Finding the right kind of IT help
We have all been there... sitting and staring at a black screen and wondering: ‘dare I pick up the phone and call the helpdesk?’
We relent and dial the number, leave a message and hope that, at some time in the next four days the IT guy – safe in his role, but resistant to change because it might affect his comfortable little world – will arrive at our side and sagely pronounce “it’s dead! We’ll have to take it away… it’ll be at least a week… can’t you use another machine?”
Perhaps it’s not that bleak, but problems with IT remain one of the biggest headaches to a business and can be the most harmful.
The solution does not always lie within the company. The dear old IT guy is usually very protective of his empire and cares little about how what he does should benefit the company.
Sometimes an external view can offer the best solution. Outsourcing IT support is becoming common business practice and there is a plethora of firms offering a wide range of services. But do these solutions serve your business needs or the supplier’s limitations? Some merely offer a reactionary service, parachuting in experts to provide a quick fix. Some want to sell the latest products.
Instead, they should offer real solutions that will not only serve the needs of the business but also help it to grow, evolving alongside the company and meeting its requirements as those needs change.
Like the computer equipment itself, IT support – whether internal or outsourced – does not always suit the needs of the company.
What might have been sufficient when the computer system was installed might not be ideal now. It might have become outdated.
* For more information, contact Rob Savage at Robsavage.com.
