Computerware Blog

IT support can be challenging to handle for small businesses. They might understand the importance of IT, but their actions often do not speak to this. Some small businesses fail to invest properly in IT support, or they simply do not know what to look for in the services they need. Thankfully, you have us to help you make the right call for your business IT.

When it comes to getting the technology support you need to keep your business running, nothing beats a great help desk solution. Unfortunately, not all help desks have the same quality that you would expect from experts in the field. To help you make the best decisions about your business’ technology support needs, we have outlined four key traits that you should look for in any help desk employee/solution.

Your employees appreciate when you give them all the tools they need to complete their day-to-day tasks. If you take the time to provide them with everything they need to do their jobs, then they will, in turn, provide you with a higher rate of productivity and work quality. One way you can make this happen is by giving them access to the technical assistance they’ll need.

When your business has computer problems, productivity tends to decline. Unfortunately, IT, for all its benefits, has to be constantly maintained. One of the best ways to maintain your technology, or fix issues when they arise, is to lean on an IT help desk. Let’s take a look at the ways an IT help desk can benefit your business.

For the business that relies on their IT, malfunctioning systems can be costly, both in terms of maintenance and the loss of productivity from downtime. When your business chooses to outsource its IT support it gains access to several services designed to keep downtime to a minimum and keep your technology working for you. In part two of our five-part series on the benefits of managed services, we describe the value of our 24/7 help desk and other forms of IT support.

A world without any technical issues bogging down your organization is rather picturesque, wouldn’t you agree? The issue here is that it’s often not possible for businesses that struggle with payment to make ends meet--particularly in regard to technology maintenance. You can potentially prevent a mound of problems in the future by providing your team with the technology assistance needed to get them through their day-to-day duties.

All businesses need technology to function properly, at least to a certain extent. Depending on how heavily they rely on technology for operations, however, they will need varying degrees of support. Some businesses are fortunate enough to have an in-house IT department that can handle most any request, but others depend on employees being their own tech support option. Needless to say this isn’t the preferable scenario to be in.

Technology support is critical to the success of businesses, but investing in these solutions presents an entirely different problem--whether or not your business can afford an in-house support team. Depending on the budget, businesses often find themselves investing in IT support that’s both counter-productive and costly. We’re here to tell you that remote support and a help desk solution can mitigate costs and help you achieve a higher return on your investment.

When it comes to maintaining and managing technology properly, larger businesses traditionally have the advantage over small-and-medium-sized ones, as they have greater financial resources. In fact, many small businesses will postpone these activities to help preserve the flexibility in their budget. What these businesses need is a way to leverage the benefits of proactive IT maintenance without breaking the bank.

Workstations that don’t work properly can get in the way of even the most diligent of workers. If the IT department is too busy to give them immediate assistance, where can your employees turn to? If your organization has a help desk solution, workers have a great way to get the assistance they need without having to wait.

It’s important that issues are resolved as quickly as possible, so they don’t negatively affect operations. A help desk is the best way to eliminate time and productivity lost to technology troubles, and it gives employees the freedom to request assistance as it is needed.

A help desk works by giving an employee who is experiencing a problem, the ability to quickly contact an IT technician that can, and will, resolve the issue. This is all done without disrupting anyone that doesn’t need to be involved because it is a direct line to assistance. A help desk solution serves as a great way to contain an IT issue from taking up more time and resources than it should.

With a help desk, your staff won’t be distracted by a member of IT arriving on the scene to resolve the problem. This also allows your IT department to keep all hands-on deck and allow your technicians to focus on doing what technicians do best; innovating and creating new ways to optimize technology for your organization’s benefit. Plus, it is likely that your IT staff has more pressing obligations and responsibilities than setting up someone’s email.

As a bonus, one major benefit of a help desk comes after an employee takes full advantage of it. Since the employee gets immediate assistance and isn’t being burdened by faulty technology, they’ll be able to get right back to work with minimal downtime. This means that you aren’t spending money to pay an employee for time that’s unproductive. Eliminating downtime is one of the key ways that businesses can save in operating costs, and a help desk helps you achieve this goal.

In the long run, implementing a help desk solution for you and your staff will pay for itself. Less downtime equates to more productivity and more money. To learn more about how a help desk can help your business save money, reach out to Computerware at (703) 821-8200.

Imagine, for a moment, that your team is working diligently toward a goal, and even the slightest disruption could derail productivity. What happens when your team experiences software hiccups or a hardware problem that they don’t know how to resolve? Unless you have an in-house IT department, or reliable experts available at all times, you might be out of luck.

One of the major reasons that a company forsakes implementing their own IT department is that it’s incredibly expensive to hire staff and accommodate their needs. They may feel they can save money by having employees repair their own devices, but this can be disastrous. Inexperienced employees can mishandle technology and data, which can lead to hardware failure, data loss, and so much more. The end-user’s DIY fixes may not be aligned with company policy, and when it comes to your solutions, wouldn’t it be better to just hire professional technicians who know what they’re doing?

But what if you just don’t have room in your budget to hire an in-house IT technician?

While it’s easy for SMBs to get stuck on the pain points of time and money, there is a solution for those who can’t afford, or can’t find, a proper in-house IT department. One of the best ways that you can maintain the same level of care and expertise is by implementing a help desk solution from Computerware. You can think of the help desk as a virtual environment where you can report issues, communicate with our IT staff, and get the support you need to make it through the work week. It’s a great asset that lets your business get all of the benefits of an outsourced IT department, without the hefty budgeting problems that come from hiring new and experienced technicians.

Here are just a few of the many benefits that come with Computerware’s help desk solution:

Support when you need it
A help desk solution provides you with the tools you need to reach out to technical support when it’s needed. If your employees need help with resolving a specific issue, our techs are standing by to help your team resolve the problem. Our team can also remotely access your systems, which can help you avoid the costs of an on-site visit.

Assistance from experienced techs
Arguably the greatest benefit of working with Computerware’s help desk is that you’re not working with inexperienced techs. Instead, you’re working with established professionals who want to use their skills to help you succeed. After all, when you succeed, we succeed.

Single point of contact
Dealing with vendors can be frustrating, especially when you need very specific help, and it’s unavailable for whatever reason. Instead of jumping through hoops for support from your vendor, it makes sense to reach out to a single point of contact who can help you with any problems you encounter. Computerware can help to ensure that you waste as little time as possible working with vendors.

So, what’s keeping you from achieving maximum operational efficiency? With a help desk solution from Computerware, we can guarantee that it won’t be your IT support. To learn more, reach out to us at (703) 821-8200.

What if you can have one employee who’s dedicated to receiving calls and answering tech support questions from the rest of your staff? Essentially, someone having this role would be like a help desk for your business. If you don’t think you can afford filling in a seat like this, consider how much time/money a move like this would save you if employees didn’t have to waste time seeking out needed information.

It's frustrating to do things the hard way. Although sometimes, the frustration experienced by others can be pretty entertaining to watch. One of the ripest scenarios for frustration is bad IT service caused by poor communication. Having good communication tools can save both ends of an IT support call from getting frustrated.