What is the Future of IT Support
In this blog I will explore what I feel the future of IT support looks like.
Today
Where we are today is a little bit like purgatory, we are neither here nor there. Here being traditional server based systems with banks of desktop PCs on desks, there being a truly cloud led and mobile workforce. In fact IT companies are being forced down a different route than the last 10 years where it is less about break and fix and far more service led. This is a completely different business model and brings in a completely different set of challenges.
The Rise of Mobile
It used to be that the only place you generally did your work in a business to business environment was in an office on a desktop computer and fixed deskphone or face to face with a client. Not only have mobiles entered the equation but totally disrupted both communications and end user computing.
People have the ability to communicate and collaborate from pretty much anywhere. Connectivity is close to being ubiquitous and will further change the landscape of mobile computing.
How to Support the Anywhere Worker
Although I am not sure of the take up in Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) at a small business level it is clear that a variety of devices are being used in the workplace. Lots of executives are using 3 devices, a laptop, tablet and mobile phone.
The modern IT company will need to be able to support users across a variety of devices. Mobile Apps are as much a part of the enterprise as traditional applications. Mobile Device Management (MDM) is on the rise and is slowly coming into the small business agenda. Cloud based applications have all but taken over traditional based server based apps with just a few legacy applications left.
The Future
I believe that the future of IT support will be far more service led. Some of the lines between supplier and competitor have blurred and this has resulted in suppliers having to offer far more than just products and services. Relationships and expertise as the trusted source, advisor and filter is what will retain clients.
There is so much choice for a small business and lots of free services as well. What a small business owner needs to know is that their supplier is doing the filtering for them and has their bottom line in mind when it comes to new applications and services available. Understanding the new business landscape is getting harder for small business owners with more change than ever before.
The IT providers of the future need to adapt to the new technology environment and provide the services small business need today whilst keeping an eye on tomorrow.
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Author- Speaker - Consultant. Passionate about all things digital.