It is quite easy to get these two services mixed up as they seem to be very similar and they both help with customer support, but when looking at IT support vs. help desk the two are uniquely different and each serves a distinct purpose.
Here is a quick overview. A help desk addresses the customer’s concerns or requests and also makes sure the customer has a positive experience. This resource or service is vital to a company’s success.
Around 86% of service teams say having a helpdesk system improves their productivity levels.
On the other hand, IT support (or tech support) will deal with resolving a customer’s technical issues and offer specialized solutions.
To help you better understand or determine which function is right for your business, let us examine the difference between IT support and a help desk.
Explaining What a Help Desk Is
So, we briefly touched on “what is a help desk?”. But, let’s dig deeper and shed a little more light on this important customer service.
A help desk will generally offer quick assistance and fast resolutions to customers who have basic technical issues. These desks are reactive and efficient as this is key in expediting the process and helping customers move forward without any unnecessary delays.
They play a pivotal role by offering customized support and help to ensure that each and every customer is satisfied. After all, if your technology issues are resolved quickly, it means your team can solely focus on doing their jobs, which means elevated productivity.
The help desk market size is projected to reach $11 billion by 2023.
Service Desk Software can Increase Efficiency and Reduce Costs |
Explaining What IT Support Is
IT support focuses on finding solutions for more complex technical issues such as various computer or networking errors, installation issues, even project implementation.
The IT team will not only focus on the day-to-day monitoring of networks and servers, and handle communication with the users, but will also ensure there is a back-up plan for continuity.
Essentially, the primary job of IT support is to provide technical support and fix technical problems using a specific approach. Whereas a helpdesk may be staffed by Tier 1 IT professionals, IT support will likely have Tier 2 and Tier 3 specialists on staff for addressing complex IT issues.
The Functions of a Help Desk and Service Desk
If your business has a well-functioning IT infrastructure then having a help desk will make your business more streamlined.
A help desk’s primary function is to connect you with an IT technician to provide on-demand break-fix support and resolve the technical problems you’re facing with an element of your IT infrastructure.
A typical service desk manages tasks like monitoring network performance, incidents, and service requests, which helps keep productivity at an optimal level and facilitates normal business operations running as smoothly as possible.
| Interested in learning more about IT consulting services? Check out these blogs: |
The Functions of IT Support (vs. Help Desk)
Your IT desk and technical support play a crucial role in day-to-day operations, business planning and decision making. Their whole objective or function is to help stabilize your infrastructure and lower your IT costs, so you can invest elsewhere in your business.
But, in order to achieve this, your IT support team and you have to work closely together to align on business objectives and goals. Once you streamline your processes, that will then enable you to find cost-saving solutions you may have never thought to look for.
In addition, technical support can also help improve your productivity and reliability by implementing certain stringent technical measures and methodologies.
IT support mainly concentrates on your business as a whole, which can better prepare you for the future and any uncertainties you may encounter.
Work With a Partner That can Find the Right Solution to Fit Your Tech Support Needs
The help desk vs. IT support approaches of serving customers differ vastly, but one thing they both have in common is their end goal, fully-functioning businesses.
So, if you need help desk and IT support, Technology Advisory Group can deliver the best possible solution for your business needs through our managed IT service.
Our goal is to give you all the benefits of having your very own professional IT department without the expense of hiring a full in-house team.
Contact our team to discuss your IT needs.
Schedule Your Cloud Services Consultation
Ready to make a move to the cloud? TAG is ready to help with any or all cloud services from a private cloud, public cloud, or Microsoft 365 services.