WALOOB.com :: The Right IT Support Structure

The purpose of any IT support structure is to provide reliable, timely, resolution of the everyday technical problems experienced by computer users, whether they be hardware or software related. This can be achieved in person, by telephone, by email or by reference to a site on the Internet, or an intranet.

Shortcomings

In the modern business environment, however, any IT support structure needs to allow the effective configuration, operation and administration of network technology. Failure to promote good practice in this area, in particular, can result in the failure of components and services, security being compromised and difficulty in recovering from major faults or disasters.

Types of IT Support Structure

IT support can, of course, be reactive or proactive – that is, based on a "fire fighting" or "fire prevention" model – but, in terms of systems efficiency and user satisfaction, the proactive approach is the better of the two.

A tiered IT structure – with call screening and basic, or "level 1" support contained within a helpdesk function, and additional intermediate, or "level 2", and advanced, or "level 3", tiers available for the escalation of problems – is a popular model. Typically, simple problems or general, "how-to" questions are dealt with at the lowest level, while more complex questions – where research and investigation may be required – can be escalated to higher levels as necessary. The advantage of a tiered or hierarchical IT support structure over a "flat" structure is that support issues can be directed towards support personnel based on their level of seniority and level of technical expertise.

One common component of many successful IT support structures nowadays, is the so-called "knowledge base". This can be a database, in the formal sense, or a blog on an Internet or intranet page, but, in any case, provides a link to FAQ ("Frequently Asked Questions"), manuals and details of recurrent problems, issues, etc., from a single central location. A knowledge base can be used as a management tool, as all issues – including those for which hardware or software vendors are accountable – are recorded, allowing throughput and service levels to be monitored.

Whether or not to make this form of IT support structure available to computer users depends largely on the nature of the user population. While Web-based support may seem perfectly acceptable to you, and other computer literate IT support staff, it may be seen by users as impersonal, particularly if they are accustomed to receiving IT support in person or by telephone.

In order to be effective, any Web-based IT support structure must be user-friendly and up-to-date; if a user takes the trouble to look up his or her problem and finds that the information that he or she requires is missing or out-of-date, he or she is far more likely to just call the helpdesk next time. This in turn creates on overhead, in terms of the development and maintenance of an appropriate Web page or pages. Depending on the size and complexity of an organisation, this can represent a full-time job in its own right.