Let’s make something awesome together
You can count on us to support your existing IT team or manage the entire network for you.
Call Us Directly At
305-403-7582
Write To Us
ask@itforedu.com
Ready to work with us?
Book a call to discuss your unique situation, your concerns, and of course, answer any questions you may have.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Do you answer phones live or do I always have to leave a voicemail and wait for someone to call me back?
Answer: We answer our phones live from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and give all clients an emergency after-hours number they may call if a problem arises, even on weekends. Why? Because many of the school administrators we support work outside normal hours and find it the most productive time they have. If they cannot access their computer network AND can’t get hold of anyone to help them, it’s incredibly frustrating.
Q: Do you offer a written, guaranteed response time to my calls?
Answer: We guarantee to have a technician working on a problem within 15 minutes or less of your call. This is written into every service agreement we give to our clients because it’s standard procedure.
Q: Do you explain what you are doing and address our questions in ways we can understand (not tech-speak), or do you make us feel stupid by asking simple questions?
Answer: Our technicians are trained to have the “heart of a teacher” and will take the time to answer your questions and explain everything in simple terms.
Q: Do you consistently (and proactively) offer new ways to improve our network’s performance, or do you wait until we have a problem to recommend actions?
Answer: We conduct quarterly technology reviews with our clients to look for new ways to help improve their operations, lower costs, increase efficiencies, and resolve any problems that may be arising. Our goal with these meetings is to help our clients achieve their mission of serving their families the best way they can.
Q: Do you provide detailed invoices that clearly explain what we are paying for?
Answer: We provide detailed invoices that show what work was done, why, and when, so you never have to guess what you are paying for. We also double-check our invoices for accuracy before they are sent to you.
Q: Do you guarantee to complete projects on time and within budget?
Answer: All projects are fixed-priced and guaranteed to be completed on time, in writing.
Q: Do you insist on remotely monitoring our network 24/7/365 to keep critical security settings, virus definitions, and security patches up-to-date and PREVENT problems from turning into downtime, viruses, lost data, and other issues?
Answer: Yes; our remote network monitoring system watches over your network to constantly look for developing problems, security issues, and other problems so we can address them BEFORE they turn into bigger problems.
Q: Do you provide me with a report showing all the updates, security patches, and status of every machine on your network so that I can make sure my systems are up-to-date and secure?
Answer: Every week our clients get the choice to receive a detailed report that shows an overall health score of their network and the updates to their antivirus, security settings, patches, and other important network checks (like hard-drive space, backups, speed, and performance, etc.).
Q: Do you have as a standard procedure provide me with written network documentation detailing what software licenses we own, critical passwords, user information, hardware inventory, etc., or are you the only person with the “keys to the kingdom”?
Answer: All our clients receive this information in written and electronic form at no additional cost. Furthermore, we update this material quarterly, making sure certain key members of your organization have access to it and know how to use it, so that you have complete control over your network.
Side Note: You should NEVER allow an IT person to have that much control over you and your school. If you get the sneaking suspicion that your current IT person is keeping this under their control as a means of job security, get rid of them (and we can help to make sure you don’t suffer ANY ill effects). This is downright unethical and dangerous to your organization, so don’t tolerate it!
Q: Do you have other technicians or staff who are familiar with our network in case your regular technician goes on vacation or gets sick?
Answer: Yes; and since we keep detailed network documentation (basically a blueprint of your computer network) and updates on every client’s account, any of our technicians can pick up where another one has left off.
Q: When you offer an “all-inclusive” support plan, is it TRULY all-inclusive, or are their “gotchas” hidden in the fine print?
Answer: Our “all-inclusive” support plan is just that — all-inclusive. One of the more popular service plans offered by consulting firms today is an “all-inclusive” or “all-you-can-eat” managed services plan. These are good things because they’ll save you a lot of money in the long run. However, make sure you understand what is and isn’t included. Some things to consider are:
- Is the phone/e-mail help desk included or extra?
- What about network upgrades, moves, or adding/removing users?
- Is hardware and/or software included?
- What about 3rd-party software support? (We recommend that this IS included.) What are the costs/consequences of early cancellation?
- What if you aren’t happy with their services? Do they offer a money-back guarantee? If the hardware and software are included, what happens if you cancel the contract? Are offsite backups included? To what degree?
- If you have a major disaster, is restoring your network included or extra?
- What about on-site support calls? Or support remote sites?
- Are home PCs used to access the company’s network after hours included or extra?
Q: Do you monitor both off-site and on-site backups, or do we run them ourselves?
Answer: We make sure all our clients have a total Backup & Disaster Recovery solution which includes an onsite backup along with a secure offsite copy sent to the cloud to ensure that if fire, natural disaster, or theft occurs, your data is safe.
Q: Do you run periodic test restores of our backups to make sure the data is not corrupt and could be restored in case of a disaster?
Answer: We perform a monthly “fire drill” and perform a test restore from backup for our clients to make sure their data CAN be recovered in the event of an emergency. After all, the WORST time to “test” a backup is when you desperately need it.
Q: Do you back up our data BEFORE performing any type of project or upgrade?
Answer: We do, and that’s simply as a precaution in case a hardware failure or software glitch causes a major problem.
Q: In the event of a major disaster, do you have a written plan for restoring data quickly and/or enabling remote access?
Answer: All clients receive a simple disaster recovery plan for their data and network. We encourage them to do a full disaster recovery plan for their office, but at a minimum, their network will be covered should something happen.
Q: Is your help desk U.S.-based or outsourced to an overseas company or third party?
Answer: We provide our in-house help desk and make sure the folks helping you are friendly and helpful. We consider this one of the most important aspects of customer service, plus we feel it’s important to keep your data secure.
Q: Do your technicians maintain current vendor certifications and participate in ongoing training?
Answer: Our technicians are required to keep the most up-to-date vendor certifications in all the software we support. (A+, Microsoft, ConnectWise, Plus, our hiring process is so stringent, that 99% of the technicians who apply don’t make it through. (Guess who’s hiring them?)
Q: Are your technicians arrive on time and dress professionally?
Answer: Our technicians are true professionals that you would be proud to have in your office. They dress professionally and show up on time, and if they cannot (for some odd, unforeseen reason), we always notify the client immediately. We believe these are minimum requirements for delivering a professional service.
Q: Are you familiar with (and can you support) our unique line of business applications?
Answer: We own the problems with all lines of business applications for our clients. That doesn’t mean we can fix faulty software — but we WILL be the liaison between you and your vendor to resolve problems you are having and make sure these applications work smoothly for you.
Q: When something goes wrong with the Internet service, phone systems, printers, or other IT services, do you own the problem, or do you say, “That’s not your problem to fix”?
Answer: We feel WE should own the problem for our clients, so they don’t have to try and resolve any of these issues on their own — that’s just plain old good service and something many computer guys won’t do. O stringent, 99% of the technicians who apply don’t make it through. (Guess who’s hiring them?)
