Author: Tech Pro Marketing

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The Complicated Process Of Qualifying For Cybersecurity Insurance

Don’t assume you can buy coverage—insurance carriers may not want your money if your cybersecurity standards aren’t up to par. We will help you qualify for the cybersecurity insurance you need.
During the past few years, as many of our client’s cybersecurity insurance came up for renewal, a clear trend has emerged.
Cybersecurity insurance carriers are requiring more sophisticated written cyber policies, tools, training, and disaster recovery systems before processing the renewal, and in many cases are also significantly increasing premiums for individual cybersecurity risk items that are not being addressed.
This has nothing to do with whether there has been a claim or not in the past, and everything to do with what steps the applicant must now take to address cyber security risks. All the carriers now have additional forms filled with cybersecurity questions that must be answered accurately before the carrier will renew the policy.
Furthermore, you can be sure that if a claim against the policy is ever submitted, the carrier will check the answers provided to determine if there is any way for them to deny coverage. This is why you have to ensure your cybersecurity is up to par; failing to do so can raise your premiums and put your coverage in jeopardy in the aftermath of an event.

15 Questions Your Cybersecurity Insurance Carrier Is Going To Ask…

  1. Does your business have a policy against opening unverified email attachments?
  2. Does your business use an Endpoint Detection & Response (EDR) solution?
  3. Does your business test cybersecurity standards with regular vulnerability scans?
  4. How many users have local administrator rights enabled?
  5. Do you have a content filtering solution?
  6. Does your business monitor traffic into and out of the network?
  7. Do you have recent and tested backups of all mission-critical data, applications, and configurations?
  8. Are your offsite backups protected by an air-gap and separate authentication mechanism?
  9. Is your cloud data backed up?
  10. Can staff members access business email on their personal devices?
  11. Do you have an email encryption solution in place?
  12. Is your staff regularly tested and trained on phishing and other social engineering attack vectors?
  13. Do you have a Security Incident and Event Management (SIEM) system in place?
  14. Do you have an update and patch management system in place?
  15. Do you work with a third-party IT company?
If you can’t answer these questions correctly (and prove your cybersecurity capabilities), be prepared to have your coverage denied or accept a significant premium increase. Regardless, it is abundantly clear that the days of the wild wild west in cybersecurity insurance are rapidly coming to an end.

3 Steps To Qualifying For Cybersecurity Insurance

Assess your infrastructure

The best way for you and your team to determine the kind of coverage that is best for your organization is to understand your IT infrastructure. By evaluating your systems from top-to-bottom, you’ll have a clear idea of all the different access points that could be leaving your network vulnerable to threats.

Remediate your vulnerabilities and risks

Don’t forget to look into how investing in your cybersecurity could save you money on premiums. Open up a dialogue about it with your potential Cybersecurity Insurance provider and see what they suggest.

Continually reassess

Next, it’s best practice to conduct a risk assessment and an impact analysis. Carefully review all your organizational assets—including financial data, customer information, and intellectual property.
Categorize assets according to risk and make considerations for the potential impacts that a data security event could have on all aspects of your business.
It’s important to understand that the way you manage your cybersecurity can directly affect the coverage and premiums you qualify for. The more robust your cybersecurity posture is, the better you’ll do with carriers. Your investment can potentially return on lower insurance expenses.

How We Help Our Clients Qualify For Cybersecurity Insurance

Many of our clients attempt to fill out these questionnaires on their own, but more often than not, we have to make corrections before they’re submitted. The fact is that this sort of documentation can be very complicated for those who don’t have extensive experience with IT.
We can manage the questionnaire on your behalf, identifying any areas that require changes in order to help you qualify for a policy or even a lower insurance premium.
We endeavor to make modifications and changes that cost as little as possible. In many cases, it’s simply a matter of developing the right documentation or changing settings in your systems to comply with your carrier’s cybersecurity standards. We also offer templates for cybersecurity management policies and statements of operations so that you don’t have to start from scratch.

Need Help Qualifying For Cybersecurity Insurance?

Meeting the stipulations laid out by cybersecurity insurance providers may not be easy depending on the state of your cybersecurity posture. We can help you improve your approach to cybersecurity.
Our team provides cybersecurity and technology services for businesses like yours—we are available to help you develop a robust cybersecurity defense.
We can ensure you qualify for a policy and minimize the chance that you’ll have to make a claim on your cybersecurity insurance.
Get in touch with our team to get started.
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Why You Can’t Ignore Cybersecurity Insurance Any Longer

Cybersecurity insurance is becoming more complicated, more expensive, and more necessary. Are you putting off getting a policy? You shouldn’t wait any longer. 
The cybercrime landscape is getting more unpredictable and complex every day. Cybercriminals are finding more effective ways to infiltrate business networks and steal critical business data—but you already know all this.
Cybercrime is a serious and expensive threat. The average cost of a data breach in the United States is currently $5M—can you afford that?
That’s why so many businesses are considering investing in cybersecurity insurance, which is designed to help businesses cover the recovery costs associated with any kind of cybersecurity incident.

