When your internet is down, every minute counts. Without connectivity, your business-critical processes in the cloud are on hold and your employees less productive. Troubleshooting the cause of a lost or slow connection can be tricky, though. Is the internet really down or is there an issue with a firewall or a switch? Maybe a wireless access point or an ethernet cable has gone bad. 

No matter the problem, most organizations start trying to solve the problem by contacting their provider. 

“The key to quickly determining your connection problem is choosing a provider with a well-trained support team,” says Jim Hurst, C Spire Manager of Customer Advocacy. "At the first point of contact, many IT companies provide nontechnical staff who work off a script,” says Hurst. "They can’t help beyond what is written on their notecards.” 

Getting to the provider’s technical staff who can really diagnose your problem can be difficult. “I've heard of our competitors’ customers talking to a dozen reps and still not getting answers to their issues,” says Hurst. “That shouldn’t happen if the support staff is well-trained.”

 When looking for an IT provider, Hurst says business leaders need to ensure the support staff meets these three criteria:  

• The technical support team provides 24/7 support.
• The team is regionally based and personally knows your business.
• The first line of support is trained in technical troubleshooting.

An IT company with a strong support strategy doesn’t just plow through service ticket after service ticket. It helps you troubleshoot your problems so you can avoid downtime and meet your productivity goals.