Most enterprise IT groups were set up to manage devices that, for the most part, were located inside company walls. Yes, support also had to extend to traveling users with the occasional problems ‒ but that was the exception, not the rule. Today, with almost everyone working from home, that dynamic has flipped on its head – and IT needs help dealing with this new normal.
The problem extends to public-sector entities, particularly K-12 schools, many of which have limited budgets for IT staff. The people providing support may not be bona-fide IT staff, but librarians or that science teacher who has an affinity for technology.
If a device has a problem, the traditional solution was to go to the library and check out another one. That’s not an option with many students learning from home. Overall, the lack of IT support can mean students are unable to log in, download content, or have access to teachers – in other words, to learn.
Helping users correctly configure devices, such as ensuring proper security, is another issue. Authentication processes may change when devices are off the corporate network at users’ homes versus on a VPN in an office building. Helping users navigate these changes takes time, which is at a premium.
According to HP, it’s not unusual for break/fix tasks to take up at least half of IT’s time. To thrive, organizations need to offload these support tasks and unburden themselves.
Help with device repairs and monitoring
One option for offloading tasks is to partner with a service provider that can take on support tasks for you. For example, HP has a series of Care Packs that address common requirements, acting as a partner that lets the IT organization focus on more strategic endeavors while ensuring users remain productive.
With the HP Onsite Services Care Pack, for example, if a user is having an issue with a device, HP will dispatch a support person to address it – even to the user’s home. The technician provides a contactless experience, observing all local COVID-19 precautions, such as performing the repair in a van. A user also may opt to have HP send a box for a fast pickup-and-return repair.
These issues often are identified first by another Care Pack, HP Active Care, which provides around-the-clock, proactive monitoring for devices. Using artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies, Active Care can identify and alert IT when a device isn’t functioning optimally. If a battery or hard drive requiring replacement is detected, IT is notified and will open a support ticket for repair directly from its management console.
Protection against accidents and failures
If a device is damaged, which is a common occurrence in the work-from-home environment, the HP Accidental Damage Protection Service Care Pack covers device repair or replacement. With the HP Travel Support Service, companies can even extend some Care Pack services to users traveling to more than 80 countries.
Organizations that deal with sensitive data – such as financial firms, healthcare organizations, and retailers – would be well-served by the HP Defective Media Retention Service. Normally, if a hard drive fails while under warranty, HP will replace it, and have the user return the failed drive. That can be a problem for companies that have policies in place regarding how to deal with sensitive data. For a modest cost, the Defective Media Retention Service lets users keep the failed drive, enabling them to adhere to corporate data-retention policies.
These are stressful times for everyone, but IT organizations can give themselves a break by partnering with proven providers such as HP to get much-needed support for their users’ computing devices. To learn more, check out this Care Pack solution brief.
Service levels and response times for HP Care Packs may vary depending on your geographic location. Service starts on date of hardware purchase. Restrictions and limitations apply. For details, visit www.hp.com/go/cpc. HP Services are governed by the applicable HP terms and conditions of service provided or indicated to Customer at the time of purchase. Customer may have additional statutory rights according to applicable local laws, and such rights are not in any way affected by the HP terms and conditions of service or the HP Limited Warranty provided with your HP Product.
