Some of the technical support staff at Taylored Solutions were chatting the other day, and I asked a question “When did IT support first start”?
This prompted quite a debate, questions and some research, and an interesting timeline and facts.
When we look at the premium levels of outsource IT support that Taylored Solutions deliver today to our customers, the humble beginnings are a far cry from today’s modern fast moving and innovative technical support.
So we hope you enjoy the blog they put together on The History of Tec and IT Support.
Early Beginnings
IT support had got such a nerdy reputation, and it all stems from the early days when the tech support role seemed to be a catalyst for lots of jokes.
As tech support we seem to be stereotyped into a category of pale skinned, computer focused, unsociable troglodytes!. As we all know, nothing could be further from the truth.
It started in the swinging 60s when large US businesses recognised the power of data storage and the potential of computing. From this the age of mainframes and IBM’s introduction services to the market was born.
Tec support quickly established itself as a key element for many businesses who were going to utilise the new computers, and although they were gargantuan room sized behemoths, they were none the less complex for the time and prone to breakdowns and failures.
Maybe it was the icy demeanour of the support teams at the time who only ever spoke in binary or data vocabulary that started the jokes.
In The 80s & 90s IT Reached Millions
It was in this period that the general population began to have significant access to computing and with the introduction of desktop computers, the IT support industry found itself dealing with real people, who were not technically minded and needed to review the way IT support was delivered.
The Commodore 64 became a regular sight in many homes and it looked as though the industry was booming.
It Support Heroes
It was the computerised boom of the 90s with the so called .com era coming into play that really made businesses realise the value of premium quality IT Support.
Now hundreds of thousands of office workers used a desktop computer and businesses became increasingly reliant on the technology for communication, storage and processes.
But as internal IT support departments grew and ate into the company budget, businesses explored alternatives.
They wanted a high level of IT support, without the internal costs and potential time delays, that’s where Taylored solutions IT support services meet the needs of businesses, and deliver 24/7 support, cost effectively.
Signing Off
The history of IT support has shown two major elements that must be considered. Over 50% of customers are likely to hang up if they do not get a flesh and blood human to speak to.
The significant increase in customer retention and customer satisfaction if the tech works correctly and delivers what they are looking for, is immeasurable to a business.
If you’re looking for quality IT support across Belfast and Northern Ireland, look no further than Taylored Solutions.