Why modern IT must embrace social

The first to be truly considered as digital natives, Generation Z has never known a life without digital technology. Born after 1995, those that belong to Generation Z are competent online users and have always lived their lives through the world wide web, but they are not the only ones. A large majority of us are inextricably linked to the phones in our pocket, whether it be checking friends’ social media posts, reading emails or catching up on the news.

The trend shows no sign of abating. The number of global mobile phone users is expected to pass the five billion mark by 2019, with around half of the devices used being smartphones. By the end of next year, just over a third (36%) of the world’s population will have a smartphone in their pocket[1].

Because of the proliferation of smartphone technology, we have hit something of a social media crescendo. Such technology has simplified the way we communicate with others, and has brought the world closer together than ever before. Anyone with a connected device can now instantly send a message to billions of people using their social media app of choice.

This interconnectivity we all now enjoy at the tips of our fingers has also given rise to a new form of IT support: Social IT.

Talk in the same language

The goal of IT support is in the name: to support employees and enable them to perform their jobs effectively. IT support is ultimately about people, and so as user habits change, so must the ways which we provide IT support. Generation Z are coming into the workplace armed with modern-day skillsets and new communication methods, therefore the workplace needs to talk to them in a language they understand.

 

Today’s use of social media apps is staggering. Some two billion of the world’s population are now said to be on Facebook, 1.5 billion people log onto YouTube each month, Instagram has recently rocketed past the 700 million users mark and Twitter has over 328 million registered users[2]. Despite Facebook’s size and age, its user count is growing faster than ever, at 17 percent in the past year[3].

Time to join them

For the IT support world, they must now take an ‘if you can’t beat them, join them’ approach to how they operate. By providing a way for staff to communicate with the IT support function through a medium they trust and enjoy using can lead to a much smoother resolution of issues. By using social-based tools that users are familiar with from their everyday lives, there is no need for them to get their heads around often overly complicated new solutions.

Another benefit of embracing more social forms of interaction is that it will improve the level of communication throughout the entire organisation, often leading to better company-wide collaboration. Through its ease of use, social IT can also empower both IT and non-IT employees alike to answer IT-related questions that might not require the knowledge of a professional to resolve. This results in staff getting an answer faster, while the IT support team are less distracted and able to undertake their other day-to-day duties to keep the business running.

Finally, while a service desk agent can only take one phone call at a time, social IT communication mechanisms mean they can engage with multiple users simultaneously, making social IT far more cost-effective.

Horses for courses

To deliver the best possible end-user experience, an IT department must embrace social media and all related technologies. As social media technologies continue to be enhanced through the addition of new features, IT needs to swim with the tide and build these capabilities into their own IT support offerings too. For example, where in the past a user was only able to send a short text message (SMS in fact stood for short message service), they are now able to send images, live videos and more. This has fundamentally changed the end-user experience, so corporates must reflect that.

Technology will continue to evolve. To ensure a competitive advantage it is always best to live on the bleeding edge of technology than being consigned in the discount bin with technology of yore. Yet, the need for modern business to embrace social is more about providing more choice and speaking the same language as your employees. When it comes to communication it is often a case of horses for courses. For example, email is perfect for some situations, while a simple phone call works for others. But as generations shift, so will the communication methods being used, and so a modern IT department must reflect these needs to ensure optimum efficiency and employee satisfaction.