The tech world tends to skew toward future solutions: Thought leaders in the technical space are always obsessing over the latest, greatest thing. Of course, tech workers aren’t wrong to be forward thinking. Technology moves fast, and it’s easy to get left behind if you’re not paying attention.
However, this mindset also encourages many IT providers to overlook the value of a deep institutional memory. There’s a lot to be said for taking the long view; managed services providers (MSPs) with a profound corporate memory are able to make recommendations that draw from their background and experience.
Additionally, when there are team members on your MSP’s staff who have worked with your company for years, you’ll be more likely to be receive technical suggestions that match your business model, budget and future planning. Here are some more specific benefits you’ll get from working with a vendor with a long institutional memory.
Corporate Memory Lends Historical Perspective to Projects
While there are certainly benefits to having a little fresh blood on your team, complete corporate amnesia can drag projects out — particularly when it comes to project management and scheduling.
Because technical requirements vary from project to project, it’s very difficult for MSPs to create accurate timelines and scheduling, at least without a solid body of historical data to base them on. At Taylored, many of our team members have been with the company for years, which means our installers, technicians and client leads can present more accurate project deadlines and benchmarks.
Additionally, when the same technician has worked with you for a number of years, they’ve built up a historical body of knowledge specific to your account. For instance, they’ll remember individual details about what happened when you last migrated servers, or when they implemented compliance measures, and what changed.
This history allows MSPs to present more tailored suggestions, which are customized to meet your business’s individual needs and circumstances. At Taylored, we place a high premium on this kind of institutional memory, which is why we work to create continuity in our accounts, rather than shuffling clients from contact to contact.
A Wealth of Trust with Long-term Partners
It takes time for partners to learn to trust one another. Over time, clients and technicians develop a rapport owing to the providers’ level of consistency, competency and sincerity. This kind of long-term relationship-building is an integral part of any good MSP’s value promise.
Vendors that value client rapport are less likely to push high-dollar solutions that don’t really fit your needs and budget. IT providers should be looking to retain your business for the long haul, rather than earning a quick buck by selling solutions you don’t really need. MSPs should listen to your business pain points with empathy and an eye toward finding the best solution, not the most expensive ones.
This is one of the key benefits of working with a company with a long institutional memory and many experienced, veteran employees on staff — like we have at Taylored. These team members are able to establish deep client/vendor connections and cultivate trust. This, in turn, promotes accountability and improves communication. Team members are naturally loath to jeopardize relationships they’ve spent years building.
The More Things Change, the More They Stay the Same
We tend to view technology as a straight line, rushing ever forward toward the future. However, in many ways computing is subject to the same kind of pendulum effect that impacts any arena of human progress. Take, for instance, the issue of servers. Ten years ago, almost all businesses stored data in physical, on-premise servers. Now, virtualized cloud servers are just as popular — if not more so. However, there’s some evidence that computing may move back toward a more centralized model of data storage as the internet of things (IoT) grows.
Computing architectures and trends come and go. What’s more permanent is your MSP’s ability to create efficient, cost-effective solutions with the best tools available at any given time. A large body of corporate memory serves businesses well here: seasoned team members have a larger range of experience to draw to create these solutions, regardless of where the tech scene goes.
Employee retention is one of our key differentiators here at Taylored; in fact, many of our team members have been working for us for 15 years or more. But you don’t have to take our word for it. Get in touch today for a free quote, and experience the difference for yourself!