For businesses adapting to a rapidly changing workforce, a number to call when users get locked out of their PCs is not IT support.
Yes, it’s valuable – but it’s not enough. No business will thrive in today’s marketplace with only basic help desk services.
The economy is unpredictable. Your employees have new ideas about when and how to work. COVID-19 was not a “one-off” event. Research suggests we’re at an ever-increasing risk of large-scale pandemics.
The right IT partner will see you through it all and support your changing workforce.
When you call on your partner, you reach a strong, diverse team. There are technicians who get you back into your PC and business-minded experts who find ways for you to save money without cutting corners (more on this below). You get better IT support and can reinvest savings back into your business.
How To Create Business Opportunities Through Better IT Support
IT doesn’t dictate work policies, leadership does
Workplace flexibility depends entirely on technology. It’s your network infrastructure, the devices your employees use, whether all your business software is cloud compatible – everything.
That doesn’t mean technology should dictate your policies around remote, hybrid, or in-person work. Company culture, goals, and what your employees want should steer the conversation.
Once you decide, your IT team architects the appropriate setup so workers can do their jobs, wherever you want.
The business opportunity: It’s easier to recruit top talent
- Only 6% of workers want full-time office jobs.
- 34% want to be fully remote.
- 60% prefer a hybrid arrangement.
The stats are from a recent Gallup survey. Respondents said they would leave jobs that did not offer their preferred working arrangement.
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When your technology actively solves hybrid work problems, you don’t worry about trade-offs between giving employees what they want and achieving company goals. You deliver projects on time, while easily attracting and retaining talent.
Remember, if you let employees work from anywhere, have an IT partner who offers remote support.
The right licensing leads to better budgeting
Have you ever sat down and read Microsoft documentation? We don’t recommend it, unless you’re looking for a cure for insomnia. The contents are rarely straightforward, and frequently link to different guides. Finding the answer to a simple question rapidly leads you down a rabbit hole.
It’s time-consuming and confusing. No wonder businesses end up:
- Spending too much on the cloud
- Not realizing they don’t have support for services like Microsoft Azure or Teams
- On the wrong Microsoft license
The business opportunity: You reinvest savings back into your business
A managed services provider like Nortec relieves you from even thinking about Microsoft documentation and finds ways for you to save money through:
Exclusive licensing discounts: Clients who work with us for licensing pay less for Microsoft 365 than if they purchased the license on their own. Use this calculator to see what you’d save through our exclusive discounts.
Protection from pricing changes: Microsoft recently increased costs without providing new services. Our managed clients saw a minor increase while others saw a 20–30% increase in their monthly bills. (Read more about what happened and how we kept costs under control here.)
Expert advice on which license to use: Nonprofits, governmental organizations, and educators have different licensing options than businesses. Some businesses need an enterprise license. Having a consultant work through this for you ensures you pay the lowest fee and maximize services.
Tips to capitalize on your technology: Your experts share hidden shortcuts, like using Delve to search for information in emails and documents at the same time, simplifying everyday tasks.
This frees up capital you can funnel to other areas of your business.
More time working, less time on call with support
No one on your team should have the support desk number memorized or on speed dial. Really, you should not call us.
You should be working on devices that quickly connect to the internet and just work. So you can work.
Employees who aren’t slowed down by broken technology or hanging out on call with technicians all day are focused on their work. Project milestones are met on time. You’re viewed as a reliable partner and you develop deeper relationships with clients.
The business opportunity: Improved customer experience and higher profits
Satisfied clients are less likely to look for new partners and more likely to increase their spend with you.
A Harvard Business Review study found that when a customer had a positive experience with a company, they spent 140% more than customers who had negative experiences.
Salesforce’s research backs this up. In that study, 91% of respondents said good customer experience increased the likelihood they’d buy again from the company. Plus, 78% said they would forgive a mistake if the company provided strong customer experience.
Before becoming a client, Hank’s Oyster Bar got Nortec help desk support in 30 minutes, on a holiday.
Is your IT support that responsive?
Costly tech distractions and bad advice disappear
Businesses today can make deliveries via drones and robots or hold meetings in virtual reality.
That doesn’t mean they should.
Every potential investment should be evaluated critically based on your business operations and your clients. No one on your outsourced technology team should be motivated by selling new services. All conversations should center on what will help you reach goals.
The business opportunity: You invest in tools and systems that support your business
Being able to schedule a meeting with your dedicated consultant saves you from needless expenditures. They advise you on the use case for innovative technologies, assist with cost-benefit analysis, and develop roadmaps you always leverage for the right tools at the right time.
Mobile device management and security is a prime example.
Before 2020, it’s possible all your employees worked in the office from desktops, eliminating the need for mobile security solutions.
Now, employees have laptops that travel with them and connect to the cloud from their smartphones. Unmanaged, those devices are a security threat. It makes sense to protect confidential business and client data through managed endpoint services.
Cloud concerns don’t cloud your horizon
Security, cost, business app connectivity, and employee productivity feed concerns about the cloud. We understand why, but this is unacceptable. Cloud computing technology is not new. By this point, your IT support team should watch your spend, secure your environment, and offer tips on how to better use the latest features in Microsoft 365.
The business opportunity: true business agility
Yes, “agility” is an overused word, but you truly can apply it to your business when you engineer the right cloud environment. You will seamlessly scale, constantly stay connected, and not worry about security. Your cloud consultants and managed provider do it all for you.
Prove to clients and partners they can trust you
Forrester predicts trust will play an increasingly important role in client attraction and retention. Their survey found a damaging headline (like news about a cyberattack) could cost businesses about 40% of their customers.
On top of that, more partners want proof that you take their data security seriously. 67% of executives and cybersecurity experts reported their company lost an opportunity because they did not have strong cyber defenses in place.
The business opportunity: You gain new clients
You can be the provider that wins new contracts and takes business away from your underprotected peers. Nortec clients get layers of cybersecurity. They can confidently approach current and potential partners with a strong plan in place that includes:
- Identity-based controls
- Cybersecurity awareness training (This is key for getting cyber insurance!)
- Secure score reporting
- Mobile device management solutions
- Advanced threat detection and response
- 24/7 monitoring
Stop Settling for Just a Help Desk: IT Support
How and where you work is constantly evolving. When was the last time you had a substantial business conversation with your IT provider?
We want to see you thrive. Your goals guide us too. Every solution we architect or service we recommend fits into an intentionally designed plan based on your business objectives.
What will your business gain when you get an IT support partner who provides more than help desk and puts your business first? Schedule a no-obligation call to find out.