Deciding to use an outside company to support your IT might be quite a change from what you’ve been used to. This is how Excellimore will outsource your IT Services.
IT Support Helpdesk
The first point of contact for you and your colleagues will often be our Helpdesk support team. You’ll have an email address and a phone number to use to get in touch when an issue arises. Your email will automatically open a new “ticket” on our systems and you’ll be emailed a copy. If you phone us our technician will create a new ticket when you call and again you’ll receive a copy.
We will work on the issue you’ve raised with us and you’ll receive copies of any updates to the ticket as work progresses. Finally, we’ll check that you’re happy that your problem has been solved and the ticket will be closed.
Technology Alignment Review
Less obvious but important for improving your IT systems are your strategic meetings with us. We carry out Service Visits – remotely in these Covid times! – and from these we produce your Technology Alignment Review. This shows where your systems might fall short of Excellimore Best Practice.
The Alignment Review is also where we’ll make recommendations around security and business resilience. These typically come up because we believe your business has become exposed to an unacceptable risk from new threats, or perhaps because your existing cyber security is aged and no longer able to do the job properly.
We’ll discuss this with you and prioritise any actions needed. If there are any cyber security and business resilience matters to be attended to, these usually deserve the highest priorities.
Technology Action Plan
We’ll also work with you to produce a Technology Action Plan which we’ll jointly update at each IT Review Meeting. This will give you an indication of work needing done and a budget for your IT costs looking two to three years ahead.
The Technology Action Plan is where we help you plan for adding staff or indeed downsizing in the current economic situation. It’s how we help you to look ahead and plan for any upgrades or changes needed so that you can budget for them in good time. We prefer to avoid surprises.
Your IT Review Meeting is also the place to share your own plans for the business. This helps us guide you to make the best possible use of your resources.
IT Projects
The third and final way you’ll work with us is when an IT project is needed. Projects might consist of upgrading hardware, software, or cyber security; installing systems to allow you to work remotely or roll out new software; or moving some of your business systems to the cloud.
Once it’s on the Action Plan we’ll probably have a few months to discuss your project. When it’s time to proceed we’ll give you a fixed price quotation for your project, liaise with any vendors involved (for example software or cloud services), and work with you to get the job done with the very minimum of disruption. Again, we plan ahead to avoid surprises.
For all of these you will work with our Client Services Manager. Things also work very well if you can appoint an IT Champion to work with us.
IT Champions
For a smaller business your IT Champion might be your Finance Director; sometimes we’ll work with your Office Manager or perhaps your Managing Director’s PA.
For a larger business it can work well if you appoint two IT Champions. Your Operational IT Champion will work with us on day-to-day matters like support issues and installing new equipment.
You might then also have an Executive IT Champion, and we’ll report to him or her with your Technology Alignment Reviews and Technology Action Plans.
Your Executive IT Champion is typically your FD or someone else who’s well-placed to take IT budgets to your Board. They would also be able to let us know about strategic plans for your business. This helps everyone plan well in advance; once again, no surprises.
That’s how it works when you outsource your IT services! If there’s anything I’ve missed or misunderstood, let us know and we’ll be delighted to help.