What You Should Know About Cybersecurity Insurance

First of all, it’s not a trend that’s going to go away. Over the past few years it has rapidly grown as an industry:
  • The global market for cybersecurity insurance was USD $7.60 billion in 2021 and is expected to grow to USD 20.43 billion by 2027
Cybersecurity insurance is a relatively new type of protection designed specifically to help cover the potentially massive expenses associated with an unavoidable data breach. It can be a worthwhile investment, so long as you know how it works.
The somewhat inevitable nature of modern cybercrime has led businesses to consider cybersecurity insurance as a final layer of reassuring protection. In fact, it’s becoming more and more necessary, as many insurance providers have begun drawing a clear line between normally covered losses, and those incurred by cybercrime-related events.
That means that if your cybersecurity doesn’t meet the standards of your insurance provider, you may not be as well covered as you think.

Types of Cybersecurity Insurance

Breach and event response coverage

A very general and high-level form of coverage, this covers a range of costs likely to be incurred in the fallout of a cybercrime event, such as forensic and investigative services; breach notification services (which could include legal fees, call center, mailing of materials, etc.); identity and fraud monitoring expenses; public relations and event management.

Regulatory coverage

Given that a range of organizations has a hand in regulating aspects of cyber risk in specific industries, there are usually costs that come with defending an action by regulators.
This covers the costs associated with insufficient security or “human error” that may have led to a privacy breach. Examples may include an employee losing a laptop or e-mailing a sensitive document to the wrong person.
However, this type of coverage is not just limited to governmental and healthcare-based privacy breaches. It can also be useful for non-governmental regulations that intersect with the payment card industry and are subject to payment and financial regulatory standards.

Liability coverage

This type of coverage protects the policyholder and any insured individuals from the risks of liabilities that are a result of lawsuits or similar claims. If the covered entity is sued for claims that come within the coverage of the insurance policy, then this type of coverage will protect them.
There is a range of types of cybersecurity insurance liability coverage, which include:

Privacy liability

This applies to the costs of defense and liability when there has been a failure to stop unauthorized use/access of confidential information (which may also include the failure of others with whom the entity has entrusted data).
Coverage can also extend to include personally identifiable information and confidential information of a third party.

Security liability

On a higher level, this type of coverage applies to the costs of defense and liability for the failure of system security to prevent or mitigate a computer-based cyber attack, which may include the propagation of a virus or a denial of service.
An important note — failure of system security also includes failure of written policies and procedures (or failure to write them in the first place) that address secure technology use.

Multimedia liability

This type of coverage applies to the defense and liability for a range of illegal activities taking place in an online publication, such as libel, disparagement, misappropriation of name or likeness, plagiarism, copyright infringement, or negligence in content.
This coverage extends to websites, e-mail, blogging, tweeting, and other similar media-based activities.

Cyber extortion

This type of cybercrime event is generally a form of a ransomware attack, in which a cybercriminal keeps encrypted data inaccessible (or, alternatively, threatens to expose sensitive data) unless a ransom is paid.
Coverage of this type addresses the costs of consultants and ransoms, including cryptocurrencies, for threats related to interrupting systems and releasing private information.

Will Cybersecurity Insurance Completely Protect Your Business Against Cybercrime?

A common misconception is that a cybersecurity insurance policy is a catch-all safety net, but that’s simply not the reality. Without a comprehensive cybersecurity strategy in place, a business may not qualify for a policy in the first place.
Furthermore, in the event of a hack, a business may not qualify for full coverage if their cybersecurity standards have lapsed, or if they can be found to be responsible for the incident (whether due to negligence or otherwise).
The core issue is that as cybercrime becomes more common and more damaging, insurers will become more aggressive in finding ways to deny coverage. It’s in the interest of their business to pay out as little as rarely as possible, which means the policies will tend to rely on a series of complicated clauses and requirements that covered parties have to comply with.
A key example of this is when Mondelez International was denied coverage for the $100 million of damage they incurred from the NotPetya attack. Their insurer, Zurich Insurance, cited the obscure “war exclusion” clause, claiming that Mondelez was a victim of a cyberwar.
This is not an isolated incident. As discovered by Mactavish, the cybersecurity insurance market is plagued with issues concerning actual coverage for cybercrime events:
  • Coverage is limited to attacks and fails to address human error
  • Claims are limited to losses that result directly from network interruption, and not the entire period of business disruption
  • Claims related to third-party contractors and outsourced service providers are almost always denied
All this goes to show why business owners need to look carefully at the fine print of their cybersecurity insurance policy and ensure their cybersecurity standards are up to par. No one should assume they’re covered in the event of a cybercrime attack—after all, for every $1 million paid in premiums, insurance companies only pay out $320,000 in claims.

