They don’t call back, they don’t answer your texts, and when you get time with them, they are disheveled, rude, and uninterested, doing just the minimum to keep things going.
This sounds like a bad date...and it’s one that many dental practices are on with their current IT guy.
You have a tech problem, need a password, your Internet is down, you have site problems, need a new computer, and you submit a service request only to wait hours, days, or even weeks to hear back, much less get the issue resolved.
The #1 complaint dentists have that causes them to "break up" with their current IT person is that they simply weren’t responsive or quick enough to help them.
Just like you wouldn’t stand for this in your personal life, you shouldn’t stand for it in your business life...especially when you’re paying them!
If your current IT company doesn’t have a guaranteed response-time, you’re probably on a bad date.
Most IT firms offer a 60-minute or 30-minute response time to your call during normal business hours. Be very wary of someone who doesn’t have a guaranteed response time explicit IN WRITING – that’s a sign they are too disorganized, understaffed, or overwhelmed to handle your request.
A good IT firm should be able to show you statistics from their PSA (professional services automation) software, where all client problems (tickets) get responded to and tracked. Ask to see a report on average ticket response and resolution times.
Also, any good IT company will answer their phones LIVE (not voicemail or phone trees) and respond from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. every weekday. But many dentists and office managers work outside normal "9 to 5" hours and need IT support after-hours and weekends, so ask about their guarantees for after-hours issues as well.
Not having a guaranteed response time is just one way you know you’re on a bad date, but there are plenty more indicators… To get the full checklist and see if you’re on a “bad date,” download our free report here.