How To Get The Most Out Of Your IT Provider

You made the decision to outsource your IT department.

You bought into the idea of outsourcing your technology needs.

But what does that mean?

Outsourcing?

How do you get the most benefit from the decision you’ve just made?

How do you manage your managed IT provider?

Just because they have the word managed on their website doesn’t mean their
self managing.

Everyone needs a manager.

Everyone needs someone to hold them accountable in some way shape or form.

To get the maximum value out of your IT provider here are the 5 of things you need to do to get the maximum value out of your outsourced IT provider.

If you do these things you will be happier.

So many of us get caught up and just buying something and then assuming that everything else will take care of itself.

Life doesn’t work that way.

Neither does outsourcing.

The following is a list of recommendations of things to do.

How to act and behave to get the most out of your new relationship.

Top Level Commitment

There needs to be an owner to owner relationship.

There needs to be respect and trust.

Both owners should be able to call each other up and have an open and honest conversation.

This helps to ensure both organizations are bought into the relationship.

It doesn’t mean both owners need to be involved in every exchange between businesses.

It does mean though that visions are shared and aligned at the top.

Understand Time Frames

The biggest disconnect with tech is time.

Understanding how long something will take to get done.

It’s important to have a clear understanding of how long something will take.

Process items like adding a new user or setting up a computer are easily budgeted from a time perspective.

Other items may take longer based on complexity, outside vendors and delays.

In any case, both sides need to participate in understanding and communicating time frames.

If you don’t know how long something will take.

Ask.

Not everything is a quick fix.

Not everything can be done right now.

Sometimes just being in the loop during an iterative process is the best it gets.

And that’s okay.

Be Curious

You may not want to know how everything works.

You may not need to know how everything works.

But you should want to be involved.

The more educated you become on the tech in your business the better off you’ll be.

Check your expectations and knowledge against what you’re experiencing often.
Don’t just be a spectator.

Tech people don’t mind sharing and teaching.

If you learn about something new share it with your provider.

It Takes A Village

It takes a village to run your tech.

This means you’re involved.

Tech is not a one way street.

It’s not a set and forget service.

Getting the tech right in your business requires effort on both sides.

As a business owner or point of contact your IT provider needs your involvement.

If you notice something. Bring it up.

If you something is going good. Bring it up.

If something is wrong. Bring it up.

It’s only together that things get resolved.

It’s only together that your business moves forward.

It’s Not Transactional

I’m sure I’ll get guff for saying this.

Tech is not transactional.

When you outsource your tech you’re entrusting your companies data and resources to an outside vendor.

It’s not like buying internet service.

It’s not like buying phone service.

It’s not like buying software.

It’s not like buying mobile service.

I will state it once again.

When you outsource your tech you’re entrusting your companies data and resources to an outside vendor.

The relationship extends beyond that of other service providers.

Outsourcing your tech is one of the most important decisions you’ll make as a business owner.

It requires an investment of your time.

It requires effort on your part to be involved.

If requires that you and your staff are participating.

It’s not like ordering a burger at a fast food joint where the transaction ends when you walk out the door.

Getting the most from your IT provider is much the same as getting the most of out any relationship.

It requires conversation.

It requires communication.

It requires trust building.

It requires commitment.

I hope this helps to shed some light on how to get the most out of your IT provider relationship.