We’ll Assist With Your Cybersecurity Insurance Needs

Need help assessing and improving your business’ cybersecurity before you sign up for an insurance policy?
Our team provides cybersecurity and technology services for organizations like yours—we are available to help you develop a robust cybersecurity defense.
We can ensure you qualify for a policy and minimize the chance that you’ll have to make a claim on your cybersecurity insurance. Get in touch with our team to get started.
Posted on

5 Things You Should Know About Your Current (Or Next) IT Support Company

In today’s tech-dependant world, businesses heavily rely on IT companies to support their operations and drive growth. However, it’s not enough to simply hire an IT company based on their reputation or services alone. To truly maximize the benefits of IT support, it is crucial to know your IT company on a deeper level. 

Here’s a secret: IT professionals agree that you can tell how good a client is going to be by the questions they ask. So, whether you’re looking at new IT companies or still getting to know the one you’re with right now, make sure you get the answers you need to better understand what you’re paying for.

5 Questions You Need The Answers To

Does your IT company understand your strategy?

Understanding your business strategy enables the IT company to align their services with your goals and objectives. By having a clear understanding of your strategic direction, they can tailor their IT solutions to support your specific needs. Whether it’s expanding into new markets, implementing innovative technologies, or streamlining operations, an IT company that fully comprehends your business strategy can provide strategic guidance and implement solutions that drive your success.

An IT company that understands your business strategy can act as a trusted advisor. They can offer valuable insights and recommendations on how technology can be leveraged to achieve your strategic objectives. 

By staying informed about your business goals, they can proactively identify opportunities for improvement, suggest innovative solutions, and help you stay ahead of the competition. This partnership fosters a collaborative environment where the IT company becomes an integral part of your business strategy, working together towards shared success.

When an IT company understands your business strategy, they can effectively support your initiatives, scale their services, and onboard new users during mergers or acquisitions. They can align their solutions with your goals, provide strategic guidance, and act as a trusted advisor. This level of understanding and collaboration ensures that technology becomes an enabler for your business strategy, driving growth and success.

What’s your IT company’s 5-year plan?

This is a simple concept, but it’s almost always overlooked by IT clients. Have you ever asked your IT company what their macro business plan is?

You may be surprised by what you find out. Some companies are simply seeking more and more clients in order to grow their value and seek a buyout. Others are looking to rapidly expand and diversify. Often, the IT company’s business plan, if realized, can affect the quality of service the clients receive. 

Make sure to keep this in mind, and keep an eye on your IT company as they grow and develop. It may give you insight into changes in service quality, or potential new offering they may be able to make available to you. 

How do they handle renewal/termination of service?

Always have an exit strategy—there’s a chance that you’ll find managed services in general, or that IT company, in particular, isn’t right for you. Or, the opposite could happen: you’ll be perfectly satisfied with the services and will want to renew them. 

That’s why it’s smart to know how the renewal/termination process will work ahead of time:

  • Should the managed services contract terminate, does it require a monthly or annual renewal?
  • Will you incur any penalties for ending your service before the expiration date? 
  • What is considered acceptable, in the contract, for the IT company to cancel the agreement on their end?

What is their track record?

 Whether this is a new IT company you’re considering or your current partner, it’s important to look at their capabilities in the most exact terms available. 

  • Do they have KPIs, benchmarks, score cards, or other qualitative trackers available for review?
  • What is their CSAT, and how has it changed over time?
  • What stats can they provide on your service ticket resolutions over the past quarter?

What do their other clients say?

No matter how great a company may seem, remember that you can’t take their word for it; or, not entirely. It’s important to seek testimonials and case studies about a potential partner before you sign on the dotted line. 

Furthermore, where available, it’s a good idea to talk to other clients of your current IT company. Whether it’s a peer group, a monthly happy hour get-together, or an annual appreciation client social, this is a great opportunity to find out how other clients are benefitting from the company’s IT services and whether you could change your approach to service usage. 

It’s Never Too Late To Know More

The bottom line is that you should always be striving to make better use of the investment you’ve made in IT services. A lazy IT company loves a disengaged client that pays them hundreds or thousands a month just for the occasional password reset or workstation installation. The more you pay attention, the better ROI you’ll get. 

Posted on

3 Ways To Be A Better IT Client

IT blogs are usually about determining the pedigree of a given IT company. What do they offer? How do they perform? What makes them different?

It’s easy to overlook your role in the process. Here’s the hard truth: you may not be getting the best ROI for your monthly fees in IT support, and part of the problem might be you.

If you want to be a better IT client and maximize the return you get on your investment in IT services, make sure to keep the following three best practices in mind.

