IT Support Archives - Buchanan Technologies Wed, 02 Apr 2025 14:49:57 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.7.1 https://www.buchanan.com/wp-content/uploads/small_logo-150x150-1.png IT Support Archives - Buchanan Technologies 32 32 On-Demand IT Field Services Help Retailers Navigate Change https://www.buchanan.com/on-demand-it-field-services-help-retailers-navigate-change/ Wed, 06 Dec 2023 14:13:14 +0000 https://www.buchanan.com/?p=35322 With the rise of digitalization and changing consumer preferences, the retail sector needs to be adaptable and efficient to thrive. The use of an On-Demand IT field services organization can provide a competitive advantage in ensuring the success of the retail sector. This blog delves deeper into the trends driving the increased need for On-Demand […]

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With the rise of digitalization and changing consumer preferences, the retail sector needs to be adaptable and efficient to thrive. The use of an On-Demand IT field services organization can provide a competitive advantage in ensuring the success of the retail sector. This blog delves deeper into the trends driving the increased need for On-Demand IT field services in the retail sector and how Buchanan Technologies is leading the way in bringing these services to our retail customers.  

How Does an On-Demand IT Field Services Partner Help the Retail Sector? 

The importance of On-Demand IT Field Services cannot be overstated when it comes to managing the ever-changing technology requirements of modern retail operations. These services offer retailers scalable and tailored IT assistance specifically designed to address the challenges faced by the retail industry. This includes not only break/fix to keep systems up and running, but it goes beyond that with solutions including implementing cutting-edge technologies to enhance customer experiences, system upgrades to ensure real-time inventory management, new cabling installation and repairs, site surveys, installation and configuration of wireless access points, audio/video/signage installations, the installation of new hardware for bolstering cybersecurity measures, and integral connectivity of omnichannel systems. Here are some real-life, tactical examples of how an On-Demand IT Field Services Team of technicians supports retailers: 

  • Increased Security and Modernization  
  • 5G/6G Networking – enhancing security, store operations, and customer experience 
  • IP Cameras – replacing Analog CCTV and AI (ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE) advancements where there is a shortage of skilled professionals and an increased focus on Loss Prevention 
  • Centralized Networking Management with SD-WAN to reduce the amount of equipment and increase security 
  • Installation of access control and timekeeping systems

Upgrades that include, but are not limited to:

  • Installing or replacing dated cabling with fiber cabling 
  • Supporting POS upgrades 
  • On-site support for data center upgrades 
  • Cable drops, networking, and system upgrades to support warehouse upgrades 
  • Installation and maintenance of self-checkout kiosks 
  • POE (Power over Ethernet) cabling 
  • Retail Remodels 
  • CAT6/CAT7/Fiber drops and networking 
  • Installation and connectivity of Kiosks/Digital signage  

A Need for Operational Efficiency and Cost-effectiveness 

The modern age has witnessed a shift to IP cameras integrated with sophisticated AI, replacing the traditional analog CCTV system. It addresses the problem of a need for more competent security personnel, focusing more on advanced anti-theft methods. The transformation of fiber cabling to 5G/6G networks has completely transformed store operations and customer communication, providing additional safety assurance benefits. 

The flexibility of an On-Demand IT Field Services partner enables the retailer to tackle IT-related issues, adapt to evolving customer and store operation changes, and introduce technologies without adding the overhead costs of hiring and managing full-time on-site IT technicians. These partners can complete tasks like updates to technology, rollouts of new software, installing, fixing, or updating endpoint connections, and many more while also offering the benefit of managing multiple locations simultaneously, saving time, and increasing the velocity of the change – ensuring continuity while driving both operational and cost efficiencies. 

Supporting Omnichannel Strategies 

The growing demand for On-Demand IT Field Services is influenced by changes in consumer behavior. Customers expect a shopping experience across channels such as online platforms, physical stores, and mobile apps. To meet these expectations effectively, retailers require integrated systems that deliver a memorable experience. An On-Demand IT Field Services partner can increase uptime, install upgrades as needed, and ensure new system connectivity is accurate, consistently operational, up-to-date, and performing optimally within a fast-paced environment. 

Ensuring Data Security 

Data security has become an increasingly significant concern with the rise of digital transactions in the retail sector. Retailers have a responsibility to protect customer data from potential breaches and cyber-attacks. To ensure the security of this data, it is crucial to have security measures in place, regular security upgrades, and maintain vigilance. 

An On-Demand IT Field Services team is typically your feet-on-the-ground team that helps the centralized team manage these requirements. They are the skilled technicians who enable centralized network management by installing SD-WAN technology to minimize operational efforts on network management and hardware requirements while reinforcing data security as a key factor in retail operations. 

Retail Infrastructure Transformation 

The introduction of self-checkout systems and integration with digital wallets, credit cards, and smart chips represent a leap in point-of-sale (POS) technology. This evolution is part of a broader move towards automating the consumer’s digital experience, including deploying kiosks and digital signage. Additionally, inventory management has become increasingly complex for retailers as they need to keep track of stock across sales channels. Real-time inventory tracking, automated reordering, and insightful data analytics are essential for avoiding overstocking or shortages.  

An On-Demand IT Field Services team offers the expertise and workforce it takes to implement and deploy these upgraded technology systems efficiently and effectively at multiple locations while being managed and tracked by one team. The benefit retailers are seeing comes in both tangible and intangible savings. The travel time, along with not having to send their team on-site, is a tremendous savings, but quite possibly, the more significant savings are in time and velocity.  

New technology installations, updates, and upgrade rollouts can be sped up dramatically without pulling internal teams away from the core business demands. Projects like POS (Point of Sales) upgrades, fiber cabling upgrades, warehouse modernization involving things like power over Ethernet (POE) cabling, and total data center upgrades are no longer an added stress to the internal teams’ time and workload but can be managed independently by an On-Demand provider where they manage multiple sites simultaneously.

Buchanan Technologies: Leading the Way in On-Demand IT Field Services for Retail 

Buchanan Technologies offers a range of On-Demand IT solutions that are carefully customized to give retail businesses an edge while enhancing the overall customer experience. 

On-Demand Dispatch 

Our IT solutions help retail businesses speed up technology rollout so that retailers can confidently meet customer demand and enhance with up-to-date systems. Our on-demand, remote monitoring services and 24/7 call center support promise to decrease overhead and hiring costs. They also reduce the downtime for high availability of services. 

On-Site Projects 

Having multiple locations to support and finding the talent and technical know-how to support them is many times the largest hurdle to jump for retailers. Buchanan is uniquely equipped with a field services team that can touch any zip/postal code in the U.S. and Canada and help you deliver on-site projects on time and within budget. 

