IT Support: What you need to know
What is IT support? Often referred to as technical support, it is a specialized support center staffed by seasoned IT experts. Its primary mission is to aid IT system users whenever they face challenges. These issues could range from equipment malfunctions to malware attacks within the computer network. The IT help desk can be an in-house department or an outsourced support team.
Setting up in-house IT support requires sufficient resources for dedicated IT technicians. Alternatively, an IT service provider can be recruited to provide technical support. This is a very attractive option, since external IT support is generally more experienced and responsive. What’s more, it allows you to focus on your core business and delegate the management of your IT system to an external support service. In this article, we explore essential aspects to consider in both types of IT support.
How does IT support work?
Outsourced IT support operates in three levels.
Support categorization
This stage defines the scope of operations to be handled by IT support, or in other words, the technical perimeter. There are two options here: the exclusive management of hardware, or management of the entire information system infrastructure. The level of technical support to be provided is determined by the choice of service management.
Once the technical scope has been established, the IT technician will put in place the tools required for the position. This includes, for example, implementing software that enables the remote intervention of IT equipment to run updates, trigger corrective actions, etc. They also include tools for monitoring the company’s IT systems, to detect any abnormal behavior.
In the final stage of support, technical support will carry out a detailed inventory of the IT system. It will compile a document containing all information relating to the information system, in terms of both hardware and software.
Active support
In the next phase, IT system users are able to contact technical support in search of resolution. IT support can be contacted through various means:
- Internet
- Instant messaging
- Support tickets
- Telephone support
Most companies commonly use IT support tickets. Reasons include prioritization of issues, structured communication, and well documented issues for future reference. During the active support phase, periodic meetings are also held between the IT service provider and the customer. This enables IT support performance to be assessed and improved. These technical meetings are also used to identify the most recurrent problems and plan the optimization of the information system.
Throughout the active support phase, regular meetings take place between the IT service provider and the customer. These meetings serve a dual-purpose, evaluating the IT support performance and proposing improvements to the services offered. These meetings help to pinpoint common issues and facilitate strategic planning that will optimize your IT system.
Technical support requirements
Some company activities, especially those running around the clock, such as factories, may require continuous IT support. In these circumstances, this will need to be included in the technical service contract, to ensure that technicians are available at all times and compensated correctly.
The different levels of IT support
IT support levels commonly include up to 3 or more levels, depending on the size and sector. Each level ascends in order of severity. Level 1 (Tier 1 or helpdesk) covers all low level and easy to resolve interventions. These can be handled remotely by the IT service provider.
The role of a level 1 (Tier 1) technician is firstly to receive customer requests, and secondly analyze their criticality. If the technician is unable to resolve and issue, the request is escalated to level 2 (Tier 2).
The level 2 technician deals with incidents requiring advanced skills. They also deal with malfunctions encountered by a multitude of users simultaneously. These professionals are often experts in IT security, networks, and systems.
The role of level 3 IT support technician involves dealing with the most serious breakdowns. These issues are considered a real emergency and require a quick resolution time to minimize risk. Level 3 user support technicians are specialists with highly specialized skills in IT infrastructure.
Lemon Learning and IT support
Lemon Learning’s solution is ideal for managing your IT support. Compatible with all your online software, it helps you create a wealth of repurposed and original content for your uses. What’s more, users can access this content anytime, on-demand whenever they need it. The content is interactive, easy to generate and adapt.
Lemon Learning users will quickly become the masters of their day-to-day tools, resulting in significantly reduced IT support requests, support, and help desk costs. Get in touch if you’d like help to set up efficient technical support in your company.