3 Best Practices For Ideal IT Clients

Are you doing your homework?

Ideally your IT company will take care of 99% of the work involved with maintaining and optimizing your IT environment. However, from time to time, you may have to perform a task here and there.

This is especially important at the very beginning when you are being onboarded. You generally have to fill out a lot of documentation to capture critical information such as passwords, domains, licenses, etc. 

Did you keep up with that homework? Even if your onboarding period is long past, are there still questions you haven’t answered?

It’s important to keep in mind that this may allow your IT company to justify a lower quality of service, or otherwise impede them in critical situations. Without all that information, they won’t be able to do their jobs as effectively as they’d like to. That’s why you need to be sure you’ve done everything you’re supposed to, and can let your IT company work the way they need to. 

Are you using all of their available services?

By fully engaging with the services they are paying for, you can unlock the full potential of your IT investments. IT companies offer a wide range of solutions beyond the help desk, such as IT consulting, managed services, cloud solutions, cybersecurity, and more. Each of these services is designed to address specific business needs and challenges, providing tailored solutions that can drive growth and efficiency.

Engaging with a broader range of IT services allows you to access customized solutions that align with their unique business goals. While the helpdesk provides immediate support for technical issues, other services can offer strategic guidance, proactive monitoring, and long-term planning. By leveraging these additional solutions, you can optimize your IT infrastructure, enhance security measures, and align technology with their overall business strategy.

Furthermore, technology is constantly evolving, and businesses need to stay ahead of the curve to remain competitive. By fully engaging with IT services, you can tap into the expertise and knowledge of IT professionals who are up-to-date with the latest industry trends and advancements. This enables businesses to leverage emerging technologies, implement innovative solutions, and gain a competitive edge in their respective markets.

Who is your point of contact?

It sounds simple, but we’ve had a lot of clients that can’t answer this question. Sure, you may have the direct number for the CEO of your IT company, but is that the most efficient way to get the help you need?

Probably not. More likely, your IT company has assigned a staff member as your point of contact. If you’re circumventing this person, whether out of convenience or otherwise, you’re likely adding minutes or even hours to the support process. 

The point is that if you engage with your IT company in the way that’s dictated by their core processes, everything will function more smoothly. 

Don’t Be A Bad IT Client

Fully engaging with the services provided by IT companies is essential for you to maximize the value of your IT investments. By going beyond the help desk and exploring the full range of solutions available, you can unlock tailored solutions, stay ahead of the curve, maximize efficiency, and proactively address potential challenges. 

Embracing a holistic approach to IT services enables businesses to leverage technology as a strategic asset, driving growth, and achieving long-term success in today’s digital landscape.

 

Posted on

5 Things You Should Know About Your Current IT Support Company

In today’s tech-dependent world, businesses heavily rely on us to support their operations and drive growth. However, it’s not enough to simply hire us based on our reputation or services alone. To truly maximize the benefits of IT support, it is crucial to know The Miller Group on a deeper level.
Here’s a secret: IT professionals agree that you can tell how good a client is going to be by the questions they ask. So, whether you’re working with us or still getting to know us to make sure you get the answers you need to better understand what you’re paying for.

5 Questions You Need The Answers To

Does The Miller Group understand your strategy?

Understanding your business strategy enables us to align our services with your goals and objectives. By having a clear understanding of your strategic direction, we can tailor your IT solutions to support your specific needs. Whether it’s expanding into new markets, implementing innovative technologies, or streamlining operations, we fully comprehend your business strategy and can provide strategic guidance and implement solutions that drive your success.
We understand your business strategy and we can act as a trusted advisor. We can offer valuable insights and recommendations on how technology can be leveraged to achieve your strategic objectives.
By staying informed about your business goals, we can proactively identify opportunities for improvement, suggest innovative solutions, and help you stay ahead of the competition. This partnership fosters a collaborative environment where The Miller Group becomes an integral part of your business strategy, working together toward shared success.
When we understand your business strategy, we can effectively support your initiatives, scale your services, and onboard new users during mergers or acquisitions. We can align our solutions with your goals, provide strategic guidance, and act as a trusted advisor. This level of understanding and collaboration ensures that technology becomes an enabler for your business strategy, driving growth and success.

What’s Our 5-year plan?

This is a simple concept, but it’s almost always overlooked by IT clients. Have you ever asked us what our macro business plan is?
You may be surprised by what you find out. Some companies are simply seeking more and more clients in order to grow their value and seek a buyout. Others are looking to rapidly expand and diversify. Often, our business plan, if realized, can affect the quality of service the clients receive.
Make sure to keep this in mind, and keep an eye on us as we grow and develop. It may give you insight into changes in service quality, or potential new offerings we may be able to make available to you.

How do we handle renewal/termination of service?

