As much as we wish for and expect it to be, technology is not intuitive for most people. While surface-level capabilities seem to be easy to grasp, the true value a solution can deliver is often obscured by ambiguous settings or workflows. As a result, most businesses fail to use technology as a growth catalyst and instead consider it just another necessary operational expense. This is where a mature managed I.T. services provider (“MSP”), such as Digital Boardwalk, can help.
Why Training is Important
Most I.T. service providers are happy to help their customers implement new technologies, but rarely do they invest the time into helping the business truly adopt the new capabilities of the technology and incorporate them into the business’s operations. Not only does this lead to users spending extra time trying to learn the technology themselves, but due to the unintuitive nature of technology, users will often try to shoehorn the technology or use it in ways it wasn’t intended to be used.
With just a little bit of training from a subject matter expert when the technology is initially implemented, users can be set on the right path and introduced to otherwise ambiguous concepts. This gives the team the confidence to hit the ground running with the new technology on day 1, as well as the foundational knowledge to incorporate the technology deeper into the business’s operations.
Not All I.T. Providers Offer Training
If training is so important, it’s safe to assume that all I.T. service providers offer it, right? Sadly, no. Much like the topic of proactivity discussed in a previous blog, spending the time to train customers on new technologies is a long-term investment for the service provider. Also, many service providers simply don’t have the expertise on staff to marry the technology capabilities with a business’s objectives in a formal training format. While it seems to have few short-term benefits for the service provider itself, a stronger understanding of the technology by a customer’s end-users allows the users to “self-help” over time, resulting in fewer technical support requests from the customer to the service provider.
This concept of proactivity and planning for long-term outcomes is the foundation of a mature MSP. As such, mature MSPs have dedicated teams of subject matter experts that train businesses and their teams on new technologies and capabilities. Additionally, the industry’s most prominent and mature MSPs develop comprehensive user guides to help reinforce training and offer users valuable reference materials. This approach requires significant time investment by the MSP, but it pays dividends for both the MSP and its customers in the long run.
Training to Consider
While training has a high likelihood of delivering positive outcomes for the business no matter the technology subject, there is one technology where training can truly transform a business: Microsoft 365. Not only is the Microsoft 365 platform used by the majority of businesses throughout the world, but it’s comprised of a comprehensive suite of solutions that most businesses or users don’t even know exist. Also, because the Microsoft 365 platform is focused entirely on business productivity and operations, understanding how to incorporate the technology into your business can introduce new levels of communication, productivity, and efficiency that help you leapfrog your competition.
Not all Microsoft 365 training is created equal, though. Microsoft Gold Partners, specifically those certified in the Cloud Productivity competency like Digital Boardwalk, have a proven track record of helping businesses truly adopt the technology. Among countless other benefits, partnering with a mature MSP, especially one that is recognized by the highly coveted Microsoft Gold Partner designation, is an investment that will surely yield a greater return than what can be realized with other MSPs or I.T. service providers.
