Key considerations when selecting an outsourced end user service provider

Weighing up outsourcing end user services?  

The demands on a busy IT support professional are constant.

Often, maintaining the status quo is the easiest way to get through the multitude of items on the to-do list. Yet sometimes, pausing to make proactive improvements, like outsourcing your end user services, can be incredibly worthwhile.

There are a raft of important benefits to outsourced IT support: specialist expertise, cost savings, enhanced customer experience and much more.  However, while the benefits of switching to an outsourced provider are clear, the processes of doing so may seem daunting. Here are some key considerations when it comes to selecting a provider, determining your needs, and defining the terms of your agreement.  

Which pricing model offers the best value? 

Cost efficiency is one of the key reasons for choosing an outsourced end user services provider, so it’s important to ensure that the pricing model on offer is suitable for your business’ needs and budget.  

According to a recent report by Gartner, the best pricing model for mid-size enterprises is typically “per user per month”. This is because this model is inherently transparent and predictable – the business can easily tell when their costs will increase or decrease based on staff numbers – as well as the fact that the provider is continually incentivised to improve their processes for individual users to reduce call volume, therefore increasing user productivity.

Does the provider off-shore their support?  

To lower costs, many support providers move some – or even all – of their services off-shore. This means your valuable data and IT infrastructure is being accessed and managed outside of Australia, where different and more lenient data protection laws and regulations may apply.  

What sort of expertise and experience can they provide? 

No two businesses are the same, nor have the same IT infrastructure or employees. End user services support packages should therefore differ accordingly, and be highly customisable to each business.   

To ensure your business has the most effective support in place, it’s important your support team has specific experience with the technologies you use on a daily basis. Having a team with a solid depth of knowledge – so more complex or unusual matters can be escalated internally – is also vital.   

What reporting is on offer? 

A quality outsourced end user services provider should also offer in-depth, easily accessible reporting regarding its performance against the terms of your SLA, as well as regarding the nature of all tickets that are lodged and resolved. This helps identify broader trends that the organisation may need to address.  

For instance, if a particular application is regularly crashing or slow to process, or if a certain group of users are repeatedly receiving security alerts, specific and rapid action may need to be taken. 

How we help

Knowing what questions to ask when considering outsourcing it’s end user services to a provider is a critical first step but selecting the right team is essential.

Your digital workplace should enhance your employee experience, promote better ways of working and be backed by market leading and secure technology.

At Interactive, our end user experts are at the forefront of new and existing technology and we adapt to the changing needs of your business. Our team’s primary focus is to streamline EUS and get your business back to work quickly when issues arise.

Learn more about the benefits of outsourced end user services and speak to one of our experts today.