Buchanan provides an end-to-end implementation for large project rollouts for your technology without stalling your business. 

Cabling and Wireless 

Full management of projects, including: 

  • Wired and wireless network installations 
  • Network connectivity break/fix 
  • Office turn-ups/downs 

We schedule and dispatch our field service solution to your multiple locations simultaneously and report back to you with project status updates.  

Depot Services – Asset Management 

Asset storage in a secured, climate-controlled storage facility. Buchanan’s team provides stock level alerts so you know when and if supply is low, and we take the burden of controlling assets and inventory management for your organization by simplifying your process of storage, imaging, testing, and provisioning systems before they are shipped to your end-user.  

Recurring On-Site Services 

For businesses that need technical assistance but aren’t prepared for a full-time hire, our recurring on-site service (ROSS) for IT support provides the same technician on-site at your location every week for the specified number of days you require.  

This offering helps auto dealerships and large retailers have one technician to support a specific market area for 1-4 days per week, and the technician becomes familiar with your environment, comes in as you require, handles ongoing work as a supplement to your staff, and saves you the overhead of a full-time employee. 

We can even rotate various locations in a single market for each day (distance limitations apply). 

Get Started with Buchanan’s On-Demand IT Field Services 

Buchanan is committed to enhancing efficiency, customer service, and growth in the retail industry by providing tailored, innovative solutions for specific retail issues. We are dedicated to fostering an environment where technological innovation, security, and efficiency are harmonized, propelling the retail sector into a more resilient, adaptive, and customer-centric future. Contact us today to see how we can solve your retail challenges.

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Saving and Boost Performance With Holistic System Review Developed by Buchanan https://www.buchanan.com/unlock-savings-boost-performance-with-buchanans-holistic-system-review/ Tue, 29 Aug 2023 12:59:13 +0000 https://www.buchanan.com/?p=35001 In today’s technological landscape, businesses navigate complex ecosystems that can be challenging to manage. With many components such as applications, middleware, databases, hardware, and network configurations to oversee, it’s easy to overlook potential opportunities for cost savings or performance improvements. That’s precisely where Buchanan’s Holistic System Review (HSR) can prove invaluable. What is a Holistic […]

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In today’s technological landscape, businesses navigate complex ecosystems that can be challenging to manage. With many components such as applications, middleware, databases, hardware, and network configurations to oversee, it’s easy to overlook potential opportunities for cost savings or performance improvements. That’s precisely where Buchanan’s Holistic System Review (HSR) can prove invaluable. 
 

What is a Holistic System Review (HSR)?  

HSR is an exhaustive audit of your business’s entire technological environment. Most traditional approaches focus on examining individual components, but HSR takes a holistic approach by assessing everything, including applications, middleware, databases, hardware, operating systems, and network configurations. Using specialized software tools and a comprehensive methodology, HSR provides a thorough analysis and generates a detailed report that can significantly enhance your system’s performance. 

 

Instances where an HSR is vital 

In various instances, HSR can be a critical factor for the success of your business. If you’re experiencing technical difficulties or slow system performance, HSR can identify the root cause and provide targeted solutions. Additionally, HSR can ensure that your technology is scalable and ready for future growth as your business expands. If you’re considering migrating to the Cloud, the assessments and recommendations generated through an HSR can significantly improve the accuracy and confidence of your planning process. Before investing in new hardware, HSR can scrutinize and optimize your current setup, potentially reducing the need for additional expenses. 

Moreover, if you’re planning a merger or acquisition, HSR can offer invaluable insights and recommendations to ensure your system can handle the upcoming growth and integration challenges. 

 

The Benefits of Undergoing an HSR 

Performing a Holistic System Review (HSR) can offer many benefits beyond just addressing current issues. These advantages can lead to both immediate gains and enduring success for your organization: 

  • Improved Stability: By identifying and rectifying areas causing instability. 
  • Problem Avoidance: Proactive identification eliminates potential issues. 
  • Faster Problem Resolution: The report serves as a basis for ongoing monitoring and quick problem-solving. 
  • Best Practices Roadmap: Develop a guideline for future best practices in system management. 
  • Cost Savings: Reduction in maintenance costs, problem resolution time, and hardware requirements. 
  • Increased Throughput: Improved performance means better business outcomes. 
  • Customer Satisfaction: A stable, fast system keeps internal and external customers happy. 

 

What distinguishes Buchanan’s HSR from others? 

Our business process optimization sets us apart from competitors. We use a total systems methodology approach to analyze and optimize the entire system. This reduces project delivery time and time to resolution. Unlike others who use a “comfort zone” approach, our consultants provide the best possible service with expertise. 

 

 With a 97.6% customer satisfaction rate, we focus on providing an exceptional customer experience. We offer customized IT solutions with flexible pricing options to fit any budget. Our approach continually improves customer efficiency through cutting-edge automation, self-service options, and business intelligence. With 35 years of experience in the IT sector, we have established reliable methodologies that have earned the trust of over 350,000 end users from diverse industries.  

 

A Holistic System Review (HSR) is more than just a health check for your business. It’s a crucial strategy for optimizing your business. It’s about reducing costs and ensuring your system is agile, robust, and prepared for future challenges. When done right, it provides you with the insight and action points you need to grow efficiently and deliver better customer service. Consider Buchanan Technologies for your Holistic System Review (HSR) to enjoy various benefits for your business. We guarantee your satisfaction. 

 

Book a Holistic Review for Your Business

Contact Us Now

 

Author: Hugo Reinoso, Business Development Executive, Buchanan Technologies

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The Top Industries in Toronto That Inhabit the City – and Are Poised for Growth https://www.buchanan.com/toronto-industries/ Fri, 28 Apr 2023 16:52:30 +0000 https://www.buchanan.com/?p=34508 Toronto is the financial and cultural capital of Canada, a bustling metropolis and fourth largest North American home to millions of people . Often dubbed the most multicultural city in the world , it turns out that Toronto industries are almost as varied as its people. The top industries in Toronto generated cumulatively well over […]

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Toronto is the financial and cultural capital of Canada, a bustling metropolis and fourth largest North American home to millions of people . Often dubbed the most multicultural city in the world , it turns out that Toronto industries are almost as varied as its people.

The top industries in Toronto generated cumulatively well over $1 trillion in revenue so far in 2022 . In other words, these are big players on the global markets. Home to shopping centres, the University of Toronto, only a couple hours drive from the United States, and sat on one of the largest lakes in the world with Lake Ontario, Toronto is a very impressive city home to many impressive industries.

Let’s take a deeper dive into the Toronto top industries and learn more about them.

The Biggest Industries in Toronto

This list is by no means exhaustive but will cover many of the top industries that call Hogtown their home.

