7 Reasons Why Your IT Provider Might Seem Understaffed

Have you ever wondered why your IT provider seems understaffed, leading to slow response times and missed project deadlines? Does their helpdesk take days to reply or resolve your IT concerns?

An unresponsive helpdesk or delayed IT projects are frustrating but can also affect your bottom line. When your computers and applications aren't working, you lose productivity and, therefore, profit.

Despite appearances, the issue with your IT provider might not be a lack of staff but rather a combination of nuanced factors that can impact efficiency. So, how can this issue be addressed?

7 Factors that Give the Appearance of Understaffing

1. Lack of Experienced Staff

A common cause of delays is the composition of the helpdesk, where tier-one technicians may lack the experience to address issues swiftly.

While they seek guidance from more seasoned colleagues, clients endure prolonged waits for solutions.

A balance in the team's expertise is crucial to streamline support.

IT providers should have knowledgeable helpdesk technicians who can answer questions swiftly. They should be familiar with both client processes and the processes of their employer. This will help reduce reply wait times.

2. Lacking Clearly Defined Roles

In an ideal Managed IT Services setup, distinct roles include maintenance, support (helpdesk), and strategy (vCIOs). Each branch has a unique role, task, and way they interact with clients.

When these roles lack clarity and overlap, productivity suffers.

For instance, suppose the maintenance team goes on-site to perform maintenance work. However, clients have helpdesk questions and begin to ask the maintenance technician for help.

The technician is happy to help, but he cannot complete all of his maintenance tasks in the allotted time due to these unplanned tasks.

In another example, the helpdesk may end up helping with IT strategy planning for a client and, therefore, cannot answer additional tickets.

Clearly defined responsibilities for each branch are essential for efficient task execution.

3. Chaotic Processes Lead to Inefficiency

Poor process lacks directives and structure, so people are not used effectively.

It’s hard to accomplish tasks quickly and efficiently when constantly “putting out fires.”

Chaotic work environments also make maintaining a happy, content workforce difficult. Chaos creates stress, and most employees seek a more stable work environment elsewhere.

For example, a lack of directives and structure can result in technicians working on unrelated emergency projects during on-site visits, disrupting scheduled tasks.

Implementing robust processes is critical to maintaining a content and productive workforce.

4. Unreliable IT Systems

The responsibility for an efficient IT system isn't solely on the provider; clients play a crucial part.

Outdated hardware and software demand more time and effort to maintain, causing additional service delays. It also increases the number of helpdesk tickets, the risk of system failure, and IT downtime.

Hardware wears out over time and must be replaced by the time it is deemed end-of-life at the latest.

Regular hardware updates and replacements are essential to keep the system running smoothly.

A quality IT provider will outline when hardware should be replaced and find comparable models that fit their clients’ needs and budgets. They will also be able to explain the importance of replacing unreliable equipment.

5. Improper or Incomplete Onboarding

The initial 90 days of a client-provider partnership can be challenging as the provider familiarizes itself with the client's IT system during onboarding.

Thorough onboarding addressing system issues is vital. Rushed or incomplete onboarding can result in continued issues and extended resolution times.

Some issues may take longer to resolve in the onboarding process, but with proper onboarding, helpdesk issues should be fewer and resolved more quickly after the 90-day onboarding period.

6. Poor Payment Structure

The IT provider's ability to afford skilled staff significantly influences service quality. Labor is the most expensive part of running any business.

If an IT provider does not charge the right amount for its services, it will not be able to afford enough talent to run its operations. Poor pricing structure leads to insufficient staff or hiring less-experienced professionals, contributing to slow response times.

IT providers should be charging market value for their services. If a provider’s pricing seems too good to be true, it probably is.

For example, If an IT provider is charging $75 a seat rather than $150 (the current average price), they will be unable to afford the staff they need.

Adequate charges are necessary to scale staff according to the growth rate.

7. Understaffing

Sometimes, the most obvious possibility is the answer. Slow response times may be genuinely due to insufficient IT staff.

Understaffing is rarely the sole cause of poor response times or project delays, but it can be a factor. The lack of staff is often rooted in the other issues on this list.

There may be poor processes that result in a lack of structure or training, leading to slow response times or even high employee turnover.

There may be a lack of funds to scale the workforce appropriately.

Unfortunately, adding more staff will not resolve these issues or improve response times in these circumstances. Adding more staff solves the problem only in situations of pure understaffing.

Next Steps for Addressing Your IT Provider’s Response Time

If you're experiencing prolonged response times, don’t be afraid to bring it up with your IT provider or vCIO. Clear communication and expectations are essential. Once the provider understands your concerns, they should be able to correct course and meet realistic expectations.

If these delays are new, your provider may be experiencing external factors beyond their control. Their workforce may be temporarily diminished due to illness, or a significant business change may affect their performance.

However, a quality provider will be transparent about these issues and alert their clients promptly.

As mentioned before, onboarding can also be a factor. It may be a bumpy ride if you’re in the first 90 days of your IT partnership. However, rest assured that this is a normal part of the process and will result in better service and fewer concerns after onboarding.

If you’ve been with this provider for a while, reflect on the trends over the past year. If you’ve discussed concerns with your provider and things have not, it’s unlikely to change. You may consider looking for a new provider.

When interviewing potential providers, inquire about their helpdesk metrics. Ask them, “How many tickets per endpoint (device) do you receive monthly?”

If they’re between .25 to .5 tickets per endpoint per month, this shows likley evidence of proper staffing and process. If they’re at or above 1 tickets per endpoint per month, this could reflect poor processes or poor staffing.