IT teams help small businesses and enterprise organizations alike keep their computer, network and telecommunications systems in good shape. When technology problems arise as they inevitably do, they’re there to save the day in ways that only IT teams can.
So it’s not surprising that when users run into issues with their UC solutions, often the IT department becomes the go-to for support. And users run into issues frequently.
According to a 2017 Softchoice study, 78% of workers who use collaboration technology frequently experience technical difficulties. With collaboration tools on the rise, that number is likely much higher now.
If you want your IT department to effectively manage your systems—especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, as so many teams are overwhelmed with new remote work challenges—it’s crucial that you empower your users to solve problems for themselves so your team doesn’t get bogged down with UC tickets.
Implementing an effective training and support solution that is both accessible and user friendly will better train users and empower them to use self-service support when issues arise before calling IT, allowing that team to focus on what’s most important: innovation.
How Training and Support Relieves IT Departments
Technology such as unified communications improves collaboration and efficiency, but solutions for training and support are just as important as implementing the technology.
It makes sense. Your systems and tools will only ever be as helpful as the training and support content that comes along with them. Without the guidance and troubleshooting that training and support content offer, users are left to fend for themselves as they figure out how to use their communication and collaboration tools.
As we learned from Softchoice’s insight previously, users are likely to run into some sort of technical difficulties when they’re figuring things out on their own.
Without effective training and support programs, end-users rely on the IT department to help them understand the technology or troubleshoot any issues that occur, and you can’t blame them. They need answers and guidance, and they know that their IT department is usually the most knowledgeable source when it comes to tech issues.
However, if you provide users with the content they need to learn the programs initially and solve problems that arise along the way, you empower them to understand their technology better, get back to work quicker, and maximize the benefit of the UC systems in place.
Ways to Reduce UC End-User Reliance on IT for Support
Do you want to take a load off your IT department’s shoulders? Reduce your users’ reliance on IT for support when something goes wrong.
While this might sound like an intimidating challenge, high-quality training and support content may be simpler than you think – and can go a long way.
To make the largest impact on your end-users confidence and speed up product adoption, try the following:
- Provide effective training upfront – Don’t send them out on their own to figure things out. Rather, initiate them with a robust training program so they can begin using the software immediately and feel confident when doing so.
- Create a knowledge base that is accessible and user friendly – Make finding answers easy. There’s nothing that leads to a frustrated call to IT quite like not being able to find the help you need on your own.
- Provide self-service options – Rather than making an IT ticket the default option, provide them with alternatives to solve issues quickly by themselves. Just by offering an alternative, you can reduce the IT burden.
Managed Training and Support Content With B-Lynk
As mentioned earlier, finding thorough and engaging training and support content is easier than you might think. In fact, at B-lynk, we have the solutions you need to offer branded training and support content to your end-users.
In addition to our fully-managed, custom-branded, and self-service training portal, Smart-Lynk, we also offer a la carte solutions such as training videos, webinars, user guides, and FAQs. Whatever unique training and support content you need, in whatever learning format, we have it.
While some organizations incorrectly view training and support as costs, it’s easy to see that they’re really investments. By reducing the influx of support tickets your IT team faces through effective training solutions, you’re freeing up the department to focus on higher-level innovation that can push your company forward. Additionally, you’re empowering your users to work smarter, more efficiently, and more independently.
To learn more about the training and support content offered by B-Lynk, contact us today.