If you had to say one thing, as a business, that you need most from your IT service, what would it be? Data security? Backup of your systems? Or maybe, flexible help and support for your team in their everyday work?
Can you say that there is one aspect of business IT, over and above all others, that is the most important? Or is it more complicated than that?
In a recent LinkedIn survey, security and backup came at the top of businesses’ list, as the most valued aspect of the IT services they receive. A speedy internet connection came close behind and, last on the list, a low price.
Price isn’t important – who knew?!
Although many people and businesses make buying decision based on price, they are unlikely to admit it. Of course, price is important, but the survey didn’t reflect this as most businesses wanted to be seen voting for the aspects of business that inspire trust and confidence, such as security and data compliance, without worrying over cost.
What’s the most important element of your business?
To help answer the question about what’s most important in your IT services, it might help to focus on what the most important element of your business is.
Is it your people? Is it your customer service? Is it your marketing activity?
If your people are the most important aspect of your business then you’ll want to ensure their ability to use IT to do their job, and as users of your systems, their ease of use.
If your customer service is the most important aspect of your operation then you’ll need the kind of integrated, responsive systems and data that means you’re business processes are hitting the high notes of customer satisfaction.
If marketing is the most crucial element of your business, you’ll need a lot of digital marketing expertise and know-how in SEO, user design, social media and content creation.
IT services hits most business areas
The truth is, that whatever aspect of your business is the most crucial, the quality of your received IT service impacts upon it.
If your staff are not supported to do the best job, with efficient systems that feel great to use, then there is always going to be room for improvement. If your customer service is lacking because your system cannot give response times, answer quickly enough or automate simple requests then IT focus here is crucial.
Whether it’s your marketing, your security and compliance, or your entirely joined-up systems and ability to collaborate across sites, IT services encompass all of it.
One responder to the IT survey about what aspect of business IT services was the most important to them said, it was impossible to give one answer, since everything is interlinked.
“What you should really want from your IT services is ownership of solutions”
An IT service provider that seeks out the understanding of your entire business, from customer service to backup, from disaster recovery planning to marketing, is proactively approaching the solutioning of any issue you care to raise – this ability to ‘solution’ is what businesses should really identify as important.
So many barriers to business efficiency and innovation are solvable with IT. Businesses should not be having to think up solutions to issues themselves, but should be able to look to the IT provider to listen to the issues, identify the problems as they see them and take on the resolving of them.
No one aspect of IT works in isolation when it comes to business improvement, and it’s this understanding in an IT service provider you need to look for when sourcing the type of proactive IT service that will take your business forward.
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