The life of an IT team is a busy one, to say the least! With the phone ringing off the hook, endless support emails flying in, and a range of business demands, it is no surprise that at least 37% of companies outsource some form of IT support.
You may have come across this blog if you consider this as an option for your business. In this article, we will explore what is level 1 IT support and how can it benefit businesses in need! The reality is that there is no one-fits-all solution for IT management. This is where the levels of support come into play as they allow companies to be in control of their operations.
With 86% of service teams saying that having a help desk improves productivity levels, level 1 IT support is a brilliant option. Keep on reading to learn more about this method of managing your own IT needs and how at Creative Networks, we have created a service that can elevate companies of all sizes with efficient outsourced IT support.
What is outsourced technical IT support?
Due to the increase in digital lines of communication and the pressures that companies face daily, outsourcing IT support is a great solution for many.
Technical support can cover various aspects, including customer service, employee assistance, software development, and website management, to name just a few! It can also vary in size and areas covered depending on the needs of an individual business.
Whether its technical support or helping manage data for busy teams, technical support provides the glue that brings many companies together.
What does Level 1 IT Support cover?
If you have investigated outsourcing your IT support, you would have likely come across the 1,2,3 steps to covering all IT bases. Each relates to technical support that can be provided to help companies operate more seamlessly.
Level 1 IT support is the most basic level of help, but don’t let that fool you as often; these tasks end up costing your business both time and resources. Whilst you may think this sounds like a simple thing to sort, the reality is that it is one of the busiest levels of support as it provides a direct line of communication for both employees and customers who need assistance.
The most popular services under Level 1 IT support are the following:
- Delivering immediate IT help with queries for staff such as account management, website troubleshooting, installation requests, hardware queries, and software issues.
- Assessing wider IT issues to help determine the best route to solving problems promptly. This form of workflow management ensures that compliance processes are always followed.
- Helping customer services teams with aspects such as email, phone calls, and social media management. This can include facilitating the work with the tools needed or provided a hands-on approach to dealing with queries.
- Collating customer and employee requests that need to be managed by a different department so that the information is ready to deal with when passed across.
- Set up new employees or granting access to software systems.
- Providing help with hardware such as laptops, printers, or phones.
The beauty of the service is that you can use it however you wish! Whether you want to extend your customer services team, provide some much-needed relief for IT management, or implement a new function altogether, Level 1 support is the way to start the process for a business.
What are the benefits of Level 1 IT support?
- Customers are kept happy, with 83% reporting satisfaction levels when dealing with IT help desks and support. Companies can work more efficiently as Level 1 support provides them with ways to handle data quickly and be able to comply with their own company processes.
- Level 1 support can also improve cyber security as it allows one to vet any issues before they penetrate deeper into a company.
- A whole host of IT and technical issues can be resolved by just one point of contact, which stops other departments from becoming distracted by queries.
- Both hardware and software can be managed.
- Separating technical levels of IT support can help IT teams run more efficiently.
- Level 1 support allows smaller issues to be resolved, if possible, without more senior staff members needing to get involved.
Overall, Level 1 support is designed to provide a business with a first port of call for dealing with problems so that issues can be dealt with efficiently.
What types of professionals are best for providing Level 1 Support?
Image: https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/bearded-black-engineer-standing-posing-crossed-1319520929
As this is the first line of support, it is commonly conducted by junior IT professionals. This does not reflect on the quality of service but instead means that the more senior developers and managers are able to focus on dealing with the more complex issues.
You will also commonly find that professionals who can demonstrate a high level of both customer service and employee relations will be in these positions. With the Level 1 team reliable for communicating directly with many different people, individuals must possess technical and emotional know-how!
Professionals in this field must also have a developed understanding of IT processes to manage queries that are passed correctly. This is particularly important when it comes to security compliance as it is common practice that Level 1 support are faced with the beginnings of cyber risks.
When choosing the experts that we want to represent us, we always look for people that are genuinely passionate about IT and qualified to provide professional advice. We believe that even the first tier of IT support should be advanced as that is the best way for setting up a business for success!
What departments can benefit most from Level 1 IT support?
One of the fantastic things about this form of IT support is that it benefits everyone!
Customer services and sales benefit from having a team of data and computing experts who can help divert traffic to the relevant team member. This could be as simple as passing over a phone call to help input leads into software tools.
It goes without saying that IT teams benefit as outsourcing this level of support can free them up to manage more pressing matters.
Another huge benefit is being able to adhere to compliance. This is important as IT issue processes influence a range of elements that are covered under most standards. Teams that manage ISO-27001, ISO-9001, and ISO-22301 can therefore work directly with this level of support to ensure that everything is running smoothly!
Can I just choose one level of IT support?
IT support is commonly broken down into tiers because it covers everything to do with IT operations. Our own approach mirrors this, with different packages available depending on your internal needs.
Breaking down the management of your IT infrastructure means that teams can focus on the level of expertise that best suits them. For more junior professionals, Level 1 support is a brilliant way to learn about the wider world of business IT operations and provide them with real-life experience in resolving issues.
For more senior IT professionals who are tasked with managing wider compliance and security, the higher levels of support can ensure they are only faced with issues that directly impact their area of responsibility.
Depending on your existing structures, you may choose just to bring in one level of IT support. Each business is different, so we always like companies to feel empowered by the professionals they choose to work with.=
What Level 1 IT Support can Creative Networks offer?
Image: https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/successful-young-business-people-using-computer-604204202
At Creative Networks, we manage the entire IT infrastructure, meaning we are more than equipped to manage Level 1 support needs!
We offer IT support at all levels as one of our core services which covers everything from team accounts to hardware management. Level 1 support is always the first line of contact for IT issues; as such, we offer an outsourced team of professionals to deal with anything you need.
Our Microsoft 365 services are also popular. With more than a million companies using the software worldwide, our team can manage any queries that relate to this well-known resource. From setting up accounts to helping teams optimise software add-ons, level 1 support ensures that individuals can get the most out of their systems.
We also offer complete Phone Systems Support, which keeps your teams and customers always connected. From mobile networks to cloud telecoms, we can look after it all! Finally, is our Cyber Security services which help companies catch any issues before they arise.
Do you better understand what is meant by Level 1 IT Support?
In every business, levels of IT understanding are likely to differentiate. Level 1 IT Support is a hands-on approach to dealing with issues that arise daily.
Offering a way to manage issues and direct them to the various departments if need be, this levels of support is a lifeline to many companies who want to operate professionally but still stick to their budgets.
To find out more about our own levels of IT support, contact us today!
