How do we measure whether our IT provider is doing a good job?
Short answer
Ask for numbers, not adjectives. A well-run provider can tell you how quickly they answer the phone, what percentage of issues they solve on the first call, how long tickets stay open, and how current your computers are on security updates, and should review those numbers with you regularly.
"Great service" is what every IT provider says. The numbers tell you whether it's true.
Four numbers worth asking for
- Time to answer: how long a caller waits to reach a person
- First-call resolution: the percentage of issues fixed during the first contact
- Ticket age: how long issues stay open, and how many are older than a week
- Patch compliance: the percentage of computers current on security updates
And one conversation
Numbers show whether support is working. A regular planning meeting shows whether your provider is thinking about your business. If you haven't had one in the last six months, that's a data point too.