Question 1

My IT support company is the only one that knows my systems, Won't it be painful to switch vendors?

Accepted Answer

Change is never easy, but you wouldn't be asking this question if your business needs were being met. So the sooner you make the change the better. The key to a smooth transition is proper planning, a proven process, and experience.

We often find that even when a new client that we are onboarding has told us that things were "ok" with the previous vendor when they see how much of a difference having professional IT management can make, they are relieved and excited about the change. I can't tell you how often a new client tells me that they wished they had made the change years ago!

Our systems and process are very transparent, as a client, you have access to our systems, records and all of the documentation about your network. With White Mountain, you are as involved as you want to be and will never feel that you are being left in the dark. Don't settle for a vendor who uses knowledge as job security. Let us help you get the situation resolved.

Question 2

I have a dispute with my current IT provider, how can I keep them out of my network?

Accepted Answer

It is very rare that an outside vendor or employee would ever intentionally cause your business harm or disruption, but we understand that it is your job to protect the businesses and minimize risk. As the adage goes, "It's better to be safe than sorry."

If you feel that things don't seem right, we can help in several ways.

The first step is to have a private & confidential conversation to discuss the situation and assess the risks to the business. The risk assessment will prepare the foundation for an action plan outlining the steps required for a rapid lock-down.

Question 3

How does your helpdesk service work?

Accepted Answer

Most helpdesk services are provided remotely. The technician will speak to the client on the phone while remoting into their computer.

We maintain our own full-time Technical Support staff right here in Nashua New Hampshire and are committed to providing exceptional remote and onsite customer service, every time you need us.

We provide multiple ways to communicate with the help desk when you need help.

A telephone call to the tech support hotline
Email into our trouble ticketing system
Secure portal for entering, viewing and updating tickets
Secure chat, directly with a technician

All new tickets are triaged by our Service Coordinator who manages the workflow and assigns the next available, most appropriate technician to your ticket.

Our secure support portal is easily accessible with an icon in the task-bar and provides complete transparency into the help desk process and workflow. Users can see the status of their ticket, who is working on it, the technicians' notes and scheduled resources. They can enter notes for the tech, including updates or any new information, directly into the ticket, and can even chat directly with the technician.

If you would like to be included in management oversight of the workflow, the portal also gives you the ability to approve or reject requests and to bump up priority on any ticket, directly in the ticketing system.

If the work involves any changes to your systems or configurations, our staff will update our documentation portal with the new info to be sure that our records are always current, to ensure that our entire team has access to the latest knowledge and information about your systems.

We take user satisfaction seriously, included with EVERY ticket completion email, is a simple user satisfaction survey. We monitor, report and follow up on user feedback.

Question 4

Can you also help with IT project work?

Accepted Answer

Yes, we are available to help with all of your technology projects.

From a simple office move across town to a full CRM system migration, or move to the cloud, White Mountain can provide the resources to get the job done. Depending on your needs, we can simply provide a helping hand, or provide consulting and project planning services, or even full project management, overseeing other vendors and internal resources.

Typical IT Projects that we help out with include:

Office moves, new locations
Mergers and acquisitions
Deployment of new workflow and software systems
Integrating tablets and mobile technology
Wireless network design and deployment
Overseeing Web development and digital marketing projects
Cloud migrations and readiness audits
Video conferencing system installations
Security camera and door controller installations
Choosing and evaluating new vendors for security, telephone and internet services
New VOIP system migration and roll-out
Compliance and audit projects

Question 5

What if I need onsite services?

Accepted Answer

Our onsite IT support is available anywhere in Southern New Hampshire, Northern and Central Massachusetts, and the Greater Boston area.

In addition to the typical user requested onsite services such as workstation service, setup, and troubleshooting, our team also performs proactive onsite IT service to help keep your infrastructure running and prevent problems from occurring in the first place.

Typical onsite IT services include support of various systems such as:

Issues with network wiring and internet connections
Wireless network design, installation, and support
Network hardware such as firewalls, switches, and routers
Servers, backup systems, and power protection
Desktop computers, printers, scanners, and other hardware
Physical security systems such as cameras and door control systems

All onsite requests are scheduled and triaged by our Service Coordinator who manages the workflow and assigns the next available, most appropriate technician to your onsite ticket.

Our secure support portal is easily accessible with an icon in the taskbar and provides complete transparency into the service process and workflow. Users can see the status of their ticket, who is working on it, the technician's notes and scheduled resources. They can enter notes for the tech, including updates or any new information, directly into the live ticket.

If the onsite I.T. work involves any changes to your systems or configurations, our staff will update our documentation portal with the new info to be sure that our records are always current, to ensure that our entire team has access to the latest knowledge and information about your systems.

White Mountain Onsite Services can be structured on a flat rate basis, where you have unlimited access with no additional charges, or you can choose to pay as you go and be billed as needed.

Question 6

What should be included in a written IT security policy?

Accepted Answer

Depending on the industry that you are in, and the data security and compliance regulations that may apply to you, a security policy can be quite involved.

At a minimum, every business should have a written security policy to demonstrate that the company takes data privacy and security seriously and has systems in place to protect it.

Without having a policy in place, that all employees have seen and agree to abide by, it may be problematic should a problem develop in the future.

A basic security policy should include:

Password policy
Acceptable use policy for email, internet browsing, social media, etc.
Access and control of proprietary data and client data
Access to company data from remote locations, or on non-corporate devices
Physical security protocols for doors, dealing with visitors, etc.
Understanding of data classification, what is critical and private data?
How to deal with and report lost or stolen devices
How to handle and report a suspected security breach or data loss
Requirements and expectations for Security Awareness Training
Use of third party cloud or file sync services such as Gmail, Dropbox, etc.
Requirements for encryption and computer locking procedures

There are very specific requirements that your business may need to adhere to, and there are tools and templates available to help get started. If you would like to see some sample policies and talk about how we may be able to help you put a plan in place, give us a call today!

Question 7

What types of things should be included in my IT Documentation?

Accepted Answer

One of the keys to being able to efficiently manage, support and use your IT systems is standardized documentation.

At White Mountain, we utilize a secure, state of the art database for documentation and client SOP's (Standard Operating Procedures). As we implement, manage and support your systems we are continuously referencing and updating the documentation that outlines what we did and how we did it.

The goal is to empower the support team to be as efficient as possible and to avoid depending on a single individual for critical information or knowledge. Ensuring a high level of efficiency and responsiveness on our end, allows us to keep your costs down, and productivity up. Having a professional Managed Service Provider supporting your business provides exponentially more value than a single employee or very small IT provider.

Here are a few of the things that should be included in your IT documentation:

Network diagram and floor-plan
ISP and circuit info
Inventory of all software and hardware
Complete documentation of servers
Security profile of data, share and user group access
Data backup requirements and system configuration
User census and profile
Firewall configuration and security profile
Remote access configuration
Third-party vendor information

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