Always have an exit strategy—there’s a chance that you’ll find managed services in general, or we, in particular, aren’t right for you. Or, the opposite could happen: you’ll be perfectly satisfied with the services and will want to renew them.
That’s why it’s smart to know how the renewal/termination process will work ahead of time:
  • Should the managed services contract terminate, or does it require a monthly or annual renewal?
  • Will you incur any penalties for ending your service before the expiration date?
  • What is considered acceptable, in the contract, for us to cancel the agreement on our end?

What is their track record?

Whether this is The Miller Group you’re considering or your current partner, it’s important to look at the capabilities in the most exact terms available.
  • Do they have KPIs, benchmarks, scorecards, or other qualitative trackers available for review?
  • What is their CSAT, and how has it changed over time?
  • What stats can they provide on your service ticket resolutions over the past quarter?

What do our other clients say?

No matter how great a company may seem, remember that you can’t take their word for it; or, not entirely. It’s important to seek testimonials and case studies about a potential partner before you sign on the dotted line.
Furthermore, where available, it’s a good idea to talk to our other clients. Whether it’s a peer group, a monthly happy hour get-together, or an annual appreciation client social, this is a great opportunity to find out how other clients are benefitting from our services and whether you could change your approach to service usage.

It’s Never Too Late To Know More

The bottom line is that you should always be striving to make better use of the investment you’ve made in IT services. The Miller Group doesn’t disengage clients to pay hundreds or thousands a month just for the occasional password reset or workstation installation. When you pay attention, the better ROI you’ll get.
Posted on

3 Ways To Be A Better IT Client

IT blogs are usually about determining the pedigree of us. What do we offer? How do we perform? What makes us different?
It’s easy to overlook your role in the process. Here’s the hard truth: you may not be getting the best ROI for your monthly fees in IT support, and part of the problem might be you.
If you want to be a better IT client and maximize the return you get on your investment in IT services, make sure to keep the following three best practices in mind.

3 Best Practices For Ideal IT Clients

Are you doing your homework?

Ideally, we will take care of 99% of the work involved with maintaining and optimizing your IT environment. However, from time to time, you may have to perform a task here and there.
This is especially important at the very beginning when we are being onboarded. We generally have to fill out a lot of documentation to capture critical information such as passwords, domains, licenses, etc.
Did you keep up with that homework? Even if your onboarding period is long past, are there still questions you haven’t answered?
It’s important to keep in mind that this may allow us to justify a lower quality of service, or otherwise impede in critical situations. Without all that information, we won’t be able to do our jobs as effectively as we’d like to. That’s why you need to be sure you’ve done everything you’re supposed to, and can let us work the way we need to.

Are you using all of your available services?

By fully engaging with the services you are paying for, you can unlock the full potential of your IT investments. The Miller Group offers a wide range of solutions beyond the help desk, such as IT consulting, managed services, cloud solutions, cybersecurity, and more. Each of these services is designed to address specific business needs and challenges, providing tailored solutions that can drive growth and efficiency.
Engaging with a broader range of IT services allows you to access customized solutions that align with their unique business goals. While the helpdesk provides immediate support for technical issues, other services can offer strategic guidance, proactive monitoring, and long-term planning. By leveraging these additional solutions, you can optimize your IT infrastructure, enhance security measures, and align technology with your overall business strategy.
Furthermore, technology is constantly evolving, and businesses need to stay ahead of the curve to remain competitive. By fully engaging with IT services, you can tap into the expertise and knowledge of IT professionals who are up-to-date with the latest industry trends and advancements. This enables businesses to leverage emerging technologies, implement innovative solutions, and gain a competitive edge in their respective markets.

Who is your point of contact?

It sounds simple, but we’ve had a lot of clients that can’t answer this question. Sure, you may have the direct number for the CEO of The Miller Group, but is that the most efficient way to get the help you need?
Probably not. More likely, we have assigned a staff member as your point of contact. If you’re circumventing this person, whether out of convenience or otherwise, you’re likely adding minutes or even hours to the support process.
The point is that if you engage with us in a way that’s dictated by our core processes, everything will function more smoothly.

Don’t Be A Bad IT Client

Fully engaging with the services provided by The Miller Group is essential for you to maximize the value of your IT investments. By going beyond the help desk and exploring the full range of solutions available, you can unlock tailored solutions, stay ahead of the curve, maximize efficiency, and proactively address potential challenges.
Embracing a holistic approach to IT services enables businesses to leverage technology as a strategic asset, driving growth, and achieving long-term success in today’s digital landscape.
Posted on

5 Things You Should Know About Your Current (Or Next) IT Support Company

In today’s tech-dependant world, businesses heavily rely on IT companies to support their operations and drive growth. However, it’s not enough to simply hire an IT company based on their reputation or services alone. To truly maximize the benefits of IT support, it is crucial to know your IT company on a deeper level.
Here’s a secret: IT professionals agree that you can tell how good a client is going to be by the questions they ask. So, whether you’re looking at new IT companies or still getting to know the one you’re with right now, make sure you get the answers you need to better understand what you’re paying for.

