This goes out to all the business owners, managers, department heads, and other leaders in the workplace who have to field user complaints and issues.
Being in this position can be hard, because you often have to say no. No, we can’t change the timeline or increase the budget for this project. No, we can’t do XYZ that way because it would break compliance. No, we can’t get new hardware/software in until we get it approved in the budget. Repeat ad nauseam.
As a Decision Maker, You Have to Say No… Sometimes.
Keeping things in the green often means keeping a firm foothold on things and staying within the scope and budget that was planned. That means saying no to change, no to unexpected upgrades, and no to things that you can otherwise work through.
That being said, usually when a user starts being vocal about a frustrating computer issue, that issue has already been affecting them for a little while. If an important line-of-business application just misses the mark on a feature that your team needs, it’s likely causing problems that affect your bottom line.
Even so, when a team member raises their hand, you can’t always just approve the request without evaluating the costs and impact.
At the same time, if your workforce is dealing with a problem that is making it harder for them to get the job done, it can cost you time and money in the form of lost productivity.
I realize I’m not telling you anything you don’t already know—that’s why you are in the position you are in. You make these kinds of decisions all the time.
With that said, tech support doesn’t need to have a gatekeeper. Let me elaborate; it does when it costs your business money each time you use it. A tech support agreement with a reputable IT company can mean that you can grant your staff access to get the tech support they need without it needing to be approved first.
The Benefits of Allowing Users to Get the IT Support They Need
Granting your staff the ability to get technical support without being worried about the per-call costs or hourly billable time can make a huge difference when it comes to your bottom line.
Solve IT Issues Faster
If an employee can simply put in a ticket or call tech support when experiencing an issue, they don’t need to bring it up the chain to management and get authorization. This gets their issue fixed much faster.
Involve Fewer People
Your time is valuable, and your train of thought is important. If you need to get involved every time someone in your department can’t print or runs into an application error, you aren’t going to be as effective as you can be.
Improve Morale
Empowering people to take care of their basic needs in the office tends to make them feel more accountable and accomplished. Plus, they know they can get an issue fixed without asking permission, which goes a long way.
It’s Almost Always Cheaper in the Long Run
Granted, IT services and contracts aren’t free, but when you combine IT management services with the ongoing maintenance, monitoring, and security work that absolutely needs to happen, with a support agreement that grants your users the basic technical support they need, it almost always ends up costing less than the more chaotic, less stable variation. When issues are fixed faster, users can get work done more effectively, bigger problems can be identified earlier, and problems can be solved before they become catastrophic. It’s a win-win.
Let’s Revoke Your Tech Support Gatekeeping Badge
We know you have more important things to do. Pathfinders IT can make it easy for you by providing your organization with a flat-rate to handle all of your everyday IT issues, all while keeping your network operating smoothly. To get started, give us a call at 610-854-1060.