Service Tip: Hiring and firing can cost you an arm and a leg. Avoid the emergency rate on your next IT service call.

Here's a great tip to remember the next time you plan on hiring a new employee or laying someone off--let your IT service provider know ahead of time. You'll save yourself headache, stress and money by putting in a regular service call about a week in advance to let your provider know the planned date you'll want to implement the changes. Remember, most IT providers charge time-and-a-half for same-day emergency response if you're not on a managed service plan.

If it's a new hire, your provider will open a service ticket with a tech to create a new user account on your system. The work for this can be done several days in advance of the new hire's first day.

If you're in the more uncomfortable and time-sensitive position of letting an employee go, we strongly suggest you call your IT provider at least a week in advance. You don't want to take any chances that a disgruntled ex-employee might steal or corrupt your sensitive company data. Let your provider know the planned date and time of the termination. Your provider will schedule a tech to close the user's account and change all associated company passwords within that time frame. This appointment will need to occur on the day that the employee is given notice of termination. If you're not sure of the exact time you'll be giving notice, at least give the tech a preferred window of time. For instance, late morning, mid afternoon, or at the end of the business day. If you are particularly concerned about an employee's reaction and the possibility of data manipulation, make sure you let your tech know this and get an exact time squared away.

Keeping open lines of communication with your IT provider is key to providing efficient service and keeping your costs down.