Johannesburg, 01 Feb 2018
It's pretty simple. Without IT, the majority of businesses can't function. Employees require uninterrupted access to the devices, applications, networks and information that they need to perform their function within the business. So important is technology to the efficient functioning of pretty much any business in almost every sector, that some sort of end-user support is non-negotiable.
Because this function is so vital, it's evolving on an ongoing basis with things like increased automation and the use of applications to report and track tickets coming to the fore. Employees want their IT issues to be resolved quickly and efficiently so they can continue working as soon as possible. Which is also driving changes in how end-user support is delivered, says Satio Business Solutions' Managing Director Steven van Herk.
"Companies of all sizes, but particularly small to medium-sized businesses, face the dilemma of whether to outsource this key function, or to keep it in-house and have their own IT support team. There is no straight-forward solution to this dilemma," says Van Herk. "One has to weigh up the pros and cons of both approaches."
Companies that outsource their end-user support function - and who choose the right partners - will benefit from better and more professional service than an in-house resource might provide. The engineers providing the support will be more knowledgeable and familiar with the latest technology trends, while an in-house resource may not have the opportunity or luxury of upskilling themselves. The work will be done faster simply because more resources will be available than the company could afford to retain internally, and these resources will be facing a wide array of different challenges on a daily basis, so will be adept at solving complex issues quickly. Over and above this, it removes the burden of personnel management from the business.
Obviously there's a downside too, as once a company has outsourced a key function such as IT support it can be very difficult to bring that function back in-house and adjust to having possibly a single resource instead of an entire team at its disposal.
Satio Business Solutions' Operations Manager Jacques Nortj'e says the benefits presented by outsourcing non-core functions far outweigh the cons, which is why there's a growing trend for businesses to outsource various IT end-user support functions, including telephonic and remote support, device and network support and even server and cloud support. This frees up the business to focus on its core business. He has the following advice for businesses about to embark on an outsourcing journey: "Don't limit your options by insisting on a purely certifications-driven provider. Experience is just as important as certification, if not more so, so look for a provider who has been in business for a while and one that invests in upskilling its employees. Also consider the provider's area of specialty, as well as their footprint, i.e. are they able to send resources to your business, should the situation warrant it? Also find out how many resources will be dedicated to servicing your business."
Van Herk says: "The majority of issues encountered by the average business can be handled remotely, these include e-mail setups, general Microsoft Office application problems, in some cases printer setups, access to servers (network drives) and application installations. All that's required is an Internet connection and a remote support application such as TeamViewer or Windows Remote Assist."
"The ability to provide remote support enables us to get the end-user back online that much faster. It also means that smaller businesses can access quality IT support at a much lower price point, as businesses only pay for the support that they receive," says Nortj'e. "Naturally, not all problems can be resolved remotely, so you need a provider who is able to send a support engineer to your premises, should that be required."
One of the biggest concerns that businesses have when outsourcing IT support is data confidentiality, says Van Herk. "This concern can be addressed by implementing non-disclosure agreements and having a good intercompany relationship with your service provider."
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