Frequently Asked Questions
about Portland business IT Support
General IT Support
Q: What are Managed IT Services?
A: Managed IT Services are the ongoing services that keep employees productive and systems secure—covering help desk, monitoring, cybersecurity, updates, backups, and IT planning. SpireTech is a Managed IT Service Provider (MSP) located in Portland, OR and we call our Managed IT Services VIPsupport.
Q: What is VIPSupport?
A: VIPSupport is SpireTech’s Managed IT Services plan tailored to your business. All of our plans include device and system monitoring, user management, synchronized updates and patches, cybersecurity, data backup services, IT advisory, and tech support for employees. SpireTech provides everything you need for a fully built out IT team without the big price tag.
Q: What areas does SpireTech provide service to?
A: SpireTech services the city of Portland and the surrounding areas, including Milwaukie, Clackamas, Beaverton, Gresham, Tualatin, Hillsboro, Wilsonville, Lake Oswego, Salem, and even Vancouver, Washington. Businesses outside of this area can and should still contact us—we may be able to make exceptions!
Q: What industries does SpireTech specialize in?
A: SpireTech provides specialized care for a wide range of industries including architects and engineers, manufacturing, financial services, property management, construction, real estate, professional services, and legal services. Our team of experts tailor IT solutions to meet every industry’s needs.
Q: What makes SpireTech different from other Portland IT companies?
A: SpireTech stands apart from other providers thanks to over thirty years of hands-on IT experience serving Portland businesses. Our Portland IT team delivers proactive solutions, following the latest industry best practices to protect your company against cybersecurity attacks before they occur. We support every employee, prioritize long-term relationships, and act as a true partner—working to anticipate challenges and prevent issues, not just react when something goes wrong.
Q: Do you offer co-managed IT Services?
A: Yes, SpireTech does offer co–managed IT services in which we work alongside any existing internal IT staff to provide additional support, specialized expertise, or coverage during off-hours.
Do I need Managed IT Services or a full-time IT person?
A: For a lot of Oregon small businesses, using Managed IT Services is a better fit than an IT person. Employing someone full-time is more costly than outsourcing IT to an MSP, and using Managed IT means that your company gets access to niche IT experts, providing you with better and more specialized care.
Service Delivery and Response Times
Q: How fast does SpireTech respond to IT support requests?
A: SpireTech guarantees a response to IT needs within four business hours at a maximum. Our help desk is available every workday from 8 am – 5 pm PT. For critical issues, our response time is faster, and emergency support is available outside of standard hours if needed.
Q: Does SpireTech offer remote support?
A: Yes, SpireTech offers remote support for the majority of issues and can solve common IT problems remotely which means a faster resolution for our clients. Standard remote support includes device monitoring, endpoint detection and threat response, synchronous updates, and cybersecurity.
Q: Can SpireTech come on site?
A: Yes, SpireTech is able to provide on-site service when needed to Oregon cities like Portland, Clackamas, and the surrounding metro areas.
Q: Do you offer 24/7 support?
A: We monitor your systems for threats 24/7 with immediate threat response for business endpoints and systems.
Q: What’s the difference between managed IT services and hourly tech support?
A: Managed IT services provide Portland businesses with ongoing and proactive tech support, monitoring, and system maintenance for a fixed monthly fee. Hourly tech support is “break-fix” and can be much more expensive than proactive maintenance.
Q: What’s included in your monthly IT support plans?
A: All of SpireTech’s plans include IT support for employees, system monitoring, patch management, antivirus protection, cloud support, strategic IT consulting, data backup solutions, and cybersecurity services. Support plans can be tailored to a specific business’ needs and may include more coverage.
Q: Do I need to sign a contract with SpireTech in order to get support?
A: Yes, in order to offer the lowest prices we can, SpireTech asks our clients to sign annual agreements.
Q: Do you support Macs, PCs, or both?
A: We support both Windows PCs and Macs. Whether your team uses Windows, macOS, or a mix of devices, we provide help desk support, software updates, and security services across platforms. However, our team is strongest on the Windows platform.
Q: How do we get started with your IT services?
A: Start here with a free, no-commitment, thirty-minute IT consultation. We’ll assess your current setup, discuss your goals, and recommend a support plan that fits your business. We hope to talk to you soon!