Being IT
Part Four – User Support

There is far more to user support than waiting for the phone to ring. Sometimes users get frustrated when there is no one at the end of the phone when they ring and they often forget that the phone is still tied to the desk and people are not. Most of the time I am out and about helping other users so sometimes miss the phone when it rings. I have learned to rely on voice mail and e-mail. There are a number of factors to consider when offering User Support:

• Information
• Help Desk System
• Lock the system down and keep it simple
• Remote Support Software
• Managing Support Contracts and Second Line Support Calls
• Self-Help
• Be Secure
• Monitor, Monitor, Monitor
• Get Feedback
• Get Involved
• User Types (Internal Users, External Users, Outside Users e.g. Customers, Suppliers, Consultants, Visitors)

Information is key. All news users in our business receive an ‘Introduction to the System ‘ powerrpoint presentation together with some printed notes to explain the hows, whys and do’s and don’ts. Never assume that a user will simply ‘know’ what is acceptable because this may change from company to company. Also, don’t let the information stream stop there. Put out regular bulletins about what’s happening system wise, downtime issues or heavy load or known Internet problems. If you have an in-house magazine or Intranet ask for a section to talk about IT issues, this gives users a feeling of being involved and not being detached from the IT systems.

If you can stretch to it – a good help desk system is very helpful. There are many free ones out there and some really comprehensive and extensible solutions but be prepapred to put some effort up front and to re-educate your users in this cultural change. Users don’t tend to take to help desks being implemented after years of not having one. However, be practical – it is often easy to become stuck in a rut and field all calls via the helpdesk logging system – but some calls can be resolved in the time you’d take to log in. Users need to feel that the helpdesk is working in their favour – not as a device to distance them from the IT front line.

Second or Third line support calls are usually posted in my calendar and diary forwarded every day. This is the only real way I’ve found to keep track of them. Let a support issue drift for a day or two and the support company will probably think the issue is closed. Some companies are very pro-active and will keep you regularly up to date but not all of them. Remember to keep the end-user in the loop – if you have heard nothing tell them – if you have heard something but it’s not really solved the problem then tell them that too. Never leave your users out of the loop.

Lock the system down. Remove programs, tools and utilities that are unnecessary. Disable access to things that may do harm. Users don’t mean to create problems and everyone likes to explore and click on things to see what they do – but remember – you’re not at home now and neither are your users. Business is formal and Directors and even Managers can be personally liable for contraventions of the law. So be pro-active and ensure that systems are being used for what they are there for and that conversely users are using systems for their intended purpose.

Next, make sure you have some good remote support software. Solutions such as NTRSupport, Logmein Rescue or simply RemoteDesktop can save a lot of time and allow you to get to the root of the problem at a hands on level. Problems that used to take hours to diagnose can often be resolved in moments when you can access the remote computer.

If you have an Intranet, a Sharepoint Services setup or something similar consider setting up a self-help section where users can search for their own solutions and leave feedback on the solutions. This again takes some cultural change to get used to but can save a lot of time as well as ‘sharing the knowledge’ as well as highlighting particular problem hotspots.

Apply security principles. Users must not share passwords, email systems, or web services. Be vigilant about this otherwise it will slip. A large company has recently gotten into trouble with the Data Protection Act because they were sharing passwords and so access to confidential data was uncontrolled. Visitors, Contractors and other users have special problems. Quite often their company policy will either disallow you from remote controlling them or even physically interacting with the machine. Always check and gain permission before you do anything.

Use automated tools to stay ahead of the game. Regularly check remote connections – tools like Servers Alive can help here and often let you know of problems with connections before the user has realised. Get access to remote event logs if possible. Microsoft System Center Essentials, Spiceworks are examples of products that can help with this.

I’m not suggesting telephone surveys but gaining feedback from the userbase is one of the best ways of reviewing your working practices. Are the users satisfied with the system? Does it serve it’s purpose? Are there any problems or outstanding issues? Remember, this is not just a PR exercise but a valuable tool to make sure your focus is in the right direction.

Get Involved with the business, attend those meetings you try and avoid and read the memo’s. Getting a heads up and keeping a step ahead can help you be proactive in recognising potential user support problems and dealing with them before hand.

For Multi-site operations try and identity one or more individuals who can act as IT site contacts, a sort of ‘informal IT secondment’ if you like. People prefer talking to people they know and if you can build good relationships with willing users then those extra pairs of hands can always come in very useful. But remember to offer praise where praise is due and don’t place too much burden on the good nature being offered to you.

For other posts in the ‘Being IT’ series:

Part Three – Administration
Part Two – The Checklist
Part One – The Basics