You have a problem, need a password, the Internet is down, you have site problems, need a new computer [insert any part here] and you “submit a ticket” only to wait hours, days, or even weeks to hear back, much less get the problem resolved. The #1 complaint businesses have that causes them to “break up” with their current IT guy is that he simply wasn’t responsive.
![](https://centrend.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/call.webp)
Just like you wouldn’t stand for this in your personal life, you shouldn’t stand for it in your professional life…especially when you’re paying them!!!
If your current company doesn’t have a response-time guarantee, you’re probably on a bad date.
Most IT firms offer a 60-minute or 30-minute response time to your call during normal business hours. Be very wary of someone who doesn’t have a guaranteed response time IN WRITING – that’s a sign they are too disorganized, understaffed, or overwhelmed to handle your request.
A good IT firm should be able to show you statistics from their PSA (professional services automation) software, where all client problems (tickets) get responded to and tracked. Ask to see a report on average ticket response and resolution times.
Also, any good IT company will answer their phones LIVE (not voice mail or phone trees) and respond from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. every weekday. But many CEOs and executives work outside normal “9 to 5” hours and need IT support both nights and weekends, so ask about their guarantees for after-hours issues as well.