IT support refers to a variety of services through which businesses offer assistance to utilisers of technology products like computers, televisions, software products, cell phones as well as other mechanical or electronic goods. Generally speaking, therefore, IT support services try to aid users solve particular challenges with products instead of offering customization, training or other such support services. A lot of companies provide IT support for those products that they themselves sell, either for a fee or freely available. IT support is in a position of being delivered over by a website’s live support software, e-mail, or any other tool whereby people can log an incident or call. Large organizations, more often than not, have IT support readily available to their respective staff for the problems that are computer-related. The internet has also proven to be quite a reliable source of free IT support services. Additionally, some service companies that are fee-based may charge for premium IT support services.
Coverage of IT Support
This technical support is in a position of being delivered by various technologies going by the situation at hand. For instance, direct questions may be addressed utilizing SMS, telephone calls, online chats, e-mail, fax or even support forums. Software problems that are basic are addressable over the phone or by making use of remote access repair services. More complicated IT problems with hardware, on the other hand, may require to be handled in person.
Classes of IT Support
- Call in
This sort of IT Support is one of most common in the industry of technical services. It is also referred to as ‘Time and Materials’ support. Here, a customer makes payments for the materials (memory, hard drive, digital devices, computer, etc.) and also pays the technicians depending on the rate that has been negotiated upon occurrence of a problem.
- Block hours
These permit a client to buy several hours upfront at a negotiated price. While it’s normally utilized so as to provide a minimized hourly rate, it can also be a non-reduced rate which is standard or also represent the least amount of fee chargeable to a client prior to offering a service. In this kind of IT support, a customer will have bought a certain number of hours to utilize either per year or per month. This gives a user a lot of flexibility in terms of using the hours as he or she pleases without necessarily having to do the paperwork. A user is also relieved from the hassle of making payments of several bills.
- Managed services
With managed services, a company is able to receive a list of services on a continuous basis that have well-defined ‘response as well as resolution times’ for either a flat fee or fixed rate. This can take into account such things like 24/7 servers monitoring, 24/7 help desk support for computer issues on a daily basis as well as on-site visits by technicians in case the issues can’t be remotely resolved. There are companies which provide additional services such as disaster and backup recovery, project management as well as vendor management in monthly prices. Companies providing this kind of IT support are referred to as managed service providers.