Financial Services Sector

As you’d imagine, being the financial hub of the country naturally places many of the largest banks in Toronto, alongside the Toronto Stock Exchange (the TSX – the largest exchange in all of Canada). Many even consider Toronto’s banking industry to be among the safest in the world due to the sound regulatory laws in place and the overall respect for Canadian good governance (all the politeness pays off!). All of the Big Five banks of Canada chose the Toronto area to house their headquarters:

  • Royal Bank of Canada (RBC)
  • Toronto-Dominion Bank (TD)
  • Bank of Nova Scotia (Scotiabank)
  • Bank of Montreal (BMO)
  • Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC)

This makes Toronto the largest financial centre in Canada by a wide margin. While this is certainly impressive, not all notoriety is always positive. The banking sector, especially as it consolidates and the major players gather more and more assets under their management, has become a target for cybercriminals. The average data breach, for instance, costs a financial institution on average about $6 million USD. And that’s a single breach . That means that it is critical now more than ever that financial institutions have the proper IT services in place to protect their data and network.

Real Estate

Toronto is consistently ranked as one of the most expensive cities to live in – and a lot of that cost goes to rent. And if rent is high, that means (more often than not) high demand, and high demand means a booming real estate industry. Real estate is big business in Toronto, in other words. Renting, selling, and buying – space is always being sold in the city.

 

 

But, much like with the banking sector, real estate involves large sums of money changing hands. A breach into a realtor’s network, for instance, could grant unwanted access to some of this money, which highlights again the need for rigorous cybersecurity defences.

Wholesale Trade

Much of the wholesale trade industry of Canada runs through Toronto. In fact, the city is home to 60% of all large wholesale companies in Canada. This involves the sale of goods to retailers, mostly, professional users, and other wholesalers or intermediaries. This makes it a major hub among Canadian cities for trade (and North America more broadly).

There’s a lot that goes into the wholesale trading industry: logistics, commerce, marketing, manufacturing, engineering, etc. All these components of the industry need to work in tandem in order to facilitate the highest possible efficiency and profitability. But managing all these systems can be difficult, especially on the tech side. A professional managed IT service provider will be able to offload your tech management burden, introducing automation techniques, efficiencies, and eliminating redundancies to create a learner, faster, and more reliable business process.

Insurance Industry

Insurance companies – and more specifically life insurance and annuities – comprise a large part of the Toronto economy. With billions in revenue each year, these major companies provide financial security and reassurance to people across Toronto and Canada.

 

Want to see how an IT support company can help your company reach its goals faster? Check out these blogs:

 

But with such valuable data being handled, these companies absolutely must have ironclad cybersecurity. Otherwise, precious medical data/information could be exposed to illegitimate third parties. The consequence of course being massive reputational damage and potentially major repercussions to insurance purchasers.

Premier IT Support for All Industries in Toronto With Buchanan

Top Industries in Toronto
Photo courtesy of Unsplash: https://unsplash.com/photos/FlPc9_VocJ4

 

If you want to get the most out of your technology and protect your networks and data from outside threats, then you need a proven, reliable, and expert IT service provider on your side. In other words, you need Buchanan IT.

 

 

With more than 750 IT experts on staff and over 30 years of experience in the industry,  our clients experience almost immediate value with us that carries on for the length of our partnership, with many staying with us for 20 years or more.

Our team has multiple IT certifications and capabilities to assist across the IT landscape and we are among the few leading managed service providers who offer flexible, customizable contracts and a 100% satisfaction guarantee.

To discover how to manage your technology the Buchanan way, reach out to us today for more information.

 

Featured Photo courtesy of Unsplash: https://unsplash.com/photos/qlKaN7eqay8

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Outsourcing Health Care Services: Pros & Cons https://www.buchanan.com/outsourcing-healthcare-pros-and-cons/ Tue, 25 Oct 2022 02:06:18 +0000 https://www.buchanan.com/?p=33446 As operational costs continue to rise, an increasing number of hospitals are turning to outsourcing as a way to mitigate their expenses. So much so in fact, that the global healthcare BPO market was valued at $334.15 billion USD in 2021 and is projected to more than double to $755.76 billion by 2030. In this […]

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As operational costs continue to rise, an increasing number of hospitals are turning to outsourcing as a way to mitigate their expenses. So much so in fact, that the global healthcare BPO market was valued at $334.15 billion USD in 2021 and is projected to more than double to $755.76 billion by 2030.

In this article, we’ll delve into healthcare outsourcing to explain what it is and how it works.

We’ll also list some key outsourcing healthcare services pros and cons to be aware of when deciding if it’s right for you.

 

What is Outsourcing in Healthcare?

Outsourcing in healthcare is the process of contracting with a third-party provider to perform certain functions or services. 

This can range from non-clinical tasks such as human resource management, technical IT support and services, patient appointment setting, compliance monitoring or billing and coding, to more clinical services like home health care or physical therapy.

 

 

Who Uses Outsourced Healthcare Services, and Why?

There are many reasons why healthcare providers choose to outsource certain functions.

In some cases, it may be because the provider does not have the internal resources or skill sets to perform the task in-house. For example, a small hospital might not have the staff or budget to handle all of their employee and patient communication needs internally.

In other cases, it may be because the provider feels that they can receive more qualified talent or a higher quality of service by outsourcing to a specialist.

 

Outsourcing Healthcare Services Pros and Cons

Like any big business decision, choosing whether or not to outsource your healthcare facility’s production operations should only be done after due diligence.

Consider this breakdown of pros and cons to better understand if healthcare outsourcing is right for you.

 

The Pros of Outsourced Healthcare Services

There are many advantages to be reaped by outsourcing medical services for your hospital or clinic which include:

1. Cost-Savings

One of the primary advantages of outsourcing healthcare functions is that it offers a more cost-effective solution than maintaining an in-house department.

When you outsource, it shifts many expenses from CapEx to OpEx and provides the scalability and flexibility to only pay for the services you need, when you need them. This can free up a significant amount of capital and overhead expenses that would otherwise be devoted to staff salaries, benefits, and training.

2. Wider Talent Pool

Outsourcing Health Care Services

Finding good talent can be hard enough in general, let alone in healthcare where the competition is even more fierce.

By outsourcing healthcare service functions for your facility, you tap into a wider pool of talent than might be available to you otherwise, especially if you are located in a remote or tertiary market where talent pools are thin. Outsourcing some of your healthcare services gives you a better chance of finding the right person for the job, and also helps to ensure that you have the necessary skills on staff when you need them.

3. Enhanced Efficiency and Productivity

A successful outsourcing plan can also improve the efficiency and productivity of your healthcare facility. When you outsource non-core functions, such as incoming calls to a call center or human services team, you free up your staff to focus on more important tasks.