5 Questions You Need The Answers To

Does your IT company understand your strategy?

Understanding your business strategy enables the IT company to align their services with your goals and objectives. By having a clear understanding of your strategic direction, they can tailor their IT solutions to support your specific needs. Whether it’s expanding into new markets, implementing innovative technologies, or streamlining operations, an IT company that fully comprehends your business strategy can provide strategic guidance and implement solutions that drive your success.
An IT company that understands your business strategy can act as a trusted advisor. They can offer valuable insights and recommendations on how technology can be leveraged to achieve your strategic objectives.
By staying informed about your business goals, they can proactively identify opportunities for improvement, suggest innovative solutions, and help you stay ahead of the competition. This partnership fosters a collaborative environment where the IT company becomes an integral part of your business strategy, working together towards shared success.
When an IT company understands your business strategy, they can effectively support your initiatives, scale their services, and onboard new users during mergers or acquisitions. They can align their solutions with your goals, provide strategic guidance, and act as a trusted advisor. This level of understanding and collaboration ensures that technology becomes an enabler for your business strategy, driving growth and success.

What’s your IT company’s 5-year plan?

This is a simple concept, but it’s almost always overlooked by IT clients. Have you ever asked your IT company what their macro business plan is?
You may be surprised by what you find out. Some companies are simply seeking more and more clients in order to grow their value and seek a buyout. Others are looking to rapidly expand and diversify. Often, the IT company’s business plan, if realized, can affect the quality of service the clients receive.
Make sure to keep this in mind, and keep an eye on your IT company as they grow and develop. It may give you insight into changes in service quality, or potential new offering they may be able to make available to you.

How do they handle renewal/termination of service?

Always have an exit strategy—there’s a chance that you’ll find managed services in general, or that IT company, in particular, isn’t right for you. Or, the opposite could happen: you’ll be perfectly satisfied with the services and will want to renew them.
That’s why it’s smart to know how the renewal/termination process will work ahead of time:
  • Should the managed services contract terminate, does it require a monthly or annual renewal?
  • Will you incur any penalties for ending your service before the expiration date?
  • What is considered acceptable, in the contract, for the IT company to cancel the agreement on their end?

What is their track record?

 Whether this is a new IT company you’re considering or your current partner, it’s important to look at their capabilities in the most exact terms available.
  • Do they have KPIs, benchmarks, score cards, or other qualitative trackers available for review?
  • What is their CSAT, and how has it changed over time?
  • What stats can they provide on your service ticket resolutions over the past quarter?

What do their other clients say?

No matter how great a company may seem, remember that you can’t take their word for it; or, not entirely. It’s important to seek testimonials and case studies about a potential partner before you sign on the dotted line.
Furthermore, where available, it’s a good idea to talk to other clients of your current IT company. Whether it’s a peer group, a monthly happy hour get-together, or an annual appreciation client social, this is a great opportunity to find out how other clients are benefitting from the company’s IT services and whether you could change your approach to service usage.

It’s Never Too Late To Know More

The bottom line is that you should always be striving to make better use of the investment you’ve made in IT services. A lazy IT company loves a disengaged client that pays them hundreds or thousands a month just for the occasional password reset or workstation installation. The more you pay attention, the better ROI you’ll get.
Posted on

4 Ways To Be A Better IT Client

IT blogs are usually about determining the pedigree of a given IT company. What do they offer? How do they perform? What makes them different?
It’s easy to overlook your role in the process. Here’s the hard truth: you may not be getting the best ROI for your monthly fees in IT support, and part of the problem might be you.
If you want to be a better IT client and maximize the return you get on your investment in IT services, make sure to keep the following four best practices in mind.

4 Best Practices For Ideal IT Clients

Are you doing your homework?

Ideally your IT company will take care of 99% of the work involved with maintaining and optimizing your IT environment. However, from time to time, you may have to perform a task here and there.
This is especially important at the very beginning when you are being onboarded. You generally have to fill out a lot of documentation to capture critical information such as passwords, domains, licenses, etc.
Did you keep up with that homework? Even if your onboarding period is long past, are there still questions you haven’t answered?
It’s important to keep in mind that this may allow your IT company to justify a lower quality of service, or otherwise impede them in critical situations. Without all that information, they won’t be able to do their jobs as effectively as they’d like to. That’s why you need to be sure you’ve done everything you’re supposed to, and can let your IT company work the way they need to.

Are you using all of their available services?

