In this day and age of complex technology accompanied by cybersecurity threats, companies must have computer tech support for a variety of reasons.

No matter if you are a startup or an established company on the Fortune 500, you are putting your company at risk without it. If you don’t already have tech support, now’s the time to take the bull by the horns and do something about it.

It’s not an easy task finding a desktop support technician or any other type of computer tech support. You need to take the time to research in order to make the right choice in a provider.

No two providers are the same. However, there are some qualities that allow the best computer tech support providers to stand out from the crowd. Here are five of the qualities that you need to look for when narrowing your search:

1. Knowledge

Technology moves quickly. What worked last year may not work next year. Security threats in 2017 may be different than anything the world experienced in 2016 (which is saying a lot given this last election cycle).

With all this in mind, it’s a must that any computer tech support be highly knowledgeable and up to date on what’s going on in their space.

As them specific questions you already know the answer to and see their response. Those who can’t tell you more than you already know don’t qualify to do the work on your behalf.

2. Ability to Handle Complex Tasks

If you can’t handle your own computer tech support, you probably fit into one of two categories:

  • You aren’t knowledgeable enough (we just covered this).
  • You don’t have the time.

Make sure your tech support has dedicated staff that can jump on a project and dedicate their time to it.

They also need to go above and beyond basic services. An example of this would be configuring Secure LDAP on a Windows server. Would you know where to start? You may not, but your tech support team should.

3. Reliable

When you need tech support you expect a project to be completed from beginning to end without any interruption.

What good is support that is only available part-time? What good is support that can’t step in when you need help the most?

Great computer tech support comes down to many things, but none are as important as reliability.

4. Fast Acting

Do you have questions or concerns? Do you need a task to be completed now, not later?

The best tech support teams are those that can act fast, knowing that time is of the essence for most people.

For example, if you have reason to believe that data has been breached, just like many companies before yours, you don’t have time to sit around and hope for the best. You need to take action without delay.

5. Proactive

Great computer tech support companies are proactive. They know there are dangers lurking around every corner. They know things can go wrong at any time. They also know being proactive, instead of reactive, can save clients both time and money.

Being proactive involves keeping up on industry trends. When they are aware of a threat, they can reach out to you and provide a fix before it even becomes a problem.

Summing It Up

Now that you understand the tell-tale qualities of great computer tech support, it’s time to move forward in your search. This means answering questions that will allow you to do business with a reputable provider.

Here are three questions to ask yourself when making a final decision:

  • What do you expect from your computer tech support team on a daily basis?
  • Do you have any specific needs that should be discussed with providers upfront, ensuring that both parties are on the same page?
  • What is the cost of the service?

Again, no two computer tech support teams are created equal. You need to be clear on what qualities are most important to you and find a provider that shares the same.

Has your tech support team ever left you hanging? Share your stories below.