What’s more, by delegating things like medical billing, transcription, and even IT support to outsourcing partners, you can take advantage of their expertise and experience.

4. Improved Quality of Care

When you outsource to a company that specializes in a certain area of healthcare, you can be sure that they’re well-equipped to handle any needs that may arise. This improved level of patient care can lead to increased satisfaction and, as a result, more business for your facility.

5. A Competitive Edge

Hospitals in the United States are businesses too, and at the end of the day, they need to be able to afloat.

One way to keep the lights on and focus on patient care is to outsource services that are not essential to your facility’s core mission. This allows you to focus your energies on providing the best possible care to your patients.

 

Want to Learn More About IT Outsourcing? Read These Other Useful Articles Today:

 

The Cons of Healthcare Outsourcing

Despite the many benefits, there are also some drawbacks to outsourcing your healthcare services which include:

1. Risk or Difficulty of Monitoring Quality

When you outsource your health care services, you are relying on another company to provide a service that is crucial to your patients.

This can be difficult to manage, as you are not in control of the quality of care that your patients receive. It is important to partner with a reputable outsourcing company that has a good track record of providing quality care.

2. Loss of Control

When you outsource a function, you’re essentially handing over the reins to someone else.

This can be a difficult pill to swallow for some healthcare organizations and facility managers who are used to having complete control over their operations. It is important you pick a partner that has SLAs in place to meet your expectations for the customer experience (CX), and can act as an extension of your team.

3. Initial Upfront Work

Outsourcing health care services can sometimes result in more upfront work for your team.

When you outsource, you are working with a larger company that may have different protocols and procedures in place and those must be married to your systems and procedures to provide a seamless experience to your patients and employees. To ensure your patients and employees receive the same level of user experience that you require, you’ll want to pick a partner that integrates with your systems and creates knowledge bases and protocols that match your values.

4. Not Always Less Expensive

One of the main reasons that facilities opt for health care outsourcing is to save money.

Although many times you can save money, it is not always the case. In some instances, outsourcing can actually end up costing you more money than if you were to perform the function in-house, but the shifting of overhead and human capital to more technologically advanced processes over time can save you on the  bottom line.

It is important to carefully consider your unique circumstances and potential partners before making a decision on what areas to outsource..

Outsourcing in Healthcare

 

Choose the Right Healthcare Outsourcing for Your Facility

In search of a simple, straightforward and turnkey solution to your hospital’s operational needs?  Look no further than Buchanan.

As a market leader in medical BPO, we provide a comprehensive suite of services that can be customized to meet your specific needs. From managing patient data and responding to data breaches to providing long term non-clinical support, we offer many benefits of medical outsourcing services with none of the downsides.

Contact us today to learn more about how we can support your health care outsourcing.

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Outsourcing Hospital Services + What You Need to Know https://www.buchanan.com/outsourcing-hospital-services/ Mon, 17 Oct 2022 14:00:09 +0000 https://www.buchanan.com/?p=33433 Running a hospital or healthcare facility is one of the most demanding jobs on the planet, there’s no question. Above all else, the focus for healthcare operators is always on achieving positive patient outcomes and sustaining a high standard of care. But with so many different non-care and non-clinical support services to manage, how do […]

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Running a hospital or healthcare facility is one of the most demanding jobs on the planet, there’s no question.

Above all else, the focus for healthcare operators is always on achieving positive patient outcomes and sustaining a high standard of care. But with so many different non-care and non-clinical support services to manage, how do administrators maintain quality across the board while practicing cost-efficient business practices?

Many hospitals and health care facilities often turn to outsourcing hospital services that are non-care/clinical support related.

In fact, healthcare outsourcing services have helped hospitals save 30-60% on costs, in addition to enhancing the level of care provided to their patients.

 

What are the Benefits of Hospital Outsourcing Services?

When properly (and diligently) researched and implemented, the benefits of outsourcing hospital services can be incredible.

Many institutions who have successfully outsourced their non-clinical services have gleaned the following benefits:

  • Greatly improved patient care and staff satisfaction
  • Considerable cost savings
  • Enhanced operational efficiency
  • Process optimizations

However, the degree to which a hospital enjoys these benefits is heavily dependent on:

  • If the business administrators have set clear goals and expectations
  • How effectively transitions are planned
  • The level of effort and strategy for the implementation
  • And how well the systems outsourcing is managed

 

Developing the Strategy for Outsourcing of Hospital Services

Before making any outsourcing decision, health care systems and hospitals need to define a few things first:

  1. Can your goals be met with a multi-vendor model, or is only a single, integrated service provider feasible?

a. Usually hospitals prefer the latter due to their size and patient volume

  1. Have you identified the specific services you require?

a. Retail food, building maintenance, information technology, patient transport, security, materials management, etc.

 

 

  1. For each support service you’re considering for outsourcing, have you identified both the direct and indirect scopes and costs?

a. Including elements like anticipated benefits, financial and non-financial risks, transition issues, space use, competencies, etc.

 

Once you have answered all of these questions and determined your facility’s exact needs, you are then in a position to seek out your ideal vendor or vendors.

 

What are the Challenges of Implementing Hospital Outsourcing Services?

Without putting too fine a point on it, the challenges of implementing hospital outsourcing services should be considered carefully.

In general, the main challenge you’ll face (whether implementing outsourced clinically relevant services or other important services) is in the change management initiative.

Try as you might to retain much of your existing employee and management structure, you may find that blending existing staff with your outsourced contract management group(s) creates reporting redundancies that hampers the overall transition.

But, it’s possible to overcome this by:

  1. Forming a Senior Leadership Committee to plan and oversee the transition
  2. Develop sound principles and strategies to support the implementation of new technologies and processes
  3. Ensure your outsourced vendor’s manager provides the necessary reports to your finance chief and that both parties work to form a relationship based on trust, honesty and transparency
  4. Consider employee morale and buy-in by transferring your existing management team to operate as contractors under your outsourced vendor for similar pay and benefits
  5. Measure performance and value to stakeholders by jointly developing service level agreements (SLAs)
  6. Create detailed scorecards delineating productivity and efficiency indicators to be used as a communication tool.

 

Outsourcing Hospital Services

 

How Does Outsourcing Hospital Services Create Better Patient Care?

While the link between outsourcing non-clinical hospital services and increased patient care may not be immediately apparent, the evidence in favor of this argument is indisputable.

Patient care and satisfaction can be positively affected by the outsourcing of hospital services in two main ways:

1. Distributing Resources Away from Areas with Lower Degrees of Expertise

Hospitals tend to form competencies in particular areas based on the unique factors comprising its situation. These could be elements like available talent pool, needs of the community, and geographical location.