By fully engaging with the services they are paying for, you can unlock the full potential of your IT investments. IT companies offer a wide range of solutions beyond the help desk, such as IT consulting, managed services, cloud solutions, cybersecurity, and more. Each of these services is designed to address specific business needs and challenges, providing tailored solutions that can drive growth and efficiency.
Engaging with a broader range of IT services allows you to access customized solutions that align with their unique business goals. While the helpdesk provides immediate support for technical issues, other services can offer strategic guidance, proactive monitoring, and long-term planning. By leveraging these additional solutions, you can optimize your IT infrastructure, enhance security measures, and align technology with their overall business strategy.
Furthermore, technology is constantly evolving, and businesses need to stay ahead of the curve to remain competitive. By fully engaging with IT services, you can tap into the expertise and knowledge of IT professionals who are up-to-date with the latest industry trends and advancements. This enables businesses to leverage emerging technologies, implement innovative solutions, and gain a competitive edge in their respective markets.

Who is your point of contact?

It sounds simple, but we’ve had a lot of clients that can’t answer this question. Sure, you may have the direct number for the CEO of your IT company, but is that the most efficient way to get the help you need?
Probably not. More likely, your IT company has assigned a staff member as your point of contact. If you’re circumventing this person, whether out of convenience or otherwise, you’re likely adding minutes or even hours to the support process.
The point is that if you engage with your IT company in the way that’s dictated by their core processes, everything will function more smoothly.

Do you follow their processes and procedures?

A key aspect of fully utilizing your IT company’s service suite is ensuring you know how to use their service suite. Case in point: do you know how to submit a ticket to the helpdesk?
While there is almost certainly a standard operating procedure for support requests in place, it could be that you and/or your staff members are sending emails directly to IT personnel and asking them to address issues and questions for them on an informal basis. Will this get the problem solved? Sure, it probably will, but that’s not the point.
The issue is that your usage of IT services won’t be properly tracked by the support system, which can lead to inconsistent follow up, inexact resolutions, and virtually zero reporting after the fact. That’s why you should ensure you know how to make use of the systems your IT company makes available to you. 

Don’t Be A Bad IT Client

Fully engaging with the services provided by IT companies is essential for you to maximize the value of your IT investments. By going beyond the help desk and exploring the full range of solutions available, you can unlock tailored solutions, stay ahead of the curve, maximize efficiency, and proactively address potential challenges.
Embracing a holistic approach to IT services enables businesses to leverage technology as a strategic asset, driving growth, and achieving long-term success in today’s digital landscape.
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5 Things You Should Know About Your Current (Or Next) IT Support Company

Here’s a secret: IT professionals agree that you can tell how good a client is going to be by the questions they ask. So, whether you’re looking at new IT companies or still getting to know the one you’re with right now, make sure you get the answers you need to better understand what you’re paying for.

5 Questions You Need The Answers To

Does your IT company understand your strategy?

Understanding your business strategy enables the IT company to align their services with your goals and objectives. By having a clear understanding of your strategic direction, they can tailor their IT solutions to support your specific needs. Whether it’s expanding into new markets, implementing innovative technologies, or streamlining operations, an IT company that fully comprehends your business strategy can provide strategic guidance and implement solutions that drive your success.

Do you have a way built-in to regularly communicate with them? Could you? By staying informed about your business goals, they can proactively identify opportunities for improvement, suggest innovative solutions, and help you stay ahead of the competition. This partnership fosters a collaborative environment where the IT company becomes an integral part of your business strategy, working together towards shared success.

What’s your IT company’s 5-year plan?

This is a simple concept, but it’s almost always overlooked by IT clients. Have you ever asked your IT company what their macro business plan is?

You may be surprised by what you find out. Some companies are simply seeking more and more clients in order to grow their value and seek a buyout. Others are looking to rapidly expand and diversify. Often, the IT company’s business plan, if realized, can affect the quality of service the clients receive. 

Make sure to keep this in mind, and keep an eye on your IT company as they grow and develop. It may give you insight into changes in service quality, or potential new offering they may be able to make available to you. 

How do they handle renewal/termination of service?

Always have an exit strategy—there’s a chance that you’ll find managed services in general, or that IT company, in particular, isn’t right for you. Or, the opposite could happen: you’ll be perfectly satisfied with the services and will want to renew them. 

That’s why it’s smart to know how the renewal/termination process will work ahead of time:

  • Should the managed services contract terminate, does it require a monthly or annual renewal?
  • Will you incur any penalties for ending your service before the expiration date? 
  • What is considered acceptable, in the contract, for the IT company to cancel the agreement on their end?

What is their track record?

 Whether this is a new IT company you’re considering or your current partner, it’s important to look at their capabilities in the most exact terms available. 

  • Do they have KPIs, benchmarks, score cards, or other qualitative trackers available for review?
  • What is their CSAT, and how has it changed over time?
  • What stats can they provide on your service ticket resolutions over the past quarter?

