Your ERP and CRM deployments were a big success—you now run your business much more efficiently. It likely took careful planning and execution to get where you are today, and it’s just as critical to create an environment where that same planning and execution carry forward to ensure your ERP and CRM platforms meet your future needs.
That’s where an Managed Support Services contract can help. By collaborating with your trusted partner, they can give you access to a dedicated team of ERP, CE, and Power BI professionals to not only provide immediate break/fix support, but also build short-term and long-term plans so you can proactively manage your platforms to meet your operational requirements as your business grows.
And because Managed Support Services plans use a fixed monthly per-user licensing structure, you can accurately project your support costs. The model allows you to adjust your license as your user count goes up and down, so the cost always reflects your business needs. No more wondering just how many hours you’re your users will consume each month during tech support calls.
Considerations When Selecting a Managed Support Services Partner
When considering potential partners to provide Managed Support Services for your ERP, CE, or Power BI platforms, look for one that provides a range of dedicated resources. These include an Account Coordinator who serves as your primary point of contact and assures the timely completion of all deliverables. You also want to have access to a Solution Architect—the technical lead who assesses your roadmap and recommends changes for meeting today’s needs while also developing one-year, three-year, and five-year plans.
The third key component of Managed Support Services is a dedicated break/fix team. They take the time to know your environment and are generally available during your business hours, so they can mitigate issues quickly and limit the extent of any incidents that occur. They can also escalate when necessary and interact on your behalf with your software vendor.
Help With Application Releases
Another key benefit of Managed Support Services is when your software vendor issues new releases of your ERP and CE platforms. Your Solution Architect will assess the application updates to advise you of the impact on your environment. They also evaluate the new features to help you determine which ones to activate.
Just as importantly, the Solution Architect keeps you informed of any components the software vendor is deprecating so you can adjust accordingly. And if a new update from your software vendor breaks something in your environment, your Managed Support Services partner will facilitate the remediation.
The Western Computer Managed Support Services Advantage
Western Computer is a leading Microsoft partner that provides Managed Support Services for Microsoft Dynamics solutions. In addition to our own senior-level Managed Support Services team, we leverage our close relationship with Microsoft for access to global expertise and to expedite upgrades, testing, tickets, answers, and resolutions. To learn more, contact Western Computer today.
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