Technical issues with company computers happen all the time. Especially in today’s day and age, with so many people working from home, ensuring that connectivity is smooth and all hardware is operating optimally is essential. This is where IT support comes in.
But exactly what is IT support? IT support is usually a department or individual within an organisation that helps users with any problems or queries they may have surrounding the use of their technical equipment or connectivity. For example, if you cannot connect to your organisation’s intranet, you may need to contact IT support for further assistance.
Ensuring that you have a reliable IT support service available to you is essential for employees to ensure they can complete their work tasks as efficiently as possible. In this post, we’ll delve into what IT support is and how it can benefit your company.
What does IT Support Involve?
An IT support department or service helps your organisation run on several fronts. The most common duties of those working in IT support include:
Technical Assistance
Some of the most common tasks that IT support is responsible for are troubleshooting, software support, and hardware fixes. Employees who have problems with any of these can contact IT support for assistance. IT support therefore acts as an extension of your team and ensures that everyone in your organisation can continue to work efficiently.
Network Support
Network setups vary across companies. With so many people working remotely, most organisations have an online portal where employees can log in from home. However, this also means that connectivity issues are common, and they can happen for several reasons. An IT support specialist can therefore assist anyone who experiences connectivity issues, issues with setting up networks and even assist in monitoring network health.
Software Updates and Patches
Companies often have to ensure that they keep private data safe, especially when they have to protect the likes of IP and customer data. For this reason, ensuring the security of IT systems is up to scratch is essential for organisations. In the same breath, ensuring that all the software on IT equipment is up to date helps ensure that employees can complete their work and that there are no delays due to sub-functional software.
Types of IT Support Services
Although most organisations have IT support departments operating in the same building as them, different types of IT support are available for different organisational setups. Below are a few examples of types of IT support services.
On-site Support
On-site IT support is the most traditional of all services. This is when a dedicated IT support department operates out of the same facility as the organisation they work for. It is very useful for anyone who has to go to an office to work as they can get in-person help immediately.
Remote Support
In a world where many people work from home, remote support is on the rise. Remote IT support means that people can call a dedicated person or department from anywhere to enquire about issues they may be experiencing with their IT equipment or software. It is likely that support will be provided over the phone or via online chat.
Managed IT Services
Managed IT services are becoming increasingly popular as they are able to provide a holistic approach to all an organisation’s IT needs. These services are usually separate business entities that are outsourced by another organisation and may have a dedicated team assigned to a particular company, depending on the size and complexity of their IT systems.
Why is IT Support Important?
There are two main reasons why IT support is important. They help prevent severe IT problems that may cause issues down the line and also help ensure that businesses keep hold of their data to function.
Preventative Measures
It is the role of an IT support team to ensure that technical aspects like connectivity, IT security and software are kept up to date. In doing this, they ensure that issues surrounding these areas do not come about often and assist in preventing more serious issues from arising as a result of neglect.
Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery
In today’s digital age, companies are relying more heavily on data. If data goes missing or is accidentally deleted, IT support can help to ensure that the data is recovered. This is often done by ensuring that backup systems are in place, like uploading data onto an internal server or cloud-based platform. This ensures that business can continue as normal, even when it looks like information has been lost.
Who Needs IT Support?
Most people who use IT equipment for work or in everyday life will require IT support in some or other capacity. Below are the main entities that will likely require IT support.
Small to Medium Businesses (SMBs)
As an SMB, ensuring that your security systems are watertight gives you one less thing to worry about as you grow and expand your business. With more and more business operations moving to the online space, IT support is an essential part of ensuring you keep up to date with business trends and data safety. New clients will also want to know that your systems run reliably and without a hitch.
Large Enterprises
Large enterprises have intricate systems that contain important documents, sensitive data, corporate policies and, sometimes, customer details too. Depending on the nature of the corporation, different kinds of IT support may be needed. Larger corporations are more prone to security breaches, which is why extra emphasis needs to be placed on cyber security and up-to-date systems.
Individuals
In modern times, most people have access to a laptop or smartphone and use them daily. If something goes wrong with this equipment, individuals need to have someone they can call to rectify any problems they run into. This is especially relevant for older generations who may not have the experience with technology that younger people do. This is why IT support for individuals is just as important as supporting larger organisations.
The Future of IT Support
The need for IT support is only expanding, especially with new aspects like AI, cyber-attacks, and the overall growing reliance on technology in general. Although technological innovations are designed to make people’s lives much easier, their integration certainly comes with its own issues.
With more companies undergoing digital transformations to cut costs and streamline operations, the increased demand for IT support is directly correlated. People also expect their IT equipment and software to run as smoothly as possible so as not to hinder their work, meaning that the need for IT support is only going to grow as systems need to continue to operate faster and more efficiently as the digital world progresses.
Conclusion
IT support is a central part of any organisation, whether you work for yourself or you’re part of a larger organisation. With such heavy reliance on computers, phones, smartwatches and the cloud, you cannot get through business without having access to reliable IT support.
If you are in need of an IT support team that you can rely on, then why not contact EC-MSP today? We have a multitude of services available to you, from basic support packages to expertise on more complex systems. We’re here to be your partner for all your IT support needs.