What do their other clients say?

No matter how great a company may seem, remember that you can’t take their word for it; or, not entirely. It’s important to seek testimonials and case studies about a potential partner before you sign on the dotted line. 

Furthermore, where available, it’s a good idea to talk to other clients of your current IT company. Whether it’s a peer group, a monthly happy hour get-together, or an annual appreciation client social, this is a great opportunity to find out how other clients are benefitting from the company’s IT services and whether you could change your approach to service usage. 

It’s Never Too Late To Know More

The bottom line is that you should always be striving to make better use of the investment you’ve made in IT services. The more you pay attention, the better ROI you’ll get.

When an IT company is a good fit and strives to understand your business, they can effectively support your initiatives, scale their services, and onboard new users during mergers or acquisitions. They can align their solutions with your goals, provide strategic guidance, and act as a trusted advisor. This level of understanding and collaboration ensures that technology becomes an enabler for your business strategy, driving growth and success.

 

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5 Things You Should Know About Your Current (Or Next) IT Support Company

In today’s tech-dependant world, businesses heavily rely on IT companies to support their operations and drive growth. However, it’s not enough to simply hire an IT company based on their reputation or services alone. To truly maximize the benefits of IT support, it is crucial to know your IT company on a deeper level. 

Here’s a secret: IT professionals agree that you can tell how good a client is going to be by the questions they ask. So, whether you’re looking at new IT companies or still getting to know the one you’re with right now, make sure you get the answers you need to better understand what you’re paying for.

5 Questions You Need The Answers To

Does your IT company understand your strategy?

Understanding your business strategy enables the IT company to align their services with your goals and objectives. By having a clear understanding of your strategic direction, they can tailor their IT solutions to support your specific needs. Whether it’s expanding into new markets, implementing innovative technologies, or streamlining operations, an IT company that fully comprehends your business strategy can provide strategic guidance and implement solutions that drive your success.

An IT company that understands your business strategy can act as a trusted advisor. They can offer valuable insights and recommendations on how technology can be leveraged to achieve your strategic objectives. 

By staying informed about your business goals, they can proactively identify opportunities for improvement, suggest innovative solutions, and help you stay ahead of the competition. This partnership fosters a collaborative environment where the IT company becomes an integral part of your business strategy, working together towards shared success.

When an IT company understands your business strategy, they can effectively support your initiatives, scale their services, and onboard new users during mergers or acquisitions. They can align their solutions with your goals, provide strategic guidance, and act as a trusted advisor. This level of understanding and collaboration ensures that technology becomes an enabler for your business strategy, driving growth and success.

What’s your IT company’s 5-year plan?

This is a simple concept, but it’s almost always overlooked by IT clients. Have you ever asked your IT company what their macro business plan is?

You may be surprised by what you find out. Some companies are simply seeking more and more clients in order to grow their value and seek a buyout. Others are looking to rapidly expand and diversify. Often, the IT company’s business plan, if realized, can affect the quality of service the clients receive. 

Make sure to keep this in mind, and keep an eye on your IT company as they grow and develop. It may give you insight into changes in service quality, or potential new offering they may be able to make available to you. 

How do they handle renewal/termination of service?

Always have an exit strategy—there’s a chance that you’ll find managed services in general, or that IT company, in particular, isn’t right for you. Or, the opposite could happen: you’ll be perfectly satisfied with the services and will want to renew them. 

That’s why it’s smart to know how the renewal/termination process will work ahead of time:

  • Should the managed services contract terminate, does it require a monthly or annual renewal?
  • Will you incur any penalties for ending your service before the expiration date? 
  • What is considered acceptable, in the contract, for the IT company to cancel the agreement on their end?

What is their track record?

 Whether this is a new IT company you’re considering or your current partner, it’s important to look at their capabilities in the most exact terms available. 

  • Do they have KPIs, benchmarks, score cards, or other qualitative trackers available for review?
  • What is their CSAT, and how has it changed over time?
  • What stats can they provide on your service ticket resolutions over the past quarter?

What do their other clients say?

No matter how great a company may seem, remember that you can’t take their word for it; or, not entirely. It’s important to seek testimonials and case studies about a potential partner before you sign on the dotted line. 

Furthermore, where available, it’s a good idea to talk to other clients of your current IT company. Whether it’s a peer group, a monthly happy hour get-together, or an annual appreciation client social, this is a great opportunity to find out how other clients are benefitting from the company’s IT services and whether you could change your approach to service usage. 

It’s Never Too Late To Know More

The bottom line is that you should always be striving to make better use of the investment you’ve made in IT services. A lazy IT company loves a disengaged client that pays them hundreds or thousands a month just for the occasional password reset or workstation installation. The more you pay attention, the better ROI you’ll get.