IT SUPPORT LONDON
IT SUPPORT LONDON
So we’ve created some short videos to give you a clear understanding of the different types of IT Support providers available. Find out what they charge, what level of service delivery you can expect and where Sereno fit within this complex landscape.
IT SUPPORT LONDON
In this video we summarise the main types of IT Support providers and what level of service delivery you can expect from each.
Type 1 IT Support providers mainly focus on reactive support, and use use junior engineers resulting in a trial and error approach. Expect unreliable service and little to no Account Management.
Type 2 IT Support providers deliver a proactive focus at a system and tool level. They are often let down by poor service processes, resulting in confusion and delays. Account Managers are sales peope not technical advisors.
Type 3 IT Support providers are true strategic technology partners, with a proactive approach across all aspects of service delivery. Account Management works hand-in-hand with Service delivery to ensure an excellent client experience.
Choosing and assessing an IT provider isn’t an easy task.
This video will help you spot the different types of providers and pick one that’s right for you.
In our experience most providers can be slotted into three types, each with different results on service quality and scope of support:
The first type of providers are mainly focused on ‘reactive’ support – you bring an issue to them and they try to resolve it.
Type 2 providers offer a more developed pro-active focus, they’re acting on alerts, reviewing device reports and can deliver reliable updates on devices.
However, the account managers are Sales People with sales targets, so these ‘improvements’ are generally opportunities for them to sell to you, rather than looking at your entire environment, including service delivery, for improvements that don’t cost money.
Type 3 providers whole approach will be pro-active, across all areas of their business.
IT SUPPORT LONDON
£15-25 – IT Support providers who charge such a low price are only able to do this by employing inexperienced staff and not investing in a proactive approach
£25-35 – Expect some system based proactive work, but be prepared for ineffective Service Management leading to inconsistent service and limited scope of responsibility.
£35-45 – Investment will have been made in technical staff, leadership, and training. Service processes will be streamlined and automated to keep overheads low. A proactive approach prevents issues before they become a problem, benefitting both parties.
£45 + – This price point is usually reserved for enterprise or large companies requiring complex support. They may not be investing in the best technology and could be looking to maximise profits over service value.
Top tips – We have some great tips for you. Watch the video to find out what they are !
Within the price bracket of £15-25, you will be working with type 1 providers.
They can offer a service at this price because they have lower cost, less experienced staff, and don’t expect to invest time and resources into proactively reducing your issues or giving you the correct advice your business needs.
They provide a low-cost option, but you compromise on service and getting the right advice. Expect slow and inconsistent responses, technical knowledge limitations, and the need to manage a fair amount of your IT internally.
This could be a good option if you have an in-house IT guru who needs some low-level support occasionally that isn’t time sensitive.
For £25-£35, you can expect a type 2 type provider.
Here you will see an improvement in technical knowledge and proactive maintenance of your machines.
Although front-line technical staff have increased in competency, the company will not be investing in effective Service Management, or other areas of the service delivery process, that improve the consistency of those technical staff.
They also are not looking to invest in technology that can improve your experience, making your life easier. Miscommunication, poor communication, and delayed responses are likely.
This, along with the fact they’re focus doesn’t include all aspects of your technology environment, will mean internal staff are still needed to perform and manage some IT-related tasks.
For £35-£45 you should expect a tier 3 provider.
Due to their maturity as a business, they have invested in good technical staff and strong leadership and training, which has created efficient processes.
This, coupled with the right investment in technology to help automate and streamline the business, has meant they can provide best-in-class service while keeping operational costs low and passing this on to partners.
They also realise that investing time proactively into partners through assessment and consultancy is costly but pays off long term by reducing issues and risks and benefits everyone.
Of course, not all at this price level will be Tier 3, but hopefully the above video has given you some ideas on how to assess this for yourself.
At £45+ You should expect a tier 3 provider.
However, unless you are an enterprise size business of 150 staff of more you shouldn’t expect to pay this much.
Its true that price can dictate service quality, however a provider charging this amount means they are not running the business effectively or utilising technology to help streamline their business – which for a technology consultancy should be concerning!
It could also mean that they’re simply looking to maximise profits at the cost of all else, which could mean future acquisitions and the associated service disruptions are on the way, or a board of shareholders to keep happy.
Couple of final things to consider around pricing and contracts:
PAYG or Block hour contracts are a no-go. They’re financially incentivised not to fix your issues quickly, prevent problems from arising or give you good advice – more time spent means more money for them.
Watch out for contracts that can only increase monthly but not reduce as your employee or device count fluctuates.
Also, check for contracts that lock each new employee increase into a new annual term.
Consider that low costs providers are not looking to invest back into the business to improve your experience, so think long-term if you are looking for a partner.
Now do bear in mind that prices can vary, don’t always assume a cheaper provider means lower service levels – in the case of Sereno, our service is excellent.
At the same time, our pricing is reasonable because we can reduce overheads through the intelligent use of technology in our service delivery.
IT SUPPORT LONDON
So, you’re probably thinking, where does Sereno fit within all of this?
We work on a per-user per month basis for our service and track this accurately on our side, so you don’t have to.
The only variation in price is whether you have invested in basic Cyber Security measures and if so, we reduce the cost per user.
If you need onsite support, we offer this on an hourly basis. We don’t include it within our standard service offering simply because most partners wont ever need it, so why pay for the privilege.
At Sereno, we only have one comprehensive Support service offering.
We believe that to lead a proper partnership approach, we need to look after all areas of your IT just like an in-house IT department.
Our service desk provides reliable support when you need it, with access to quick escalation and constant communication throughout.
We put a large amount of our focus into our proactive approach. We genuinely believe that through a mixture of technology and consultancy, we can identify and resolve issues before they impact your business and guide you on improvements for employee experience and business growth.
We want to prove our service quality to you first; as a result, we offer a 30-day rolling term for the first 12 months of our partnership. We also provide a Partnership Experience Agreement, meaning if you are unhappy with our service and can’t improve this for you, we won’t hold you to any contract. We see both as living our values and working as a true technology partner.
Our comprehensive Support Service is between £35-45 per user per month.
This is dependent on the cyber security controls and services you have in place. If you protect your business and invest in security, we will invest in you and reduce our per user price.
We have a minimum monthly commitment price equivalent of five employees. This is simply because the tools, people and process we invest in come with a substantial cost, but we do still want to work with small ambitious growing companies.
We will help you make the most of security controls and services that are available within your existing subscriptions like Microsoft and Google.
We also provide simple and cost-effective Cyber Security Packages that fit the needs for all businesses – from ‘Basic’ through to ‘Premium’ packages.
Once you become a client our Advisors will consult with you on the most appropriate package to keep you secure. These Cyber Security Packages range from £5-15 per person per month.
Our installation and project costs are below; however we also offer the below partnership offers to help you reduce the need for one off costs and reduce installation costs:
Licensing Subscriptions – You are likely to have subscriptions already in place within the business such Microsoft and Google, we provide these at RRP.
However due to the increasing number of applications within these that need supporting and administering, we charge a small management fee of £1.50 per license per month.
All other services you may get through your current provider can be purchased through us and our pricing reflects our values, its honest and fair.
