The Human Touch - Why People-Focused IT Services Providers Are Essential for Modern Businesses

Technology is often the star of the show so it’s easy to overlook the importance of the real human - colleague, customer, supplier and relationships of what we do in business. For an increasing number of decision makers, the need for a Managed IT Services provider (MSP) that can prioritise human connections is more critical than ever.

Technology works

It might seem obvious, but the days of not being connected, or able to access applications or streams, or indeed your message not being delivered are largely gone. Technology has become so reliable, dependable and accessible that we are no longer wary of it. It's easy to see why new technology, such as AI, offering to automate mundane tasks or deliver sophisticated data analysis without the perceived need for any “Geek Skills” is deeply attractive. With simple prompts and setup tools like Microsoft Copilot assist users practically with the everyday stuff, such as drafting and improving documents, generating reports, and suggesting research resources as you type, in one place. Key to remember though – whatever you are creating, you are the expert prompting the technology to do something for you.

The Human Element in Technology

All this tech talk has an impact though. We are seeing many businesses experiencing "Tech Fatigue," overwhelmed by the relentless wave of new technologies, driven by corporations and the purveyors' of jargon, without an end in sight and most importantly not clearly seeing the relevance and benefits of easily applying these to their business. You shouldn't be buying technology, the next box or software update or faster fibre. What you do want to buy is a relationship with a company for great service - to be clear that’s service – not services - there is huge difference. That’s where the essential role of a people-focused managed IT Services provider comes into play.

The Future is Human

In an era where technology often seems to dominate every aspect of business, the human touch remains invaluable. People-focused MSPs bring a balance of technical and business expertise along with operational intelligence, helping businesses and their teams not only survive but thrive. They help companies cut through the noise of "Digital BS" and focus on what truly matters: leveraging technology in a way that improves their business using its greatest resource – people. IFB offers more than just support for the technical services we offer - the connectivity, security, communications and protection. Our team leans more toward relationship, having the ability, and taking the time to understand customers enough to help with direction and to guide and move forward with them

This article was published in Aberdeen and Grampian Chamber of Commerce’s Business Bulletin in September 2024.