Yet that often means other areas of the hospital’s purview receive less attention. By choosing these less-specialized areas to outsource to vendors, the hospital can focus on areas it needs to improve, all of which usually relate to patient care (after all that’s what a hospital is for!), emergency departments or emergency medicine (as examples).

One example of a less-specialized area a hospital may choose to outsource are environmental services, which often come with profit-maximizing advantages as a result of these services being provided by a dedicated, professional provider.

 

Want to Learn More About Outsourcing Your IT Needs? Read these other Useful Articles!

 

2. Distributing Resources Toward Areas with Higher Degrees of Expertise

Whenever a hospital can give its own internal staff more freedom to focus on their core talents and skills, the more patient care and satisfaction improves.

Without outsourcing hospital services, it may be that some emergency care workers are spending more time than is necessary ensuring the proper organization of medical supplies. Perhaps they’re spending time troubleshooting computer and software issues, or maybe ensuring that emergency rooms are effectively sterilized when they could be more attentively seeing to a patient’s comfort.

This is quite often the case in rural hospitals where access to various talent pools might be restricted. In Academic Medical Centers (AMC) however, this is never an issue since they are very well funded.

When funding, or even location challenges cause issues with talent acquisition or areas of focus, outsourcing hospital services for the non-clinical areas creates efficiencies that allow more focus on the key areas of patient care.

 

Choosing an Experienced IT Partner to Assist with the Outsourcing of Hospital Services

At Buchanan Technologies, we’re highly experienced and familiar with providing exceptional managed IT support to hospitals and healthcare facilities alike.

Not only are we capable of helping your hospital:

  • Increase efficiencies through our patient support services for appointments and routine visits
  • Create back-up and disaster recovery plans
  • Maintain compliance through automated processes
  • Increase efficiencies and lower costs through utilizing the cloud
  • Developing scalable IT solutions that are customized to your needs
  • And more

But we also seek to form a relationship with you based on trust, transparency and mutual understanding. Plus, we aim to form effective working relationships with your other outsourced vendors as well, with the ultimate goal of helping you deliver the best possible care to your patients.

If you’re interested in exploring Buchanan’s patient support services or other solutions as an outsourced managed IT provider for your hospital, contact us today to schedule a consultation and determine what your specific needs might look like.

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Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) for Healthcare https://www.buchanan.com/bpo-healthcare/ Fri, 29 Jul 2022 20:03:27 +0000 https://www.buchanan.com/?p=33088 Emerging technologies, digital capabilities, and consumer expectations are prompting healthcare providers to shift from traditional patient care and customer support channels to deliver their services in more innovative ways.  For example, patients today expect technology-driven healthcare solutions, such as the ability to book and manage appointments online, receive care virtually through telehealth, easily access their […]

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Emerging technologies, digital capabilities, and consumer expectations are prompting healthcare providers to shift from traditional patient care and customer support channels to deliver their services in more innovative ways. 

For example, patients today expect technology-driven healthcare solutions, such as the ability to book and manage appointments online, receive care virtually through telehealth, easily access their medical record, and more. 

Providing customer experiences of this magnitude can be difficult for healthcare organizations that do not have modernized technology infrastructure, streamlined processes, and ample resources dedicated to customer service.

For organizations seeking to enhance the customer experience and improve patient outcomes, a BPO healthcare solution may be the answer. 

First of all, what does BPO stand for? The BPO acronym represents business process outsourcing and is defined by Gartner as the delegation of one or more IT-intensive business processes to an external provider that owns and manages the selected processes based on defined and measurable performance metrics.

A business process outsourcing healthcare solution can be extremely beneficial for a medical institution or healthcare manufacturer. 

This article will explore what you need to know about BPO healthcare, including the different types of BPO services and the benefits of a BPO solution. 

 

Master Healthcare Business Process Outsourcing With Buchanan

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Types of BPO Healthcare Services  

The last thing a medical facility or healthcare company should have to worry about is routine business and administrative tasks, as this can deter the focus away from mission-critical functions. 

Fortunately, a healthcare business process support solution can alleviate this issue through a variety of services. Let’s take a closer look at some of the ways BPO companies can help.

Call Center

Similar to how positive customer experiences can boost a business’s bottom line, a good patient experience can also improve your reputation and profitability. 

With the desire for immediacy growing, particularly among millennials and Gen Z, it is more important than ever to offer quick and efficient support. In fact, 68% of healthcare consumers expect organizations to engage with them in real-time. 

By outsourcing a portion of your patient care, like your facility’s call center, you can significantly improve response and resolution times.

What’s more, a specialized service provider can offer support across multiple areas of your practice, including appointment booking and management, FAQs, payment assistance, and more. 

Finance and Accounting 

It’s no secret that revenue is a driving force behind any successful healthcare organization, and it is largely influenced by health insurance payouts and patient payments. 

Automating the administrative side of this service, particularly around medical coding and billing services, allows you to become more efficient and accurate. Healthcare BPO companies with experience in revenue cycle management can help you reduce billing errors which translates to higher revenue for your organization. 

Data Management

Data entry is something many providers must manage on top of patient care services. This can include notes from patient visits, health history, treatment plans, lab results, and referrals. 

A BPO healthcare partner can help you digitize and automate your data management processes so you can avoid data entry errors and allow staff to focus solely on patient care and clinical functions. 

Benefits of BPO Healthcare Services 

Now that we’ve discussed how a BPO solution can support healthcare organizations, let’s examine some of the major benefits. 

Reduce Overhead 

With shrinking budgets and increasing revenue targets, healthcare organizations are constantly working to identify areas of opportunity for cost savings. 

Access to low-cost resources and infrastructure through outsourcing can provide huge savings for healthcare institutions, hospitals, and clinics and help increase their profit margins through revenue cycles.

Increased Focus on Patient Care 

As a medical institution tasked with providing excellent patient support, non-core and time-consuming tasks are the last things you want your staff to worry about. 

Partnering with a BPO company to handle redundant tasks and manage the administrative side of your business will allow your team to offer your patients the quality care they deserve. 

Maintain Compliance 

Healthcare facilities house copious amounts of sensitive data, including financial information and medical records. Because of this, the healthcare industry is one of the most highly regulated sectors and compliance can be difficult to keep up with. 

Non-compliant entities may be liable for civil penalties ranging from $100 to  over $50,000 per violation. (Up Guard) 

Working with a BPO company that understands healthcare compliance regulations and offers services to secure your data will go a long way in ensuring you remain compliant. 

