No doubt, the COVID-19 pandemic has forced changes to businesses of all types because of the restrictions and rules are put in place to slow the spread of the virus globally. The whole process has affected the global economy both negatively and positively.
Some sectors of the economy, such as automobile, hospitality, and some parts of the entertainment industry, were severely hit. While others, like tech, have thrived during the pandemic. Gradually businesses are finding innovative ways to cope with the changes that came with the pandemic since it seems it will be here for some.
IT support is especially leading in this area. It shouldn’t be forgotten that IT Support, also known as technical support, is among those that thrive during the lockdown period. Today, IT support has become a pertinent part of living, and the world has come to rely on it as an effective way to reach anyone due to the effects of covid-19.
This article looks at how IT Support has adapted to the COVID-19, focusing on how different IT Support system navigated the lockdown and provided support in a world unimaginably changed by the effects of COVID-19.
Table of Contents
1. Support Service Desk
The covid-19 pandemic made the need for more improvement and changes in the support service desk system more apparent. Apart from auto-dialers, the service desk now has a smarter way of working by creating another means for people to reach them, like ticket tools, which help manage users’ support tickets on one dashboard without clutter.
The IT Support system has also introduced smart bots like Geeks on Wheels to ask questions about a user’s problem. The Bots also direct or link the user to an IT support service or technician to call or give instructions on how to get the problem fixed on time and accurately.
2. Emergency Channels
The dire need for emergency IT Support has also increased due to the covid-19 pandemic. Before now, IT support usually works and acts based on the time the information gets to them, and prioritized works based on the order of data received.
However, today, different and more emergency channels like emergency numbers, instant messengers, among others, have been provided to help reach out to IT Support Staff faster and get help at the right time. The new emergency channels help people get information more efficiently.
3. Problem Solver Tools
Since the COVID-19 pandemic made most people start working from home, there has been reduced or no physical contact between users and the IT support department. Check here for tips on how to ensure your business continue to operate safely.
To adapt to this change, the IT support department has made provisions for software tools, troubleshooting options, and transparent search options that allow people to solve problems independently.
Now people can create user information on how to solve a VPN configuration issue, access SharePoint, and generate an order in SAP. All these have made technical support workers adapt to the changes brought by the pandemic.
4. Technological Partnerships
Some companies collaborate with certain IT companies to develop software that can automatically notify users if they have been in close contact with someone diagnosed with the virus.
For instance, Apple and Google have partnered to build a Bluetooth-based model to be used on the level of versatile operating-system-level capabilities and application programming interfaces (APIs). The model protects user privacy and can be used on almost every technical device available.
5. Means of Communication
Communication is very critical for the IT department to manage issues and queries from users efficiently. To adapt to changes in communication brought by the pandemic, It Support has provided additional standard means of communication for people to reach them quickly and effectively.
These include auto-dialers, instant messengers, WhatsApp chats, mobile apps, and text messages, which mean users have many options available. This paves the way for effective communication between IT support and users.
Conclusion
The world is breaking new ground in technology every day, and IT support has always been at the center of these changes. Hence, it’s no surprise that they are also at the forefront of developing innovative ways to adapt to the changes brought by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Apart from the ones mentioned above, IT Support has continued to look for more ways to meet the challenges of social distancing, remote work, and lockdown. All the assistance rendered through technology-related products and services so far has proven critical in a fast-evolving world.
