The IT needs of small to medium businesses and startups are very different from those of a large corporation. While many SMEs work with managed service providers like Microbyte, others opt for small in-house IT departments, often just one person.
Yet no matter the size of the IT department or external IT support company, some tasks must be completed regularly. Ensuring you have a good checklist in place can help maintain a high standard of support, prevent issues in the future and allow for smoother, more efficient operations.
Although the details will change from company to company and depending on the level of IT support required, here are some things IT departments can use as a checklist to help improve IT support.
Many IT technicians focus on long-term projects and overlook small actions that can make daily work easier. Basic tasks such as ensuring all machines are switched on, accounts are logged in and synced, paper is in the printer, networks are connected, phones are on, and coffee is made only takes a few minutes but can save you hours later.
While having a checklist can help make sure these things are completed before work starts, after a time, they will become a natural routine. With processes and habits in place, technicians can start each day ready to take on the many challenges of working in IT.
IT departments and Managed Service Providers (MSPs) working with different clients must provide different levels of support and work according to company policies, procedures and expectations. Having a client checklist can help ensure that every interaction follows the necessary guidelines.
IT support providers can use a spreadsheet or a platform such as our in-house built standards checking application, which can ask questions and detail tasks which must be completed regularly to maintain the required level of support. At Microbyte, we use this checklist for every client at least once a quarter, including over 120 points.
Client checklists may include company policies, information on how to handle specific situations, details related to platforms, applications, integration and software, as well as checks regarding how the IT support provider needs to set up their own systems to provide support.
Aside from emergencies and troubleshooting, many IT tasks are repetitive, and once a task has been successfully navigated, it will need to be replicated precisely. IT companies that use task template checklists for managing tasks and ensuring that each step is performed consistently and efficiently will be able to offer a higher level of support.
Each task should have a checklist or step-by-step guide, from syncing, backups, and notification checks to updates, outstanding tickets, and patching. These should be detailed enough to allow any engineer or technician to replicate a task.
Task template checklists should include information on settings, account details, passwords, user access details and more. Task checklists should also help ensure best practices are in place, and company policies are always followed.
Communication is one of the most frequently overlooked tasks within the IT industry. At Microbyte, we include small daily huddles as a part of our daily IT routine. This helps ensure that everyone can share news, discuss issues and is on the same page.
However, communication checklists should include the timeframe for checking in with clients, other departments, management and external partners. Without lists to help maintain a routine, communication can slip out of mind, and then it’s months before issues are identified and solved, and clients can be left feeling isolated.
A communication checklist should include a list of accepted platforms for official communications, such as phones, instant messaging applications, conference calls, in-person meetings and emails. It should also have time frames and who is expected at specific meetings.
Since most IT work is now undertaken remotely, site visits are much rarer. However, when they occur, they are usually in an emergency situation or can feel haphazard and unplanned. This means they should be carefully planned, scheduled and executed to make the most out of the time.
There should be a checklist to ensure these visits happen as per the schedule (excluding emergency situations). Furthermore, engineers or technicians visiting the site should have a checklist of what to take with them and what tasks they should perform on the visit.
Some MSPs will require different checklists for different clients, while internal departments may need other indexes depending on the company’s setup. These checklists should include who is signing off on work, any physical items provided to the company and the support and fixes.
For every project, there should be a progress and roadmap checklist. This checklist may change as complications arise and goals change, but it should allow engineers to check off and track as a project develops.
It should include everything from deadlines, testing stages, and sign-offs to implementation details, set up and feedback. Many companies combine roadmap checklists with other elements of project management and work with a software or platform, such as Microsoft Projects, Asana or Trello, that allows these checklists to track progress.
Using checklists to help ensure every task is completed on time can promote a positive environment and supports a high standard of IT support. Microbyte’s daily IT routine means we can stay on top of our work, reducing stress and catching problems before they impact clients. It also means we can replicate results as needed with fewer errors. If you liked this checklist, you will also like our Top 10 IT Manager Checklist.
If you want to find out more about IT checklists and finding a daily IT routine, download our PDF checklist above.