 

Interested in learning more about BPO healthcare services? Check out these blogs:

 

Choosing the Best Healthcare BPO Partner 

A healthcare business process outsourcing solution can provide much-needed assistance to healthcare providers wanting to overcome challenges and remain adaptable in today’s evolving healthcare landscape.

There are a number of healthcare BPO companies to choose from, so when selecting a provider, you should have a good understanding of which BPO services you need to improve your organization’s efficiency. 

If you’re searching for a partner to provide BPO services for your healthcare facility, Buchanan can help. Our healthcare BPO experience coupled with our portfolio of managed services can equip your organization with the expertise and resources needed to elevate your patient experience. 

Get in touch with us today to learn how we can support your organization with our healthcare business process outsourcing.

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The Pros and Cons of Outsourcing IT Services https://www.buchanan.com/it-outsourcing-pros-cons/ Fri, 15 Apr 2022 20:53:45 +0000 https://www.buchanan.com/?p=32785 Understanding the types of IT outsourcing pros and cons businesses face is essential. From gaining a competitive advantage in the marketplace to reliable technology management delivered by certified IT experts, the advantages of IT outsourcing are widespread. Also equally important to know would be the disadvantages of IT outsourcing. Remember, not all managed service providers […]

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Understanding the types of IT outsourcing pros and cons businesses face is essential.

From gaining a competitive advantage in the marketplace to reliable technology management delivered by certified IT experts, the advantages of IT outsourcing are widespread. Also equally important to know would be the disadvantages of IT outsourcing

Remember, not all managed service providers (MSP) are suitable matches. Differences in company culture, management processes, or a lack of scalable IT services often create friction which can lead to the cancellation of services – or worse, vendor lock-ins

In this article, we’ll take a closer look at outsourcing IT services pros and cons and how they may be applicable to organizations with growing IT needs. 

Advantages of IT Outsourcing

There are numerous IT outsourcing pros and cons. For instance, small businesses looking to access the latest technology may lack the capability or capacity to implement the hardware and software required. On the other side, large enterprises may look to offload specific IT tasks to unburden their internal staff.

 

Interested in learning more about IT outsourcing pros and cons? Check out these blogs:

 

Additional advantages of IT outsourcing include: 

Better Control IT Costs

Many growing businesses outsource their IT needs because it’s a cost-effective way to control labor costs and save money. Additionally, using managed IT services is a great way to stay protected against emergency IT repairs, which can require significant upfront investments.

Improve Productivity and Efficiency

Outsourcing IT means having professionals who are capable of designing, implementing, and deploying the latest technologies. From workforce automation to improved network efficiency, businesses often lean on MSPs when looking to streamline their processes.

Enhance Business Focus

One of the best IT outsourcing pros and cons would be how businesses can focus more on driving growth while technology experts maximize their uptime through the management of some or all of their IT responsibilities.

Strengthen Network Security

Staying protected against data breaches means ramping up security measures with IT experts who understand business needs. From anti-malware implementation, cloud security services, and much more.

Close IT Knowledge and Skill Gaps

One of the main outsourcing IT pros and cons to know would be how IT outsourcing deepens an organization’s talent pool. From troubleshooting complex IT questions to implementing remote data centers, outsourcing information technology processes can ensure you have IT experts along every step of the way.

Reduce Regulatory Compliance Risks

Preventing data loss, theft, corruption, or misuse by identifying and remediating security risks to maintain regulatory compliance is critical. Businesses that fail to comply with data compliance standards may face fines upwards of $50,000 per violation.

 

Can Your Business Benefit?

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Disadvantages of IT Outsourcing

There are more advantages to IT outsourcing than there are disadvantages. While hidden costs, outdated technology skills, and the possibility of weak management are concerns that must be weighed, there are various other disadvantages of IT outsourcing, including:

Loss of Control

Entrusting core services, such as essential functions, can be difficult for businesses to commit to, especially if that organization does not manage tasks to similar company standards.

Confidentiality and Security

Trusting data to secondary parties carries innate risks. For example, should a data breach occur to your MSP, your data is also likely to suffer. Although, it’s important to emphasize that most managed providers are well-protected.

Impact on Employee Morale

Depending on the extent of outsourcing required, staff morale may be impacted as no one likes to think their job is at risk, which may also hinder performance. 

Lack of a Service Levels Commitment

Many managed service providers have a service level agreement, or SLA. The SLA outlines the level of service you’ll receive from the provider. It provides details about the metrics they use to measure their services and performance, and any applicable penalties if the service levels are not maintained.

Lack of Contract Flexibility

Rigid service contracts that lack flexibility and customization are considerable disadvantages of outsourcing. That is why the managed services provider you choose is essential.

IT Outsourcing Pros and Cons

Find the Right Technology Partner By Weighing IT Outsourcing Pros and Cons

Weighing outsourcing IT services pros and cons can help you decide whether IT outsourcing is right for you. 

From improving workflow processes, protecting yourself from risks, and  to managing some or all of your technology, there’s much to consider. With more than 750  500 IT experts on staff and over 30 years of experience,  we retain many of our clients, and some for as many as  for an average of 20 years. 

Our team has multiple IT certifications and capabilities to assist across the IT landscape and we are among the few leading managed service providers who offer flexible, customizable contracts and a 100% satisfaction guarantee. 

To discover how to manage your technology the Buchanan way, reach out to us today for more information.

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Help Desk Vs. Service Desk: The Essential Differences You Need To Know https://www.buchanan.com/help-desk-vs-service-desk/ Wed, 07 Oct 2020 18:35:23 +0000 https://buchanan.jf-staging.com/helpdesk-vs-service-desk/ One provides a much more comprehensive IT solution. Need IT support for your business and wondering which flavor to choose, help desk or service desk? You’ve come to the right place. Both solutions handle communications with your customers while managing incidents and service requests. But the main difference between a help desk and service desk […]

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One provides a much more comprehensive IT solution.

Need IT support for your business and wondering which flavor to choose, help desk or service desk? You’ve come to the right place.

Both solutions handle communications with your customers while managing incidents and service requests. But the main difference between a help desk and service desk is the scope of service provided.

Help desks provide quick fixes to your IT issues, while service desks focus on comprehensive customer service and your overall business needs. Let’s look at both options in detail.

What is a Help Desk?

A help desk service operation assists with quick fixes to end-user IT issues. Forgot your password and need to reset it? That’s a job for the help desk.

Help desk representatives usually don’t get the chance to fully familiarize themselves with your business, limiting their ability to provide full business process support. Their primary goal is to get your customer’s specific problem resolved as quickly and efficiently as possible.

Help desk support is ideal for simple break/fix services, such as:

  • Incident tracking
  • Problem management
  • Self-service options for end users (your employees can call in for immediate assistance)
  • Single point of contact (SPOC) for each product’s service lifecycle

Typically, help desks are a small but crucial part of your broader service options. If you need help managing your help desk, we’re here for you.

