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IT Support & Maintenance Services
Buyer's Guide |
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10. Questions to put to potential IT Service Providers
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Do not assume a vendor can deliver everything and anytime. Instead ask them questions to assess their offerings, experience and demonstrated capabilities:
- What type and level of support does a vendor provide?
- Does the provider cover all of your geographical region(s). For example are you looking for IT Support London? [on site support]
- What experience do they have dealing with companies of your size and industry?
- How much flexibility does the provider offer in accommodating your specific needs?
- How many business customers does a service provider have and how satisfied are they?
- Obtain references on service quality & customer satisfaction from current / past clients
- What industry recognition has the provider had for customer service?
- Who are provider's strategic partners?
- Are your provider's pricing practices flexible or rigidly set?
- How will price change as your needs scale up or down over time?
- Is the bottom line figure fully comprehensive or are there incidents that are priced separately?
- What can you expect in terms of pricing breaks or waived fees should a provider miss a service level commitment?
- Does the provider offer service level agreements (SLAs) backed by financial guarantees?
- Will an individual handle the day-to-day details of your account?
- How quickly can you expect to receive a return phone call from your day-to-day account manager?
- Is it possible to meet with your future account manager and other support staff before the relationship starts?
- What are the provider's current and future investment plans?
- How strong is the provider's financial health? (Ask this, especially if they are less than two years old)
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1. Introduction
2. What are IT Support Services?
3. Types of IT support
4. Types of IT Maintenance Support Solutions
5. Advantages and disadvantages of IT Support Types
6. Advantages and disadvantages of IT Maintenance Types
7. Advantages and disadvantages of outsourcing IT Support and Maintenance
8. When should we outsource IT support services?
9. Selecting an IT Support services provider
10. Questions to put to potential IT Service Providers
11. IT Support Contracts
12. Pricing of IT Support Services
13. Case studies: IT Support and Maintenance
14. Frequently Asked Questions about IT Support Services and IT Support Contracts
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11. IT Support Contracts
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The most overlooked and under valued element of any IT is the support contract. Ignoring this, or opting for a 'cheap fix' is sure way to an impending disaster.
Here are some support tips:
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- Under all circumstances make sure you have a support contract with a reputable provider. Make sure that there is a valid contract in place for the entire term of your agreement with a reputable and capable provider.
- Do not settle for bundled support. Quite often the support 'included' in the price is the lowest level of support, and therefore cheapest. You may still be subject to further charges. Make sure from the outset that you get the support that is best for you and not the best for the provider.
- Make sure your contract includes parts and labour and has defined a Service Level Agreement. You should read the small print or clearly define your support requirements to the person providing the service.
- You should have a contract that states parts, labour and a guaranteed response and fix time for your fault.
- Contracts are only valid if in credit. If you have not paid for a contract or are late in paying, the contract is not valid and your support company will not have to respond. It is best all round to establish a payment plan from the outset and stick to it.
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12. Pricing of IT Support Services
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Although service levels and not pricing should be the key basis for provider differentiation, pricing is still an important element of the value equation. The cost of support can vary, depending upon the type and level selected.
Below are some common charging methods:
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IT Support Contract -Usually this is fixed price support. Prices for support contracts can vary to cater for unique circumstances. |
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Blocks of 'Per Incident' bought in advance - Per Incident Support is not a subscription. You will be charged on a per incident basis. |
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Premium-rate telephone calls - These are used to provide support on a pay-as-you use basis. |
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Flat fee - The company agrees to solve a single problem over the phone no matter how long it takes |
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Limited free support - Some companies offer limited free support when their hardware or software is purchased; | |
Make sure that as you assess the total pricing structure, you also weigh it against your total cost of ownership (TCO). | |
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