Managed IT Frequently Asked Questions

Sometimes referred to as a “business emergency” is defined by the Service Provider as a technology failure that is causing direct, or indirect revenue loss, or a large percentage of employee wages being lost.  When submitting an “Urgent” request you are basically saying we are “out of business”, or losing money by the second.  In order to be considered an “Urgent” request or “Business Emergency”, a ticket and telephone submission must be completed.

Patch management is the active monitoring and installation of software updates for all operating systems, or covered third party software.

The business relationship manager is a designated individual specified in the SLA, usually an employee of the customer who is assigned to manage the agreement.  The business relationship manager is the primary contact between the customer and the service provider.

Communication channels are the methods used by the customer and defined in the SLA for notifying the service provider of any issues with their systems.  Acceptable communication channels may include:

• Online Ticket System

Our online ticket system is the Service Providers internal ticket queue.  Entering requests directly into the queue is the most efficient and effective way to make sure that a request is received and responded to.  This system is available at:  https://support.isafecomplete.com

• Email Support

You can also email us at support@isafecomplete.com or you can email your project manager directly.  While email support is a great way to communicate with us, there is no way other than just writing in the email to declare the priority of the request.

• Phone Support*

Calling the office number and selecting option “2” for support is also a great way to communicate with us.  One of our technicians will create a ticket for you over the phone, or based upon your voicemail if no technician is available to take your call immediately.

*NOTE:  This communication channel must be used in order for any request to be considered an “URGENT” request.  In other words, if you’re out of business because of technology failure, call us immediately, in addition to submitting a support ticket.

SLA stands for “Service Level Agreement”.  This is a written contract that defines the scope of work that is to be provided with a managed services agreement or a written project proposal.  The SLA will define the scope of works, devices for which it applies, and the included or excluded services.  It will also include any written guarantees, communication channels, and response times.

Remediation is the process or steps taken to resolve an issue.  Steps may include:

1. Basic troubleshooting steps may be taken through the monitoring and support systems provided by the Service Provider in order to minimize business interruptions and conflicts.
2. Remote Support sessions may be used to remotely control the affected system and complete troubleshooting and remediation steps.
3. Assisted Support sessions may be used where an employee or manager is reasonably available on site to provide basic troubleshooting steps where remote control of the affected system is not available, or in addition to remote control of the affected system. This method is generally used where the issue may be remediated faster than the response and travel time of a technician to arrive on site.
4. On-Site service is the last resort remediation step and shall be used if the affected system or systems cannot be restored or accessed remotely.

Managed Services is a pricing model for IT services where you pay a monthly fee for services.  This is opposed the “break/fix” pricing model where you pay for repairs when needed.  Managed Services is a far better system for both the customer and the IT provider because it allows for consistent monthly budgeting, and it puts the customer and the IT provider on the same page…. both benefit the most when the customer doesn’t’ have any IT related issues.  With the break/fix model, the IT provider benefits when the customer has problems.