Why IT needs to adapt to the new technology consumer

Not in the sense that these devices are unwanted, but rather through the highlighting of the need for IT to start providing the same levels of service and productivity they are now used to from having these devices with them.

The facts speak for themselves: users are making use of tools for social, mobile, analytics and the cloud applications, and they bring these devices and services with them into the office daily. We have our smartphones with us, we use social networks in the office and, as a result, the difference in the applications and use of these devices and technologies is becoming blurred.

But how does your IT department compete? They don't. They need to change their approach to their users and start delivering the services they want, making use of the tools that they are currently using.

Need to embrace disruptive technologies

If IT doesn't change the way it engages with users, these users will simply look for alternatives. IT services today need to embrace these disruptive technologies and get back in front of the game - retaking the lead they once had - by way of improved service offerings that delight customers with a customer experience tailored to them.

Today, technologies exist that enable just this. The MyIT portfolio from BMC is a perfect example of how IT can empower users in the world of social, mobile, analytics and cloud. The application can be installed across multiple devices and gives the user instant access to the full view of the IT department enabling them to engage with IT anytime, anywhere and on any device.

Instead of logging a call to report a problem, users can see if there are already calls logged, what the anticipated downtime is, and then work around this. Additionally they can also highlight and log problems from wherever they are, which will immediately alert the IT department to a problem, without onerous time being spent holding for the help desk.

What is more is that IT can now proactively alert and "push" notifications to all individuals using the MyIT solution by whatever mechanism and on any device.

Should email be down, instead of taking hundreds of calls at the service desk at a cost of approximately USD12 a ticket, IT can now, as an example, send out a tweet or Facebook notification to inform all employees. This can be coupled with an update to the system that can push alerts to mobile devices as well as via an email. The productivity gains are enormous, but so are the cost benefits when reducing the number of tickets required for each IT service call logged.

Promotes community interaction

The solution promotes community interaction, much like the social and mobile world users are now used to. Information can be shared both ways making use of a myriad of applications. In short, MyIT offers consumers a new level of interface to engage with that is personalised, geo-localised, contextualised and native on their devices. It lowers the complexity of dealing with the IT department and adapts the experience to one that users are now comfortable with.

Users can become a lot more proactive when making use of the system, due to the broadcast model used by MyIT. Where IT is now telling consumers what is happening in the organisation proactively without you having to request it. You can also request services via the system, such as telecommunications, VoIP, videoconferencing and chat, and it can link all available business applications and services including the CRM, HR and financial services systems.

Over and above this you can make use of the MyIT application to locate smart objects in your environment, such as printers, scanners and even digital cameras - every service or object that is related to technology and that is on a network can now be linked to it and will appear on MyIT.

With MyIT you can request services, find out the health of services, localise the most appropriate services to you and all of this is done in a secure, managed environment across the network of your choice. MyIT takes the IT department and shifts it into the realm of true service provider and enables users in a business to become the consumers of services. Across all devices, networks and via whatever means you as the individual chose to engage with it.

Marketing Contact

Lorna Kane

+27 11 026 5990

lorna.kane@quintica.com

Editorial contact on behalf of Quintica

Charlene Carroll

Anti-Clockwise

+27 11 314 2533

charlene@anticlockwise.co.za