With the majority of our new service contracts being for complete IT outsource I started to think is this the future and is Outsourcing suitable for all? It used to be just IT Managers ringing in to log service calls but now end users ring in with PC queries and financial directors take more of a key role in the contract management. For smaller businesses this seems to work very well and we are proof that IT can be outsourced effectively. But the majority of our existing client base still has well established IT departments and many of the IT staff have become good friends over the lifetime of the support contracts. Many of these customers still need an IT department and we at CE are a great way for them to gain the extra skills and man hours they need. We still work very closely with our customers IT departments implementing new projects etc. So I think the Outsourcing route is a way of saving money but it’s not for everyone.

Gartner today reported the findings of their fifth annual outsourcing study. Their report demonstrates that many companies are developing outsourcing strategies to help them through tough times, but suggests that organisations need to regularly assess their service levels and contract terms to achieve greatest return on investment. 

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Does the size of a business hold any weight when choosing a supplier in these difficult times?

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I wonder if the Technology we have now was predicted by anyone 30 years ago and how far ahead of itself is Technology from being an idea to household reality?
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How personal should business be? Do some customers prefer to keep their suppliers at a professional distance or can great things grow from that personal touch?

I have always been a great believer in the personal touch when it comes to customer relations. 15 years ago when I first started out in the world of IT and customer care it was common practice and quite acceptable to send celebration cards and sometimes even gifts to the customers. Then I noticed a change in attitudes towards such activities. It became unprofessional to get so close and customers seemed to become more skeptical towards the motives behind such gestures. What a terrible shame that the working relationships had been spoiled by changing company policies. Read the rest of this entry »

If like me you are bored (and a bit nervous) from hearing the phrase Credit Crunch and all the doom and gloom that goes with it. But at the same time have heard enough to understand that it can’t be ignored then ask yourself this. “Should we be munching our way through the credit crunch”?
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After clearing the snow off my car this morning and driving carefully into work I started to think about the days when an overnight snow fall would have really affected my working day. I would arrive at work with my “we will try our best to get out to you, roads permitting” speech all prepared and rehearsed in my head. Every server/network or PC problem a few years back would have involved an on site engineer. Although our customers understood the unavoidable situation it was still frustrating for them and us to have to pile the visits up for the next day. Read the rest of this entry »