Why Higher-ed Institutions are Outsourcing IT Help Desk Support During the Hybrid Model
Can institutions upscale their IT help desk services without increasing the cost?
Absolutely yes!
Outsourcing help desk services opens many new doors for higher education institutions to provide a consistent user experience and become highly efficient in handling student queries.
Especially, in the current hybrid model of education in which more students are studying remotely, help desks are getting slammed with an unprecedented number of requests. Additionally, institutes have been forced to make budget cuts, which resulted in adding to the financial stress.
A well-run, technologically advanced, cost-effective IT Help Desk became a ‘must have’ (rather a ‘nice to have).
Onboarding IT Help Desk Outsourcing Companies is an easier and more cost-effective way to meet the challenges of today. It enables institutes to
– Improve Response Time
Failing to quickly respond and resolve any technical issue leads to frustration for students who are used to having it all at their fingertips.
Outsourcers proactively respond to any incoming queries and ensure that students can have their needs met quickly.
– Add a personalized touch to communication
Outsourcers offer a wide range of communication channels like text, email, chatbot, and calls that enable quick access to information, any time, all the time.
– Focus on internal innovation
The adoption of tech-driven solutions allows your staff to focus on critical matters, rather than scrambling to stay on top of mundane technical issues. his opens new doors of improvement and skill development for your existing staff.
– Reduce operational cost
Automating the manual processes of addressing every query not only reduces the burden on the staff but also helps the institutions drive student satisfaction and staff productivity. Resulting in cost optimization through labor reassignment, automation, process efficiencies, and a consumption-based pricing model.
Working with top help desk companies exposes you to numerous best practices that can make your institution run even more efficiently. After all, they have expertise in addressing your unique business needs in an expert manner.
Anthony Banford is an esteemed executive with 19 years of experience in technology, consulting, and education. He begins his latest chapter as Chief Revenue Officer at BlackBeltHelp, aiming to innovate in the higher education support industry. His move follows a successful stint as Head of Revenue at StudentBridge since March 2023, where he significantly contributed to the company’s merger with Full Measure Education, enhancing its service offerings.
Todd Hollrah joins BlackBeltHelp bringing 25+ years of experience managing service delivery operations for several Fortune 500 clients around the globe. After a distinguished career as an executive in the BPO industry, Todd will provide critical insight into building an exceptional customer experience combining both live voice and automated solutions.
Inspired by a family computer that always needed fixing, Chris Uthe has submerged himself in business and technology for the last 20 years. His first company, a PC repair and networking business, was started at just 16 and successfully fueled a deep interest in solving problems as he helped business customers throughout his hometown adopt technology into their business. He would go on to successfully run a media & managed IT company before joining the Ed Tech industry with a successful 13-year tenure within an ERP/SIS company leading the Student Portal & Learning Management division. His last startup, EdSolio, helped to fuel the winds of competency-based education by providing a comprehensive view of a student’s work and achievements. Chris is now focused on creating successful learners by ensuring the highest quality help and support through the use of AI backed toolsets spending the last 3 years in the student engagement and support markets.
Quaiser Absar is the Chief Technology Officer and Director of Institutional Computing at Shenandoah University in Winchester, Virginia.
Bringing in over 2 decades of experience with him, Manish has ensured seamless operations in terms of client delivery, reporting & analytics, quality, training, and transitions with a special focus on technical integrations to help reduce costs and improve the bottom-line.
Anthony has served higher education in diverse, leadership roles for over 30 years and has helped organizations thrive through his expertise in developing, analyzing, and executing growth strategies. Prior to joining BlackBeltHelp, he served in College Administration as well as in leadership roles within Blackboard Student Services and Ellucian, Inc.
Accomplished IT Specialist and Manager with extensive experience in a higher education setting and demonstrated abilities to effectively manage both student and professional staff. Self-motivated problem solver, who is skilled in managing many issues and prioritizing their importance to find resolutions in a timely and effective manner. Possesses strong abilities to adapt to new technologies by extrapolating from existing experience. Possess first-rate communication and collaboration skills to work with diverse groups effectively.
Lila Buytendorp has been serving as the Director of User Services at Moraine Park Technical College (MPTC) since 2000. In this role she is responsible for staff & lab desktop computing and end user support. She guides and supports technology based on the curriculum needs and ensures technology is implemented to support the emerging needs of the college. She builds and supports integrated systems to improve efficiencies and uses technologies to support data-driven decision making. Lila is a member of the Capital Projects Planning and Design Committee to ensure new or remodeled facilities have appropriate technology.