If your company operates IT hardware or software of any kind, the odds are that it will need a good quality helpdesk support to keep everything running smoothly. Being able to diagnose and fix technical problems quickly and efficiently is key to keeping your business on track to meet its targets. Businesses have a number of options when it comes to IT helpdesk support. They can employ their own in-house IT repair team – or outsource the function to a specialist external provider.
Why outsource your IT helpdesk?
Outsourcing the IT helpdesk function can bring a business many benefits in terms of time and cost savings, access to expert knowledge and a welcome reduction in frustration and stress for the whole team. Internal IT people are freed up to work on other projects, while the wider organisation has the peace of mind that a specialist, professional team is standing by to help anyone experiencing issues with their computers, printers, internet or phones. Having an outsourced IT helpdesk can also increase the reputation of a business for efficiency and technical prowess among its customers.
However, before agreeing to take on an external IT helpdesk support provider, it is essential to check that they meet your organisation’s requirements in a number of key areas. Here are five things to look for:
- A flexible and customisable business approach
Just as no two IT helpdesk support providers are the same, the businesses seeking their services are all highly individual too. Look for a provider who is willing to be flexible and work with your specific organisation to design and supply the right configuration of services for your needs. Perhaps you just need straightforward, hands-on technical support when things go wrong. On the other hand, you may wish to bring your IT helpdesk support provider into wider discussions on how to use your cloud services more effectively, upgrade your systems or enhance your IT security.
- Curiosity and learning
The world of IT is well-known for its fast pace of development and increases in technical knowledge that inform exciting projects, approaches and solutions. Look for signs that your IT helpdesk support providers have curiosity about the future of IT and are not just happy to sit back and fix things day in, and day out. Of course, they must be proficient at the basics, but a thirst for knowledge will demonstrate a passion and dedication to the sector, rather than seeing it simply as a means to pay the bills.
- Workflow automation
IT support desk functions generate plenty of admin of their own, from generating and managing support tickets to keeping detailed reports of tasks completed in a day, week, month or year. The most efficient IT helpdesks have adopted savvy ways to automate these repetitive processes to free up their time to work on more complex computer repairs or provide their customers with added value IT support services. Automation can also help reduce human errors and ensure more consistent reporting methods.
- Self-service capabilities
Ask any IT helpdesk support expert and they will tell you that a large volume of tickets from users seeking help require only minimal help, as the issues being raised can be solved with some simple instructions or adjustments. More and more, higher-performing IT helpdesk support providers are offering self-service functions, such as online FAQs, videos and troubleshooting sheets to help people resolve their own IT issues. This can help reduce the number of tickets in their system and speed up response times for IT issues and computer repairs that are more complex and require more time and technical expertise.
- Self-monitoring and auditing
Another way to identify an effective IT helpdesk support provider is to find out what self-monitoring and auditing processes they have in place to track their own KPIs and identify performance issues. Data from call abandonment rates or unresolved tickets, for example, can reveal where weaknesses in the system lie, while positive data around resolved issues and positive user feedback can show where the provider is doing well. This type of data can also help you as a customer work out trends of behaviour in your own business, such as which departments or individuals require more support from the IT helpdesk and the kinds of problems that are being reported.