What is an IT support service? Good question, the answer is actually really simple!
IT stands for ‘Information Technology’ and covers a broad range of areas, such as the Internet, websites, telecommunications, basically any device or technology you might be using at work or home such as your computer, laptop and hand held device.
IT support service is the ability to assist with any IT issues a person may have. Most people have at some point contacted an IT support specialist without even realizing it.
An Overview of What IT Services Are
IT (information technology) is all to do with computer-based ‘Information Technology’. Considering that we are living in a rather technologically advanced world, IT support services are necessary. Also referred to as technical support, it is basically the process of offering assistance with technology-related devices such as computers, cellphones, digital video recorders, televisions, and so on. The aim of these services is to provide consumers with the solutions they require when they are experiencing problems with the device they have bought. A majority of companies offers IT support for their users, with many of them offering it as an “add on” for no cost with their products. Typically, it is used to assist in solving specific problems an individual or firm might be facing.
Usually, when an individual buys an IT-related electronic device, it is accompanied by a guarantee that grants the individual free IT support for a specified amount of time.
However, even if no such guarantee has been issued, there are a number of companies that provide personal IT support services for any person who is needing immediate IT support.
Companies also require IT support services to ensure that their systems are working efficiently and with no glitches. Firms that rely heavily on information technology usually have an in-house IT support team working full time. Such teams have back-up systems already in place in case something goes wrong.
When someone buys a product, it is usually accompanied with specific information. This information usually contains a toll free number that the person can call if he or she needs assistance. If you’re needing assistance in setting up your device, or it’s not quite working right, you can call to make queries on how to use the product correctly and they can also assist in giving a step by step on set up procedures.
Assistance through telephone was the most common way of accessing IT support services in the past. In recent years however, these services are being offered via email or an interactive website in addition to through the telephone.
In the case that the assistance being offered via the telephone isn’t sufficient, there are alternatives. It is usually possible to contact a service provider where you can seek personal IT support for the issue.
For those who don’t mind paying for the IT support service, there are fee-based services that will provide them with all the help they need, and much more. In addition to trouble shooting with the product owner, such premium services may also offer training and customization.
The great thing about IT support services is that they can be as simple or as detailed as the person making the inquiry wants them to be. Often, a question can be answered within a few seconds or minutes. At other times, the support service assistant will be more than willing to spend hours with the enquirer on the telephone or via email to offer the technical solutions needed to use the product. While each help desk is different, generally it is possible to access all the needed information and support through them. At times you may need to make several calls for your IT issues to be rectified, but that is exactly what an IT specialist is there for.
Three main types of IT support services exist:
- Block Hours
- Time and Material
- Managed Services
Block Hours is mainly used by businesses that are willing to pay a discounted rate for a specified amount of hours. They can use such support at their discretion over a certain period of time – for instance a month or a year. In the case of Time and Material IT support service, clients pay for any materials that they may require. There is a pre-arranged fee for the amount of time the technician will take to fix the problem. This is the service used by most IT support firms. On the other hand, Managed Services are often utilized by businesses whereby they negotiate a fee for specified requirements. The services may include round-the-clock IT support for their clients, or a visit by a technician in case a certain issue cannot be solved remotely.
Firms that offer outsourced IT support services face high client expectations when it comes to levels of service. Systems are growing more complicated while customers are becoming increasingly mobile. This has made it become more and more difficult to maintain the bottom line. To make matters even worse, security requirements are seldom uniform across industries and clients. In order to offer support to all of such devices and systems, many IT ‘outsourcers’ are leveraging basic tools for remote access. In addition to such tools hindering productivity, they are also paving the way for hackers. Remote access services such as RDP and VNC account for a significant percentage of all breaches that are accessed via hacking. This highlights the importance of using the right IT support service solution.
Appliance-based remote support IT solutions allows the user to access and fix virtually any device or system anywhere remotely. At the same time, system access and sensitive data is kept behind the user’s own secure firewall. With such solutions, IT support service outsources can shut out hackers and also improve levels of service in order to boost client satisfaction.
This article provides a brief overview of what IT Support services are, who they are available to, how to access them, and the various types of support services. Given the wide range of help on offer, it is easy for an individual or company to find someone who can fix a certain IT problem.
At BenarmIT we offer a range of IT support services and have many capable technicians to assist with any IT issues.