Like many other sectors, machine learning and automation are having a significant impact on how we’ve always delivered effective IT support.
We previously wrote about whether AI is a help or a curse when it comes to cybersecurity, and we think there are definite advantages and disadvantages to using artificial intelligence.
Right now, AI is still very much in its early stages, and any tools designed to aid IT support services are within their first initial iterations. However, AI is progressing at a rapid pace, and it is clear that those tools are here to stay. They will continue to improve, so businesses must learn how to use machine learning and automation safely and ethically.
In our latest series of blog articles focusing on artificial intelligence, we’re delving into how we can continue to improve our IT support services in Ipswich through a unique blend of automation with our renowned high levels of customer care.
Here are just a few of the ways that AI can be used to enhance IT support services.
Automated ticketing and resolutions
Here at Lucid Systems, our clients across Ipswich, Colchester, and Felixstowe know that we use a ticketing system that allows them to tell us when they are experiencing a technical problem. Our excellent IT helpdesk team continuously monitors these tickets, and they are aided by automated systems that can prioritise any incoming IT issues.
We anticipate that ticketing systems will continue to develop with a series of chatbots that will gather the initial information we need to troubleshoot the issue. The result is that your IT niggles will be fixed much quicker. What’s more, minor problems could also be fixed through automated troubleshooting, freeing up time to focus on more technical issues that need more care and attention.
Predictive maintenance will become essential
Businesses across Suffolk and Essex choose to outsource their IT to teams like us because we can offer so much more than just IT helpdesk support. Our approach isn’t just to focus on the here and now. It’s about futureproofing your systems so that you have a long-lasting and agile solution that can help you work effectively as your business grows and changes.
We believe that predictive maintenance will become an essential part of what we can offer. That’s where artificial intelligence can continuously analyse your network activity and system logs to tell us about any abnormalities or potential problems before they escalate into something serious.
We’re already actively making the most of Endpoint Detect and Response (EDR) as part of our cybersecurity strategies, and this will move into other aspects of our services as well.
This will be hugely beneficial to small businesses because having a predictive yet reliable system in place will allow you to minimise and prevent downtime. It will also ensure that your business is running smoothly at all times.
Chatbots could create a self-service knowledge base
We’ve all used chatbots for customer service reasons, and they are getting much better at directing and filtering people to the right place to help them find the information they need.
One way that chatbots could potentially work alongside IT support services is by guiding users to a series of articles or downloadable resources that might answer common user queries or questions. Empowering users to understand what’s causing their technical problems would help educate individuals while also personalising any search results according to common user queries or past interactions.
Right now, we want to keep our close relationships with our clients, and this is a hypothetical way that AI can be brought into IT support teams.
We want to make it clear that although we continuously publish content that we hope will be useful for our customers, we will always continue to prioritise human and personal interactions. That might be through our ticket system, dropping us an email or picking up the phone to talk to us directly.
Early threat detection is essential
As we’ve already mentioned, we welcome the AI capabilities of Endpoint Detect and Response (EDR) because it allows us to identify any suspicious activity throughout your network. Automating the process flags potential security threats before they escalate into a problem.
IT support services are changing. Historically, much of our time was spent helping users overcome issues such as password login problems or issues with data backups. Now, we spend a lot of time working with our clients to strengthen their cyber defences. We may need to respond to potential security breaches or update user access settings. This change means that having AI tools that can alert us to potential problems makes it much easier to keep your business safe and secure at all times.
Automation can be invaluable when for IT asset management
To maximise your IT system, you need to feel confident that you’re using the latest possible technology. Legacy systems can hold you back, so you need a way to track your IT assets, giving you ample time to know when you need to consider investing in upgrades or replacements.
The good news is that you can use AI to monitor and track your IT assets effectively. As well as keeping detailed records based on your hardware, software and licences, you can set up automated reminders for when updates are needed, or licences are due for renewals.
This can save significant time and money because you’ll be well aware of what you need to continue working as effectively as possible. By ensuring that every aspect of your system is up to date, you can minimise downtime and take advantage of the latest technical innovations.
We welcome the use of AI within IT support, but it will never replace the personal approach
At Lucid Systems, we welcome the integration of AI tools that allow us to enhance our services and deliver a better experience for our clients. The use of AI can be used to intuitively identify when and where problems can occur, which can make it much easier to prevent those problems from escalating.
We also welcome the use of AI to manage and filter technical requests, but we don’t want it to ever replace our personal approach. We’ve built our reputation on delivering exceptional customer service to our clients across Ipswich (and further afield), and we don’t want to lose those personal connections.
This is our promise that we will continue to invest in the latest AI tools to the benefit of our clients, but we will always be on hand to deliver personal support and care. You will always be able to pick up the phone and talk to us directly. What’s more, you have our guarantee that we will only ever recommend AI tools and software solutions that we feel will be beneficial to your business.
