Why good technical support should never be overlooked

Simon Edward • 28 June 2024

Good technical support can boost customer satisfaction and improve IT systems. Discover more in our article.

There's no two ways about it: we live in a digital world. Whatever sector you work in, your business would grind to a halt without some form of cloud system.

Yet despite its centrality, many businesses overlook technical support for the very systems that allow them to exist. The reasoning often goes something like this:

If a piece of software goes down, there's technical support available from the vendor. We don't have a gas engineer, plumber or electrician on payroll – why do we need IT support?

The simple answer – and it's no exaggeration – is that when it comes to day-to-day operations, the cloud is more important than gas, electricity or water. Power cut? Staff can work from home. No access to Google Drive? Now you're in hot water.

As with many things, however, this rationale has something else at heart: money. Having in-house technical support on hand at all times is seen as a luxury. Far better, management will tell themselves, to let the vendor's technical support teams step in when things get dicey.

The problem here is that vendors are rarely quick to respond – and they can only deal with their own products. If the problem is more complex, you're going to need holistic support from a general-purpose IT team.

Customer-facing technical support tells a similar story. If your customer has a problem with what you sold them, they're going to need help – and they're going to need it fast. If you cut corners in this department, you risk alienating or even losing customers.

One solution is to outsource technical support to a consultancy firm. The key advantage here is that you get all the benefits of a tech support team at a lower price than full-time staff and with greater operational flexibility.

Still not convinced? Here are five other reasons why good technical support shouldn't be overlooked – and why you should consider a cloud consultancy firm to provide it for you.

1. It sets you apart from your competitors

In the digital age, pretty much every field is a crowded field. How are you going to stand out? The answer is to focus on differentiating factors – the things that you do better than others.

Picture of business person lifting a weight.

Whisper it: many IT companies have bad technical support. If you put effort into making your technical support top-tier, you'll be a more attractive option for customers.

It can also feed into staff retention. Job-seekers may not actively be looking for a firm with good technical support – but they'll certainly feel the difference once they're part of the team.

At the end of the day, good technical support helps staff do their jobs efficiently. This is a key factor for people deciding whether to stick around or jump ship.

2. It's the face of your company

Often, technical support is the face of your company – the first port of call when users get in touch. In the event of an outage or other problem, swift, clear and friendly communication is a must. After all, it's how you act when your customers are in trouble that will leave the longest impression.

Internally, technical support is a sign of how much you want to help your staff. If someone is struggling with a technical issue for days on end, they're unlikely to blame IT specifically. Rather, they'll see it as symptomatic of the way the company is managed.

One easy way to avoid this is to outsource technical support. That way, both customers and staff get the help they need, meaning a positive impression of your company.

3. It helps resolve issues

If a customer needs help with software, time is of the essence. It's not a job that can be put on the laterbase. You need to be ready to help them get back on their feet ASAP.

The same goes for internal problems. No access to the Drive? That means rescheduled meetings, missed deadlines and more.

Picture of a businessperson looking stressed and overwhelmed.

Relying on a vendor to fix the issue often means a whole lot of waiting. Get around this problem by working with an experienced cloud consultancy firm.

4. It improves your security posture

For businesses of all shapes and sizes, a cyber attack can be catastrophic. Not only does it dent your reputation and put staff and stakeholders at risk. It can also lead to an eye-watering fine under GDPR.

This is one of the key reasons why you need good technical support at your company. Regular testing and vigilant monitoring are essential to ensure that your workloads are as safe as they can be.

5. It ensures that your systems are up-to-date

Good technical support means that your software and hardware are updated whenever necessary. This has long been a function of traditional, in-house IT. But as cloud solutions become more niche, companies increasingly end up spending money on extra training.

Working with a cloud consultant sidesteps this problem. You get all the expertise you need, safe in the knowledge that they, not you, will take care of training.

Why work with a cloud consultancy firm for technical support?

The bottom line is that outsourcing technical support is good for your bottom line. You get to save money at all stages of the recruitment process – from hiring to training to HR. These savings can then be redirected into other areas of your business.

This is especially valuable at a time when cloud technology is constantly developing. If you want your in-house technical support to be up-to-date, you're going to have to spend money on continual training.

With a cloud consultant on hand, this simply isn't an issue. They'll be on top of developments in cloud computing, including those all-important security and compliance considerations.

So if you want to harness the benefits of good technical support without making your finance department wince, consider working with a reputable cloud consultancy firm. You'll be surprised at the positive difference it can make to your business's day-to-day life.

Are you looking for reliable cloud support services? Here at Ascend, we know the cloud like few others on Earth. Get in touch today for a free, no-obligation consultation.

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