The following article was provided by Independent Telecommunications Corp.
Independent Telecommunications Corporation, a leading provider of unified communications, is launching an educational campaign for CFOs at rapid-growth organizations. The industry of IT management has shifted dramatically, due in large to the huge influx of sophisticated managed IT service providers. As a result, a very high percentage of SMBs (small to mid-sized businesses) have chosen to outsource the day-to-day management of their IT networks, which has brought a number of unique challenges along with it.
When a company makes this decision, the CFO is the most common person to be asked to manage the transition, and many CFOs become overwhelmed because they don’t understand every single facet of the underlying technology that supports the operations of the business. Moreover, they feel concerned because they think that they need to become technology experts. Independent Telecommunications Corporation argues that CFOs don’t need to understand all the intricacies of how each piece of technology works, but instead, they need to learn best practices on how to keep an outsourced managed IT services provider accountable for high-performing networks.
Essentially, CFOs enter this situation and are pulled into multiple directions. They are told that they need to invest in this technology or that competitors are using that technology and they scramble in order to make the right decision. However, the most important factor to address is to step back from the minutia and to ascertain the corporate level growth strategy. In other words, strategic initiatives dictate which tools an organization needs, not the other way around.
CFOs do need to become educated on best practices to ensure that their servers are always running, the necessary upgrades are made on-time, what to expect when managing multiple outsourced vendors and how to keep them accountable. Furthermore, as more companies transition to cloud and hybrid-cloud environments, CFOs need to be able to pick the best providers that have experience facilitating this type of enterprise-level shift. Here are a couple key distinctions CFOs need to look for in order to confirm that they are working with well-equipped providers.
They Better Have Detailed Reporting. The more detailed the better. CFOs should expect monthly meetings where their managed IT services provider dives into the details of the reports in order to give decision-makers absolute clarity on which steps they need to take in order to keep the organization running at peak performance. For example, one key item to look for is a running timetable of technology that tells decision-makers, which pieces of technology need to be upgraded, which are fine “as is” and when these upgrades need to be made. This allows CFOs to properly budget so they get a full understanding of the true cost of their IT network.
They Better Manage All Aspects of the Network “Under One Roof.” One of the most common problems in malfunctioning technology is the “finger pointing” that happens when it takes multiple vendors to make something work properly. For example, if one company manages the cloud-phones and another company is responsible for the IT network, what happens when the cloud-phones aren’t working properly? Oftentimes, the telecommunications provider will blame the IT company, and the IT company will blame the telecom provider. Stalemates like these cause huge drop-offs in productivity and the solution is to only work with a single unified communications provider who is fully capable of servicing all aspects of the network. That way, when something goes down, there is one party responsible for making sure that it gets up as quickly as possible.
They Better Not Require Long-Term Agreements. One of the quickest ways to ascertain as to whether or not the managed IT services provider is trustworthy or not, is by making sure that they don’t ask CFOs to sign rigid, long-term contracts. This is the most surefire way to experience a lack of network performance, because it misaligns financial incentives. Elite managed service providers are eager to back-up their bold claims with month-to-month agreements that let customers decide as to whether or not they’re getting the value they were promised. The most prestigious and experienced providers focus on the result they generate for the SMB. When an organization is bold enough to offer month-to-month agreements, a customer can rest assured that their network will be high-performing.
Independent Telecommunications Corporation has taken it upon itself to make sure that CFOs are learning these principles and they are regularly educating the marketplace. The mission of the company is to increase its customers’ profitability and give them a competitive advantage. By combining valuable information with world class technology the company is accomplishing its mission each and every day.
About Independent Telecommunications Corporation
Since 1989, Independent Telecommunications Corporation {ITC} has been providing commercial telecommunications service for businesses, municipalities and schools in the Hudson Valley and surrounding area. ITC recognizes the critical need for a telecommunications company that combines leading edge technology with top quality service and customer support.
ITC installs and maintains reliable communications solutions for clients with as few as 3 phones to over 1,000. By working with each customer to establish a telecommunications strategy based on the highest quality product and service standards, ITC ensures optimum system performance and customer satisfaction for years to come.
ITC has built a team of professional specialists dedicated to the highest levels of customer support and personal service. Calls to our sales and service desk are answered by our knowledgable staff. ITC technical staff continually undergo factory, industry specific, and customer service based training programs and certifications. All staff members are constantly kept up-to-date on the latest products and service innovations.
Whether you’re looking for a company to service and maintain your existing telephone system or to help you develop a strategy that will allow you to leverage today’s technology and put it to work for you, ITC would like to talk to you.
Contact 800-724-0362 or sales@itc-communications.com.