IT support options are available with most IT purchases your team will make. Below is a basic rundown of support types to help decide what levels you may want to consider.
First, should I purchase a support plan at all?
Purchasing a support option with your hardware investment guarantees that you will have the technical assistance that you need when issues arise. This allows the hardware vendor to be your partner in finding the quickest path to resolution for all your support engagements. Support is most often offered on a tiered model based on the hours of availability and level of expertise required. At higher levels, dedicated support may be available. This decision will vary across customer businesses based on staffing, size, IT environments, industry, etc.
What types of support options are available?
Your Sanity Solutions Account Executive can provide you with information regarding vendor specific options for the following support offerings:
Technical Account Managers
Many vendors offer dedicated support account management. This means that you will have an assigned technical representative within the company who will advocate on your behalf for support issues. It is their job to know your business and how technology works within your organization. They will meet with you periodically to discuss your support experience and are available at all times to assist with customer needs.
Priority Support
Vendors understand that there are times when customers need to bypass entry level support and need automatic access to high-level technical experts to speed up the issue resolution path. Typically, there is at least one, often times multiple, levels of support which will allow customers to “fast track” their support experience by automatically routing them to engineers and architects.
Reporting Services
Support case reporting options are available with certain levels of support. This will provide you with insights into your infrastructure and enables the vendor to keep you informed of product updates and patches. It can also be a tool used to help maintain information about your hardware inventory.
Proactive System Maintenance/Health Checks
Along with technical support, it is important to periodically check systems to prevent issues from happening. With selected support levels, periodic health checks and maintenance options are available. Proactive system reporting can greatly reduce unplanned downtime and time spent dealing with support issues.
Active Monitoring
In addition to periodic health checks, some vendors offer monitoring with your support option. This allows the hardware vendor to partner with you to actively respond to system warnings and alerts. This option helps to expedite issue-related hardware shipments and can speed up the issue resolution process. It also provides peace of mind knowing that another set of eyes is looking at your hardware performance.
Sanity Solutions is your partner in facilitating your hardware support relationships. When you purchase support through us, we have visibility regarding the service level and terms and through our partner relationships, we can enhance the support process and advocate on your behalf when needed. To learn more, you can reach us at info@sanitysolutions.com.
