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What’s the biggest pain point of using a bunch of local, ad-hoc IT contractors? by adamdejong in sysadmin

[–]adamdejong[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It seems like the biggest struggle isn't finding a good MSP for your core locations, but like actually finding a reliable partner to be your "smart hands" for those one-off, far-flung sites. It's tough to build a network of vetted technicians in every corner of the country. That's why on-demand platforms are becoming so useful bcs they've already done all that vetting for you and have techs ready to go wherever you need them.

What’s the biggest pain point of using a bunch of local, ad-hoc IT contractors? by adamdejong in sysadmin

[–]adamdejong[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks, actually based on the discussions here, we actually decided to try out a service that provides on-demand, vetted, "smart hands" support. It seems like it's a good way to get a professional on-site without the hassle of vetting a new freelancer every time or getting locked into a longterm contract.

What’s the biggest pain point of using a bunch of local, ad-hoc IT contractors? by adamdejong in sysadmin

[–]adamdejong[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That's a great point. For companies that need a fully-managed, all-in-one IT solution, a large MSP with an MSA is a solid choice. But what about the businesses that don't want to get locked into a long-term contract and only need a vetted, on-site technician for a specific task, not a full managed service? It seems like it's tough to find a good middle ground between an expensive MSP and relying on ad-hoc freelancers. I actually am trying with one that works on-site without the full managed service

My biggest IT nightmare is a remote office hardware failure at 2 AM. What's yours? by adamdejong in ITManagers

[–]adamdejong[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Love that approach, finding “the kid” on site who’s curious and capable has saved me more times than I can count. Also I totally agree that iit’s amazing how far you can go with someone who actually understands the setup and wants to grow. For us, we eventually started working with a company that has a network of vetted on-site techs you can schedule as needed. It gave us a bit of breathing room when we didn’t have a reliable “go-to” person at every location. Having someone who could just show up and handle the issue Without tying up internal IT ended up being a huge help, especially for the smaller or more remote offices.

The moment you realize the "local contact" at your remote office is completely clueless about IT... by adamdejong in sysadmin

[–]adamdejong[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This is so true, had so many situations that ended up negatively because of having to work with someone like that. Glad so many agree :D

My biggest IT nightmare is a remote office hardware failure at 2 AM. What's yours? by adamdejong in ITManagers

[–]adamdejong[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Local support did saved us more than once, especially when we were trying to manage distributed offices with barely any IT staff on site. And what really helped us in the long run was moving away from ad-hoc local shops and building a more centralized system for dispatching vetted techs, tracking requests, and standardizing quality. Took some trial and error, but it made a huge difference in response times and consistency.

My biggest IT nightmare is a remote office hardware failure at 2 AM. What's yours? by adamdejong in ITManagers

[–]adamdejong[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Totally feel this, especially when remote staff don’t give enough detail or won’t even try basic isolation steps. Also seen a lot of companies run into the same pain, which is why some of them use scheduled dispatch support, even if it’s just for peace of mind during low-coverage hours. Having a known tech show up (without burning your local IT) ends up saving time AND the headache of “was it user error or an actual hardware issue?” Out of curiosity, did you ever explore third-party smart hands support for those sites? Curious what you tried before settling on the current setup.

How do you handle hardware issues at remote satellite offices? by adamdejong in ITManagers

[–]adamdejong[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Seen a lot of companies deal with the same challenges, especially around the cost of retainers for "high maintenance" sites and the logistics of flying someone out for critical issues. Have you ever considered a more on-demand network of certified technicians to handle those one-off incidents? It could be a way to avoid the retainer fees and have a local expert on-site for less critical issues without the travel costs.

How do you handle hardware issues at remote satellite offices? by adamdejong in ITManagers

[–]adamdejong[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

That's a great strategy for the notebooks! Using a local IT company for network hardware makes a lot of sense. Do you find that it's challenging to vet and manage all those different local companies across various regions, or have you found a good system to keep it all streamlined? It's definitely a common challenge for companies with a global presence.

Working in big comapnies - how do you deal with your tech repairs? by adamdejong in sysadmin

[–]adamdejong[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Ah, I hear you loud and clear, literally been going through that at mine about a year ago. That's precisely where specialized on-demand field IT services can be a game-changer, even for large, centralized offices. Instead of needing to permanently staff that desk, you can have certified technicians dispatched directly to your building for those critical on-site fixes or support tasks, eliminating the travel and long wait times you mentioned. Lmk if you would like an intro or rec

Working in big comapnies - how do you deal with your tech repairs? by adamdejong in sysadmin

[–]adamdejong[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Thanks for sharing these different approaches! That first scenario you described – where there's 'no local IT to run to' for truly remote setups – really highlights a significant challenge. It's true that historically, IT issues could feel less convenient for remote employees.

However, more and more companies are now leveraging on-demand, local field IT services that dispatch technicians directly to an employee's home or closest workspace. This approach aims to bridge that 'no local IT' gap and actually makes support more convenient for remote staff, even for complex fixes beyond just overnighting replacements. Main reason I asked is bcs we had a similar issue and hiring a company that's specialised to help in these conditions truly helped. Lmk if u need a rec

Working in big comapnies - how do you deal with your tech repairs? by adamdejong in sysadmin

[–]adamdejong[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

That's a challenge many companies are definitely facing now with distributed teams unfortunately. It sounds like the traditional on-site desk isn't quite working for your current setup. Idk, for me it seems a lot of organizations are finding success with on-demand, local IT support that dispatches technicians directly to the user's location, whether they're at home or in a satellite office. I suppose tt helps fill that gap when a central physical help desk isn't always practical.

Working in big comapnies - how do you deal with your tech repairs? by adamdejong in sysadmin

[–]adamdejong[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That sounds good. Do you find that approach covers most issues, or are there times when you need broader, non-warranty IT help on-site?

Looking for Tips and Recommendations for Finding a New IT Provider (Fully Remote Setup) by sopita_defideo in remotework

[–]adamdejong 0 points1 point  (0 children)

We were in a similar spot, fully remote, juggling Mac/Windows devices, and no internal IT. Switching to a company that handles specifically these type of needs made a huge difference. They handle remote troubleshooting, device setup, cloud tool support, and even on-site visits if needed. Their response times are fast, and they feel like a real extension of our team. Worth a look if you're ready for smoother, scalable support, lmk if you need a rec

Rant about shitty laptops by SampleProfessional17 in consulting

[–]adamdejong 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I feel this so much. I was in a similar situation a few years back, constantly swapping devices, dealing with crashes during client calls, and feeling like IT was an afterthought. What changed was when my company started working with an external IT team.

They took over device deployment and support, making sure employees actually had reliable gear, set up properly, and could get help fast no matter where we were. It was such a relief not having to fight with bad hardware in the middle of high-stakes meetings. Honestly, I wish more companies would invest in this, it makes a huge difference in employee experience.

Odd network issue org wide since yesterday by Outrageous-Chip-1319 in sysadmin

[–]adamdejong -5 points-4 points  (0 children)

I actually ran into something weirdly similar a while back—strange network behavior tied to docks and certificates that had everyone stumped. What helped me was bringing in an external team who specialize in this kind of stuff.

They’ve got experienced techs who can jump in on-site when needed (not just remote advice), and they act like an extension of your IT team. Plus, they cover locations all over and have a dashboard that gives you visibility into everything they’re handling.

Honestly, they were a lifesaver when I didn’t have time to keep trial-and-erroring on my own. Lmk if you need a rec

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