Money never sleeps. International offices and workers in foreign countries were, for many companies, an out of reach and expensive dream a couple of decades ago. Only multinationals could afford that kind of presence.
Not anymore.
More SMEs than ever are expanding overseas, through partnerships, remote workers, agents, and resellers. It has never been easier to gain a foothold in lucrative foreign markets, thanks to the Internet and social media. This doesn’t offset the human factor.
24/7 IT service desk – always up
Over the last few years, we have seen that those who send staff abroad, or have remote teams, perform better in new markets. The human factor is more, not less important, as a consequence of the global digital transformation.
Businesses considering or already operating overseas need a robust IT infrastructure to support these goals. As staff move further away from your home country’s time zone, their support requirements increase. Clients and team members need access 24/7.
Does your current IT partner provide that level of support? How do you ensure your business is ‘always up,’ anywhere in the world?
User support is one area where delays can be costly. Getting the right support is easy when your help desk is in the same country. But what about when staff are halfway around the world?
IT support for remote workers
As well as remote teams in other countries we are also seeing a shift to more flexible working here in the UK.
Organisations recognise the value of allowing employees to work from home or remote offices, and manage their hours in a way that works best for them. Many studies have shown how flexible working can increase productivity and performance, and of course technology has been the driving factor in facilitating this move.
However, without support in place this vision of a more productive and engaged workforce can fall down. What if a key employee cannot access the organisation’s network out of normal office hours to get on with an important task? Or your business traveller cannot get the information they require when away at a conference or meeting clients around the country?
24/7 IT support is not just for global organisations, it’s also important for business continuity for many local businesses operating in an ‘always up’, digitally connected world.
