IT help desk outsourcing is when you hire an external vendor to provide your IT help desk (the place your team, and sometimes your customers, go for technical support related to your network). A managed service provider offers help desk services as a part of a comprehensive technology solution. But the term “IT help desk outsourcing” typically refers to outsourcing for only help desk support, not as part of a managed solution.
Help desk technicians take calls, emails, chat sessions or tickets then do their best to fix the user’s immediate problem. IT help desk services typically involve:
- Running system diagnostics.
- Making changes to computer hardware and software, including installing or making repairs.
- Escalating the problems to a more expertised tech if they are unable to solve it.
- Following-up with the user to ensure that issues have been resolved.
Your managed service provider help desk will perform all these tasks as well. The difference is that your help desk team is part of a larger team actively working to prevent issues on your network. That means they are already extremely knowledgeable about your business and IT infrastructure. The team you work with from a standalone help desk outsourcing provider usually does not have the same level of insight into your business or the ability to help prevent similar issues from arising in the future.
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Use our Checklist to Find IT Support
Are you a first-timer to IT support? Maybe you aren’t happy with your current MSP? Our easy-to-follow checklist can guide you through the process of the best IT services provider for your business. It will help you help you outline and define:
- Your business goals for the next few years
- The stats that potential MSPs will need to work out a plan for your company
- The risk areas in your backup and cyber security practices
- What you expect from your IT support provider
- And more!
