Do You Know Why You Need IT?

What IT actually does is still a mystery to many people. When a password doesn’t work or a monitor won’t come on, employees know that it’s going to be their IT that sets it right. But beyond the idea that II people fix computer or network issues it’s a mystery.

Just last week, a client told one of our techs, “We hardly ever put in a ticket (request for service), so I’m wondering why we even need you.” Their IT liaison employee had left, and they were trying to figure out what was going on with their IT. The fact is that we set up their system so we can prevent most disruptions.

Then there are companies that tell their bad IT, “Every day, things break down! Do you even know what you’re doing?”

Ironically, really good IT suffers from the same perception as really bad IT (of which there is plenty): The “Why do we even pay you guys?” sentiment.

How is it that people ask the same question due to 2 different results?

How do you distinguish good from bad?

When it comes to IT, it’s a lot easier to tell good from bad IT than it is in general society. Let’s examine what both look like:

Bad IT

IT (Information Technology) is a largely unregulated industry. Unlike professions and trades, anyone can hang out a shingle saying they are an IT company. Unlike your doctor, lawyer or accountant, there is no degree needed – no proof of training and no licensing required. Even the company that erects a new fence around your yard or remodels your bathroom has to be licensed.

This produces a distinctly inferior version of IT. The Charlotte IT community includes many companies or solo practitioners who use the outdated Time & Materials model, based upon a simple hourly rate – which the industry refers to as ‘Break/Fix’ (B/F): something breaks, and they come out to fix it. They make money for billable hours therefore they have little reason to fix things quickly or effect lasting solutions (providing ‘band-aid’ fixes instead). More visits = more money.

But waiting for the tech to show up and take too much time to fix the problem is dissatisfactory, forcing  clients, tired of all the downtime, to seek better solutions.

Good IT

Certainly, there are experienced, reputable Break/Fix people out there, but Good IT is generally found within the realm of Managed IT Services providers. As with any industry, the quality varies there as well, but at least there is a minimum standard of service.

Some clients who outsource their IT to a Managed Services Provider (MSP) may wonder what they’re paying them for, but that’s because they typically DON’T see a flurry of action or a lot of tech visits.

Their networks tend to run smoother than most, but this is not because of luck. The trick is, since clients pay a monthly retainer or subscription, a Managed Services Provider makes more money the LESS time they spend on a client’s account.

A good MSP does the heavy lifting up front, setting up the network with the main focus on monitoring and proactive preventive maintenance. Using automation and AI (Artificial Intelligence) among other tools, a great MSP already knows when most problems occur – they predict a host of potential issues beforehand and adjust the network accordingly. Even if the help desk isn’t on the phone and no field techs are poking around in the server room, much work is being done to provide as close to a permanent ‘YES’ response from the network as possible.

An MSP invests early in the tools necessary to keep your network running smoothly, because the less time they spend on your system, the more profit they make, and at least in ITFIRM.COM’s case, we pass these savings on to you as a lower monthly premium. This is a true ‘win/win’ situation: less work for us, less downtime (and loss of productivity) for you.

When it arises that a new person – or worse - the owner does not understand what IT does and therefore does not see the value, an educational dialog needs to take place. It’s important to avoid ‘Geek Speak’ and follow the ‘KISS’ rule (Keep It Simple, Stupid).

This is a good time to remember what Albert Einstein (who did not deal with the type of IT we have today) said: "If you can't explain it to a six year old, you don't understand it yourself."