by Scott Jack
Content Contributor, E-N Computers
More than a decade of experience in technical support including end user support, mobile device management, application deployment, and documentation.
After–hours support is an important part of IT maturity — having people, systems, and processes in place to keep your business running smoothly. We know it can be frustrating or anxiety-inducing when systems go down or technology issues prevent work from getting done. That’s why we include after-hours support in our managed IT service plans.
QUICK ANSWER:
What after-hours support does ENC offer?
E-N Computers includes after-hours support for immediate issues that stop work – as a benefit of our managed IT service plans. Calls for after-hours support receive a callback within one hour. Non-urgent issues are queued for next business day support.
What counts as after hours?
Our normal business hours are Monday through Friday, 8 A.M. to 5 P.M. We provide after-hours support on evenings, weekends, and all federal holidays.
How do I request after-hours support?
Call the service number posted at the top of encomputers.com (866-692-9082). You can talk to someone at our answering service or leave a message.
- Option 1, Answering service (recommended): The answering service will gather basic information about the issue and a good callback number. After ending the call with you, they will reach out to on-call staff. You will receive a callback from an on-call staff member within one hour.
- Option 2, Voicemail: Give a detailed description of the problem and a good callback number. After-hours voicemails go into a monitored queue along with other critical alerts. You will receive a callback from an on-call staff member within one hour.
Please do not use email, our online service wizard, or any other method to request after-hours support. Call the service number to get the fastest response.
What issues are handled after hours?
After-hours support is included in managed IT service plans, but not every issue requires immediate attention. The guiding principle we follow is to address immediate issues that stop work from being done.
How we respond to alerts
On-call technicians monitor alerts for critical (P1) and high priority (P2) issues and contact your IT liaison to inform them and plan a course of action. These issues are listed below.
- Critical issues
- internet down
- network switch offline >30 minutes or operating at critical temperature
- router offline
- client’s only wireless access point is offline
- DHCP lease pool exhausted
- server offline
- Security camera offline >60 minutes
- High-priority issues
- Cellular gateway offline >60 minutes
- Network switch loses a secondary power supply
- Rogue wireless access point found
Monitoring-only clients will be called when a critical alert is received. You can proceed with immediate resolution at the after-hours rate or wait until normal business hours for support at the standard hourly rate.
How we respond to your calls
When you call in an issue after hours, we will call you back within an hour. If it is a problem that stops work from being done, we will address the immediate issue. These issues may include:
- a mission-critical workstation that doesn’t boot up
- password reset or account unlock for an after-hours employee
Other issues will be placed into the regular support queue to be followed up on during normal business hours.
Can scheduled work be done after hours?
We understand that you may prefer some scheduled or project work to be done after hours. Some clients ask for this as a way to minimize disruptions. Scheduled work can be done after hours at a rate of $250/hour.
Next Steps
When you have the right people working together, you can implement systems and processes that actively help you reach your business goals. We sometimes call this IT maturity. But for many organizations, something is off when it comes to their partnerships, strategy, systems, and settings. How can you know what’s working well and where you have room for improvement? Start by taking our free IT Maturity Self-Assessment. You’ll walk away with some pointers and, if you want, a free appointment to discuss your results.
Not sure if you need managed IT services?
Take the IT Maturity Self-Assessment
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