Now, before we dive into service desks, let’s compare help desks vs. other types of IT support.

Interested in learning more? Check out these blogs:

Help Desk vs. Desktop Support

Desktop support is a more specific type of IT service. While a help desk can fix a broad range of IT issues, desktop support is dedicated to fixing only desktop or laptop issues. It can’t help with printers or networks, but it can help you install programs or get a broken computer running. Desktop support is typically included in the help desk function.

Help Desk vs. Technical Support

In the IT support hierarchy, the help desk is a simpler level of support for quick fixes. Technical support, however, dives a little deeper. It’s used for more complicated issues requiring deeper technical knowledge.

For example, if your printer isn’t printing, you’d call a help desk. If all your printers are failing due to network communication issues, that’s an issue for tech support. Both options focus on problem resolution without delving into overarching business process support.

Resolve IT issues quickly with reliable outsourced help and service desk operations from Buchanan.

Contact Buchanan Today.

Two professionals engage with laptops, highlighting the difference between help desk vs. service desk.

What is a Service Desk?

Service desks go beyond basic IT fixes to offer a wider range of assistance compared to help desks. In fact, service desks act as the primary point of contact between the service provider and the client for any IT-related need, including:

  • Account management
  • Asset management
  • Configuration management
  • Incident management
  • Informational assistance
  • Service level agreement (SLA) organization

A service desk can help you resolve your printer issues, but it will also look at your current setup and make improvements to promote business efficiency. While help desks simply focus on the immediate problem, the goal of a service desk is to resolve big-picture issues and help improve overall IT functions.

The service desk is typically the first of level support needed, but it can have built-in escalation routing to provide assistance outside of technical support. For example, many colleges and universities are moving towards a “one-stop shop” approach, using service desks to help students with class enrollment and financial aid matters, as well as handling their general inquiries around technical application support.

Service Desk vs. Desktop Support and Technical Support

As we’ve noted, desktop support is dedicated to fixing only desktop or laptop issues, while technical support is used for more complicated issues requiring robust technical knowledge. Service desks encompass both capabilities, giving your business a holistic, well-rounded solution.

Types of Service Desks

While most managed IT service providers offer service desk support, how they handle that support varies. There are three types of service desks to be aware of:

Local Service Desk: Located in or near the area of the clients, these service desks offer agents who better understand the community, allowing for more customized support.

Centralized Service Desk: These desks serve an entire region. They’re generally more efficient and cost-effective, requiring less staff to handle the same call volume.

Virtual Service Desk: Using advanced software to enable their agents to work remotely from anywhere, virtual service desks retain a centralized service desk feel while maintaining the same high levels of efficiency and cost-effectiveness.

A Final Thought

Help desks and service desks are hugely valuable resources. They both help resolve IT issues, but service desks provide a much more comprehensive solution. Whichever option you choose, the key is knowing where you need support and having the flexibility to grow with your business needs.

If you need IT support for your business, trust the experts at Buchanan. We’ve been providing world-class service to satisfied clients across North America for more than 35 years. Whether you’re looking for service desk support or fully managed IT services, we’re ready to help. Contact us today to get started!

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How to Reduce Response Times – Improve Your IT Support Ticketing System https://www.buchanan.com/it-support-ticketing-system-tips/ Sun, 29 Mar 2020 19:43:32 +0000 https://buchanan.jf-staging.com/how-to-answer-categorize-track-reduce-it-support-tickets/ Did you know that in most businesses, 69% of IT support tickets are resolved in one response? With a few tweaks and changes, you can drastically improve your IT support ticketing system. Getting this system to work efficiently is not easy: it requires careful planning and use of proper tools and strategies.   Learning how to […]

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Did you know that in most businesses, 69% of IT support tickets are resolved in one response? With a few tweaks and changes, you can drastically improve your IT support ticketing system.

Getting this system to work efficiently is not easy: it requires careful planning and use of proper tools and strategies.  

Learning how to handle support tickets in a timely, efficient manner is one of the best ways to grow your business and improve your customer service strategy.

To get you on the right path, here are some easy tips you can implement to reduce response times and improve effectiveness when handling IT support tickets.

Use the 30-minute rule on each ticket your IT support team receives.

Your users need to know that you’re working to resolve their issues, and it’s vital that you respond to tickets within 30 minutes of submission. You might not have an immediate solution to the problem, but a quick response can drastically reduce user anxiety.

Outsource Your IT Support

This is one of the best solutions for reducing support tickets and improving your customer support system.  

As much as you may want to keep all services in-house, inexperience and short-handedness may affect how you answer support tickets. 

By outsourcing your support services to a qualified and experienced business, you can simultaneously reduce response time, save money, and improve user experience.

Managed service providers have efficient ticket-based strategies to deal with any number of support tickets. With this, you can downsize your support team and focus on growing your business. 

Prioritize Service Tickets

Most support tickets are treated with the same urgency. While this can help you remain compliant with Service Level Agreements (SLAs), this isn’t always sustainable.

Ticket prioritization is an integral aspect of an efficient IT support ticket resolution. Your team needs to prioritize support based on the sensitivity of incoming tickets.

To cater to the most crucial tickets first, you need to have a protocol on how to prioritize support tickets. 

Ticket categorization may include:

  • Issue type
  • Estimated time spent to resolve a ticket
  • The client

 

Interested in learning more? Check out these blogs:

The 5 Most Common IT Problems
How to Manage your IT Help Desk
IT Helpdesk – 13 Best Practices

 

Identify and Avoid the Most Common IT Problems

What are some of the most common issues and tickets your IT support is facing? Could they be related? On the surface, most of the complaints seem unrelated. However, performing a Root Cause Analysis (RCA) can help you unravel the connection between issues and solve all challenges at the same time.

Using the RCA, you can identify the underlying causes of technical issues and reduce the number of tickets coming in. This approach will also help you solve a significant number of already received tickets in a short time, creating a firm knowledge base regarding support ticket resolutions.

Design a Support Ticket Workflow – and Enforce It

A support ticket workflow plan is an effective and efficient tool to use, but only if you commit to enforcing it.

A well-defined support system will increase efficiency and distribute work evenly. The workflow will also help you avoid overloads and backlogs in the system while keeping the ticketing system neat and organized.  

