IT and technology in general are crucial to the day-to-day running of any business. How many businesses can say that they use no technology at all? Whether it’s a sole trader communicating with clients by email or a large enterprise with all the IT bells and whistles, we all use some tech these days.
Not all businesses need IT support. Some smaller ones can be self-sufficient. But as businesses grow, they need to consider some level of support. The beauty of IT support is that its so flexible, you can have as much or as little as you need.
On-site IT support has been the norm for businesses. But with staff working from home and the rise in popularity of Cloud services, remote support could be a better option for some. Here are some advantages for on-site vs remote IT support, so you can decide which is better for your business.
Advantages of On-Site IT Support
More personal service
Whether you outsource or have an internal team. With engineers coming to site, however regularly, you may find you receive a more personal service, as you get to know the engineers, and they get to know you and the way you work. If the same engineer often visits, they will become familiar with your setup quickly, and it should be easier for them to resolve issues.
Strategic support
Some businesses want an IT company to react to and fix their problems. And that’s fine. But others want to work with a tech provider, developing long-term relationships and planning their technology landscape for the next few years. The perfect tech setup for one business might not suit another. It is often easier to make such recommendations on-site when the experts can see the environment for themselves.
Help with physical issues
Sometimes when there’s an issue with IT equipment, it is easier for an engineer to resolve the issue with the piece of tech in front of them. Diagnosing an issue over the phone isn’t always as effective, and could take longer for that all important resolution. This can be easier for company-wide hardware as well, such as diagnosing issues with servers. Remote support may get you so far, but isn’t always comparable to help in person.
Advantages of Remote Support
Speed of resolution
Some issues can be resolved almost instantly. An engineer can remotely access your laptop, diagnose the issue and implement a fix. With remote support, there’s no time wasted with engineers travelling to site. Instead they can do it from their office. If an issue is preventing the user from working, they need it to be fixed as quickly as possible. And that’s the beauty of remote IT support.
Cost effective
Having remote only IT support can be kinder to your business’ bank balance. IT providers may charge for travel time, and charge for time an engineer spends on site fixing issues. With remote support, that won’t be an issue. Switching from on-site to remote IT support can be a way to save a bit of money, but still knowing there’s a skilled IT company on hand when you need them.
Work with the best
Businesses wanting on-site support will often choose a company local to them, so they can come to site more easily. But what if there aren’t many IT providers near you? Remote support opens doors for the rest of the country, or even the world. Don’t settle for average local support, when you can work with a world class provider elsewhere just as easily.
Choosing the right IT partner isn’t easy. You need to decide what level of support you want to judge whether they’re the right fit for you.
To see if ACUTEC could be a fit for your organisation, have a chat with one of our consultants today.
