Every successful relationship in any walk of life is based on one fundamental factor: communication. Just like in any other relationship, effective communication between businesses and their managed information technology (IT) providers is essential to a successful partnership. Your IT team serves as a major part of any company’s backbone, providing technology, expertise, skill sets, and intellectual property that help a business’s network and Internet connection run smoothly throughout the work day. Without effective communication, this backbone can splinter and potentially even break, creating disastrous consequences for the company and its clients.
To establish a good line of communication with your IT provider, or vice-versa, consider the following:
Transparency is key
No one likes to be kept in the dark, especially when it comes to business. Without communication there is no way of knowing whether the services rendered are effective; if there are no demonstrations or analyses of progress, there’s no way of knowing whether the relationship is truly beneficial. This lack of information often leads to times where one party in the partnership is confused or does not understand what needs to be done or why. Don’t let confusion or misunderstanding spark larger issues. Instead, work as a team to establish clear communication with your managed IT provider and create an environment that openly addresses all problems, large and small.
Communication goes both ways
One of the largest mistakes you can make is signing a contract with an outsourced IT provider and expecting them to solve every issue right away. If an issue arises that your support team is unaware of, you must promptly bring it to their attention. Of course, this immediate communication of problems goes both ways. If your IT provider has an issue or they need to discuss something, your organization must be open and available to meet for discussions. Sharing goals, allowing an open-communication policy, and quickly responding to all contact is essential to creating an effective, prosperous relationship between provider and partner.
Scheduled time is productive time
To help facilitate open communication, it is important to schedule specific times to meet with your IT provider. As any company manager or owner knows, schedules fill up quickly, and it can become difficult to find time to squeeze in meetings. By regularly scheduling times to meet with your IT team, you can update them and be updated about goals, progress, concerns, and new technology without having to worry about finding time to do so.
As with everything else, communication is essential to success when it comes to your partnership with a managed IT provider. When working with your team at Monster Technology, know that we appreciate the value of communication and utilize it to help ensure ours is a long-lasting professional relationship. Contact us today to learn more about our managed IT solutions.