E-technology, while bringing flexibility and enabling companies to operate globally round-the-clock, has resulted in a reliance on IT. And the people who have the greatest difficulty adapting to this demanding, yet vital work component are the ordinary users.
"A large portion of the network and server environment focuses on overall optimisation of the system, but what organisations forget is that if there is pain, it`s the users who are feeling it - on their desktops," says Simon Turner, Business Unit manager, enterprise systems at Dimension Data.
Turner says the resultant lost of productivity has a great cost implication to corporations. This can be attributed to three factors:
"The client server environment has resulted in a far less disciplined work atmosphere, with users being able to access areas of the network they do not have adequate knowledge to tamper with. With control effectively sitting on the machine in front of them and not on the mainframe, they have started to experiment - dramatically increasing the company`s IT support requirements as well as the total cost of ownership (TCO) of the IT infrastructure.
"Too much time is spent on problem-solving relating to PCs and helpdesk support rather than on IT activities that provide business advantage for the organisation."
The second cause of desktop pain relates to the myriad of software products at the users` disposal. "While allowing users to extend their knowledge through increased accessibility to information, these packages also impact negatively on productivity and increase the pressure on support services," comments Turner.
"Within today`s PC or client server environment, in-house support requirements increase exponentially - and it is often very difficult to find support staff with appropriate skills across the variety of software found within companies today.
"Yet perhaps the most influencing factor, and one that tends to be downplayed, is that the majority of PC users never intended to follow a career that involved computers," he says. "Users have been forced into the environment by technical enhancement and advancement. This situation is exacerbated by the need for technicians with all the necessary supporting skills. This leads to the need for a larger support staff compliment.
"Quite simply, by not effectively managing staff`s access to technology, and ensuring that they are adequately trained on the packages they require, limits the positive impact that technology can have on both the user and the overall corporation.
"Dimension Data Enterprise Systems has developed a service whereby we strategically assess a company`s immediate pain and, in partnership with the company, work to eliminate this. We look to minimise desktop support through an effectively managed environment," says Turner.
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Dimension Data Holdings plc is a leading global network services and i-Commerce solutions provider, focused on enabling enterprises, telecommunications service providers and new economy companies to communicate and transact effectively in an e-enabled environment.
Listed on the London Stock Exchange, Dimension Data is a constituent of the FTSE 100 index. The group operates in over 30 countries on six continents. It has achieved a three-year compound annual growth rate in US dollars of 73% in revenue and 36% in basic earnings per share. For more information, please go to www.didata.com.
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