An efficient support team needs to know how to track support tickets: unassigned tickets, or tickets with incorrect statuses, are often a recipe for disaster. By creating a simple and easy to understand system, your team can keep track of all tickets and ensure a timely response. Here are a few tags you can use to simplify your IT support ticket workflow:

  • Open – Tickets under this category need a response. You can follow the 30-minute rule if there has been no initial response.
  • Pending – If an initial response has been sent and you’re waiting on additional information from the client, you need to mark the ticket as “pending”. If the client takes time before responding to the ticket, you can send a follow-up to ensure that they received the “pending” notification.
  • Solved – If you’re replying with a solution, it’s crucial to mark the ticket “solved” and close it. This alerts other IT support team members that may see the ticket so they don’t spend time working on something that’s already resolved.

Depending on the priority and difficulty of the ticket, your workflow should also assign tickets to your support agents. It’s important that easy-to-solve tickets are not given to Level 2 or 3 support, and vice versa. 

Empower Your IT Support Team

Your team needs regular training and updated tools to efficiently categorize and handle tickets.

With the right tools, your team works smarter, not harder. A ticket board is a good place to start. This board is essential to the performance of your team and offers a variety of useful features. These include:

  • A live ticket stream where agents can see new tickets as soon as they are submitted
  • Due dates detailing when various tickets should be resolved
  • The status of the various tickets
  • The priority of the tickets

Having this information streamlines the process and teaches agents to categorize support tickets, allowing them to jump on the most relevant tickets in the shortest time possible.

Final Thoughts

With these tips, you can improve how you handle your IT support tickets and enhance user experience on your platforms. While most of these tips require a technical approach, you should always make client responses simple and comprehensive in order to improve their experience and enhance communication. 

 

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5 Powerful Ways to Enhance the End User Experience https://www.buchanan.com/improve-end-user-experience/ Fri, 20 Mar 2020 19:14:35 +0000 https://buchanan.jf-staging.com/improve-end-user-experience/ It’s critical for IT teams to focus on the end user experience more than ever before. With technology rapidly changing so are the digital experiences. As the dependence on technology increases, the need for good end user services follows. In fact, it was found that: 92% of employees say that having the right technology impacts […]

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It’s critical for IT teams to focus on the end user experience more than ever before. With technology rapidly changing so are the digital experiences.
As the dependence on technology increases, the need for good end user services follows. In fact, it was found that: 

  • 92% of employees say that having the right technology impacts their job performance, productivity, and satisfaction (Insight, 2018). 
  • Only 30% of workers believe that they have the right technology to do their jobs effectively. 
  • 62% of organizations list IT challenges as a major barrier to providing the best user and customer experience.
  • Only 19% of North American companies consider their technology level as advanced (Advanced2000)

Several approaches can be taken to create a cohesive, end-to-end IT solution that fosters solid end user technology within an organization. Here are 5 tactics to easily improve your end user’s experience.

1. Establish a Dedicated IT Team

Technology is only as good as the people who are hired to oversee it. All too often, organizations do not devote enough time, attention or money on a comprehensive IT solution – including adequate staffing.  

This is an issue because not only do IT personnel handle the day-to-day management within an organization, but they also serve as the first line of defense when technical issues arise, such as network outages and ransomware attacks. 

If an organization does not have a team that can competently address these dilemmas, it could be detrimental to end user productivity, and consequently, the profitability of the company.   

To ensure an effective IT team is in place, it is a good idea to staff it accordingly by skill set. This typically requires a combination of support types, from Tier 1 support, which resolves routine issues, to Tier 3 support, the highest level of technical skill within an organization. 

  • Tier 1 Personnel: staff that can solve basic support questions but have limited technical experience and knowledge. 
  • Tier 2 Personnel: staff that has deeper knowledge and experience. They typically have certifications and can solve complex issues. 
  • Tier 3 Personnel: staff that are highly skilled and have years of experience. They will resolve a technical problem and find how/why that issue occurred and prevent further issues from arising.  

Structuring your team this way will alleviate pressure on your top talent and allow them to focus on more strategic initiatives and high-level issues.

2. Keep Technology Updated

It’s no secret that obsolete technologies are not conducive to a seamless end user experience. When organizations are operating on outdated platforms, it’s common for employees to spend their time troubleshooting and trying to resolve technical issues which will ultimately impact that employee’s performance.  

A proactive approach to technology upgrades keeps the budget in check, and eliminates compatibility issues and downtime for end users. 

When you keep assets and infrastructure up to date, like web applications, it lessens employee frustration and wasted resources.  

 


Interested in learning more? Check out these blogs:

What are the different tiers of IT Support?
How to manage your helpdesk
Top 13 Help Desk Best Practices
How to choose a managed service provider


3. Give End Users Tools for Success

It’s crucial to deliver users the necessary technology and resources they need to be productive.

It is worth noting that the way employees work has experienced a shift – in fact, a poll conducted by Gallup showed 43% of the US workforce worked remotely.

Because we are in the digital era, it is becoming increasingly common for employees to desire a connected work environment with instantaneous access to resources, information, and user support.

It’s best practice to implement an IT strategy that provides its end users with these capabilities and support services.

By using performance monitoring, you can identify the triggers that lead to poor end user experiences. It will provide a road map to a well-rounded technology solution for your employees, allowing you to retain top talent.

4. Prepare for Speed Bumps

Things will go wrong with your IT – it’s only a waiting game. Network connectivity issues, system outages, security threats, and much more can happen any day to anyone regardless of the technology and procedures in place.

A critical component of any IT solution is real-time user monitoring of the entire system. This will provide a deep dive into issue detection and will help system administrators to deploy a quicker incident response plan.

Real-time user monitoring creates a KPI that measures performance metrics and employee experiences. Once you’re able to identify performance issues, you can better understand how to fix them and put a solution in place.

A report by IBM found that the average time to identify a data breach in 2019 was 206 days and the time to contain a breach was 73 days. With proactive system monitoring, you can drastically reduce these metrics for your organization.

 5. Look to Outsourcing

If your organization needs assistance with one or more of these items, it might be time to consider a managed services provider (MSP). An MSP can do as much – or as little – as you want relating to your IT solution, including full system monitoring and management, automated services for common tasks, and a dedicated service desk, to name a few.

An MSP can ensure that your IT team is devoted to organizational growth and not solving day-to-day issues and/or complex technical problems. In fact, a 2018 survey found that of organizations who used an MSP (Statistica, 2018):

  • 46% were provided access to skills not available in-house
  • 36% saw cost savings for their organization
  • 35% said it freed up resources to focus on core business

Most importantly, an MSP can provide insight on how you can conduct digital experience monitoring and help you learn how users interact with your IT systems and improve performance management altogether.

Final Thoughts

Regardless of the route you take, it is becoming increasingly important for organizations to invest in processes and infrastructure that offer robust end user services and provide a seamless user experience. When end users have the tools, technology, and support to operate at a high level of autonomy and efficiency, everyone benefits.

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