Let’s play a little game of word association. What comes to mind when you think of IT support?
Problems?
Headaches?
Taking that lousy computer out to a field and smashing it?
If you are like most people, the words you associate with IT support are probably negative.
Maybe you only think about IT support when something isn’t working. When there are outages. Or when your employees (or customers) are frustrated by delays or inefficient equipment.
If that is your experience with IT, it’s no wonder that just saying “IT support” is enough to make your eye start twitching!
But what if we told you (Morpheus meme, anyone?) that IT could bring up positive words and feelings?
Instead of frustration and dread, what if IT brought up words like…
- Integrative?
- Streamlined?
- Phenomenal customer experience?
What if IT could be more than just support? More than a necessary evil?
Could it actually revolutionize your daily processes?
Is it possible that IT could be part of your strategy to improve your company’s overall client experience?
And what if your IT strategy could actually give you an edge over competitors?
From an unexpected source
Patrick, President of Varay Managed IT, recently had just such an experience with a local HVAC company. Of course, they knew their stuff when it came to heating and cooling and provided quality service — like many other HVAC businesses undoubtedly would. But for Patrick, what truly set them apart was their streamlined communication.
This HVAC company integrated their IT with their business strategy to connect with customers — and it really worked!
As a customer, Patrick was automatically notified about the status of his service ticket — and when the technician was en route. Communication was clear, timely and effective. He knew what to expect, and when to expect it.
As a business, you are committed to being good at what you do in your field of expertise. But streamlined IT service as a part of your overall business strategy can make your company stand head and shoulders above others. LIke this HVAC company, you can see IT as a tool for communicating with customers and making their experience easier.
An integrative IT strategy can make IT so much more than support.
The secret sauce
We’ve talked (a lot) about the differences between managed IT services and break/fix or hourly billing IT. A managed IT service provider’s (MSP) job is to partner with a business and make its IT service as streamlined and effective as possible.
As a proactive IT model, MSPs take inventory of your equipment to make sure everything is up to date — and to make budget-conscious upgrades when needed.
Patrick’s awesome HVAC company had implemented the appropriate hardware, software, and processes to be able to communicate effectively. But updating infrastructure is only part of the picture when it comes to creating a streamlined service like the one that left such a positive impression on Patrick. Here’s the recipe for the secret sauce:
Effective technology + strategy + implementation = streamlined service
At Varay, we help businesses use technology to meet their goals. With services like our omni channel marketing strategy, businesses can make the (not always easy) leap to an integrated experience for their customers. Effective technology and skillful implementation help a company translate their values into processes that make interaction easy for customers — at every point of contact with your business.
Asking the right questions
Patrick’s favorite HVAC company placed a high priority on communication with clientele. And their use of technology to implement this value made them stand out — in a big way.
So how can your company develop an IT strategy to advance your business’ goals?
Here are some questions to consider:
- What are you hoping to achieve through the technology your business uses?
- How can technology help manage your clients’ expectations?
- How could IT be used to streamline the work you do on a daily basis?
- What processes could be automated?
- Order alerts?
- Payment options?
- Tracking and shipping labels?
- How could technology improve your customers’ overall experience?
But remember: technology is always improving and evolving — and so is the world (and your customers’ expectations)!
A strategy is not a “once for all” proposition. As technology and the world change, an effective strategy must follow suit! What was effective in the past might not be the best choice for the future. (Like, how many of us 4 years ago would have imagined the changes needed to cope with the challenges of a worldwide pandemic?).
But an IT strategy that adapts as the world and technology advances will rise to meet the challenge. And your MSP can be there to help you meet your goals.
Would you like to see how your business can use IT as part of your overall strategy? Contact Varay Managed IT of El Paso and San Antonio for a free assessment today.
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