor’s expertise in handling IT infrastructure of varying scales plays a pivotal role in making an informed decision.

However, the most significant consideration is to ensure that the remote IT support company has prior experience working with companies in your specific industry. Having an existing or recent association with a similar organization provides access to ready-made solutions for potential IT challenges that may arise while managing your own IT infrastructure. This not only saves time but also significantly reduces downtimes.

4. Team Skills and Experience

The team of your remote service provider is just as important as their technology and technical capabilities. Before you make your choice, make sure that the vendor and their team have the necessary certifications, qualifications, and years of experience in IT support.

The remote provider must have a team of IT support engineers and experts that is large enough to manage your IT infrastructure and its concerns. Every resource on the team must have the experience and certifications to ensure proper support for your IT environment. For i.e., the Cisco IT Support Certification is a qualification that you may want to look for when making your choice.

5. Tools and Techniques Used

Keep in mind that we are discussing remote IT support, which means you won’t have an on-site support team. Therefore, it is essential to assess the tools and techniques employed by your potential vendor and determine their suitability for your specific needs in order to avoid any unexpected complications.

Among the most widely used remote support tools are Goverlan Reach, Splashtop Remote Support, NinjaRMM, SolarWinds Take Control, ISL Light, and numerous others. Make certain that the vendor possesses the required expertise, resources, and experience to effectively utilize these cutting-edge tools and deliver seamless IT support.

6. Remote Support Service Recommendations

Remote tech support companies possess in-depth knowledge of IT infrastructures and are skilled IT specialists. They are capable of providing tailored services and offering valuable recommendations for remote support.

During your discussions with the vendor, you can anticipate receiving insightful advice and recommendations regarding the specific remote IT services required for your business. Furthermore, they can provide guidance on scalability and help you align the cost of customized remote IT support services with your budgetary constraints. It is important to ensure that the vendor you have shortlisted possesses these capabilities and is capable of making sensible and sustainable recommendations for remote IT support services.

7. Geographical Reach / Global Support

If your enterprise operates globally, has offices or plans to establish them worldwide, it is crucial to engage a remote IT support services provider with a broader geographical reach. But why would you need a service provider with global support capabilities when the support itself is remote? Here’s the answer.

When dealing with global remote IT support, the most significant factor to consider is the language spoken by your associates or clients. In this context, remote IT support cannot be limited to technical expertise alone. You require a remote service provider equipped with multilingual resources who can understand and communicate in the language of the user.

This capability proves vital in delivering optimized solutions, expediting communication between clients and vendors, and enhancing overall collaboration. Even if you do not have immediate plans for global expansion, having a multilingual remote IT support provider at your disposal ensures personalized remote tech support services for your employees.

3 Consequences of Not Having Remote IT Support

Based on a Gartner report, the average cost of IT downtime for companies is approximately $5,600 per minute. However, these figures have likely increased, and for large businesses, the costs can quickly accumulate into millions. On the other hand, SMBs experience comparatively lower downtime costs, as estimated by an IDC report, which suggests a range of $137 to $427 per minute.

For many SMBs that have embraced remote work cultures, IT downtime poses a significant threat. The associated costs extend beyond what is immediately apparent, and it is important to understand the breakdown of these expenses.

1. Lost Revenue

The impact of downtime is often measured by the loss of revenue, which is a common indicator. To calculate the revenue loss, you can multiply the cost-per-minute by the duration of the downtime. However, this calculation is influenced by various factors, including the size and business model of the company, as well as the industry’s risk index. Certain industries, such as media, communications, government, banking, finance, manufacturing, healthcare, and utilities, are particularly vulnerable to the effects of downtime.

2. Decreased Productivity

IT-related outages have a significant impact on employees, leaving them with limited or no work to do and requiring IT experts to divert their attention from other important tasks to address and resolve the incident promptly. The morale of employees is negatively affected by an increase in customer complaints, added pressure, and the burden of overwork once the systems are back online. Additionally, downtime can disrupt the supply chain, leading to delays across multiple departments.

3. Reputation Damage

Delays, unavailability, and missed deadlines can erode customer confidence and damage your business reputation. This can lead to a loss of sales, a decline in customer satisfaction, and a tarnished brand image. It can also be expensive to rebuild your reputation, as it can take time and effort to win back the trust of your customers.

In addition, gaining new customers can be more expensive than retaining existing ones. According to a study by Bain & Company, it can cost five to twenty-five times more to acquire a new customer than it does to retain an existing one.

Therefore, it is important to take steps to avoid delays, unavailability, and missed deadlines. This includes setting clear expectations with customers, communicating regularly, and being responsive to their needs. By taking these steps, you can protect your business reputation and save money in the long run.

Nutshell

At IBT, the leading IT company in the Middle East, our commitment lies in maximizing the benefits of our IT solutions for your business. To ensure a seamless transition, we offer a comprehensive onboarding experience that encompasses various aspects. Throughout this process, we provide a clear understanding of how IBT can assist your business and establish an efficient IT infrastructure. This setup enables us to deliver exceptional support to all your employees, whether they work remotely or in the office.