“I have a great IT service company, but boy is it difficult to get them when we need them.” Does this sound familiar? We hear it all the time.

We think such customer service is appalling. When it comes to computer systems, every minute a business has a problem it’s costing them profit and possibly customers also. Computer service companies must respond to their clients right away.

These days IT services can handle many issues remotely. They typically can take care of client reported issues within a couple hours, or worst case, within 24 hours. Even better, if the IT service sets-up the client with what’s referred to as Managed Services* then issues are typically caught and remedied by the IT company before they become problems. Of course hardware related issues must be dealt with onsite, so IT services typically get those repairs done within a day or two. If parts must be ordered, as for special or nonstandard parts, then the repair time might be extended to accommodate the lead time for acquiring those parts.

Whatever the case might be, the IT service company should respond right away when contacted. Businesses should expect and demand service within a reasonable timeframe. If there’s a valid reason for a service delay that reason should be explained and coordinated with the client. Typically there are alternatives or workarounds that should be explored and offered to the client.

The bottom line is that if a service company is not responding within reasonable timeframes, similar those described above, they should be fired and another service provider sought. There are plenty of quality IT service companies out there. Check with friends or business acquaintances for referrals.

*With Managed Services a small piece of software is installed on each server and workstation that monitors system health around the clock. If and when an anomaly or fault is detected it is reported immediately to the IT service company. The IT service has remote access to the systems and can remedy the situation usually before the issue is detected by users.