Tech issues continue to be a major headache, causing significant frustration for both IT departments and employees. Lakeside Software, the leading IT data intelligence company, has conducted research that reveals what tech problems are most common at work and annoy employees most.
The report uncovers that hardware problems are the chief culprits, causing a staggering 60% of all support queries, leaving users grappling with system crashes, slow performance, and connectivity issues. Software woes represent 24% of tech headaches, with users often battling installation errors, compatibility issues, and data losses. This comprehensive analysis not only highlights the most frequent tech support challenges but also offers valuable insights into the future of IT support.
The revelations come amidst the fierce competition for talent and the fast-changing work models. Growing in importance, the concept of digital employee experience, or DEX, encompasses employees’ interactions with technology throughout the workday. Indeed, DEXย plays a vital role in the productivity, satisfaction, and well-being of workers.
What tech problems are most common at work?
Hardware issues hit hardest:
The report reveals that hardware issues dominate tech support queries, accounting for 60% of the total. These include general performance issues such as system crashes and blue screen errorsย (48%), slow performance (36%), and hard drive reliability problems (15%), along with peripheral connectivity problems involving malfunctioning USB ports (48%) and external devices like keyboards and mice. Additionally, power and booting troubles, including devices not powering on (54%), unexpected shutdowns (9%), and boot process difficulties (37%), are significant, as well as storage and data access issues like hard drive failures (36%), data loss (28%), and difficulties accessing files and folders.
Software struggles:
Software issues represent 24% of tech support queries, highlighting the significant challenges users face with their applications and operating systems. Users frequently report problems with software installation and setup, such as difficulties configuring settings or activating licenses (25%). Operating system errors (22%) are also common, with users experiencing crashes, error messages, and unexpected behaviours. Data issues, including data loss and corruption (20%), further complicate the user experience, often resulting from software glitches or virus attacks. Software compatibility problems (19%) create additional frustrations, with certain programs not working well with specific hardware or other applications, leading to performance and speed concerns (14%).
Networking nightmares:
Networking and connectivity challenges make up 11% of the queries, underscoring the critical role of reliable networks in todayโs digital environment. Users often encounter router and Wi-Fi connectivity problems, struggling with frequent disconnections (52%) or difficulty connecting to networks. Network configuration and settings issues (27%) are also prevalent, with users facing challenges in setting up their networks correctly or dealing with IP settings and firewall configurations. Internet speed issues (18%) are a concern, impacting productivity and user satisfaction. Additionally, troubleshooting network devices (4%), such as network interface cards and routers, can be complex and time-consuming.
Security concerns:
Though less frequently reported, security concerns are still important. Users often seek assistance with antivirus software and malware removal (28%), firewall configuration (21%), and addressing phishing and email security issues (17%). General cybersecurity concerns, such as password management and protecting personal information, are also common topics in tech support queries.
Future of tech support – a workplace that knows about tech problems before they happen:
The research highlights the pressing need for tech assistance. Now, imagine working in an environment where tech issues are resolved before users even know they exist. This is the promise of proactive and predictive IT support. By using data-driven insights, AI can detect anomalies and automatically resolve common issues, significantly enhancing system reliability and performance. This proactive maintenance ensures tech performs optimally through regular updates and health checks that address potential failure points before they become problems. Additionally, AI-driven self-service solutions empower users to fix their own issues, reducing help desk tickets and boosting user satisfaction.
Technical issues are an inevitable aspect of digital environments. Obtaining service desk support, however, should not be a daunting or complex process, and it should not involve multiple tickets or lengthy interactions with technicians or worse yet – bots. The complexity of an issue can escalate the IT support process, involving additional technicians for troubleshooting, in turn, negatively affecting both the employee’s digital experience and potentially other users.
Proactive IT support prevents most common tech problems
Therefore, it is crucial to deliver proactive IT support to recognise any brewing patterns in order to understand and address the underlying causes and avoid wasted time and diminished productivity. Leveraging real-time data, automated detection, and automated remediations can greatly reduce the need for extensive questioning and guesswork at the outset. This empowers technicians to quickly analyse the root causes, resulting in a shorter mean time to resolution (MTTR) and minimising the overall impact on digital experiences.
For remote employees, visibility into Wi-Fi signals, reboot status, and application latency and performance โ alongside overall desktop health and compliance โ is crucial. For one healthcare organisation with front-line and customer-facing employees distributed working remotely, deploying a digital experience software gave them the visibility and automation needed to reduce 35% of incidents reported among this group.
Lakeside Softwareโs AI-driven SysTrack platform represents the future of tech support, using advanced analytics to predict, prevent, and resolve issues. With endpoint data collection from over 10,000 endpoints every 15 seconds providing a detailed and real-time view of the IT environment, organizations can gain deep insights into system performance, user experience, and potential issues.
The full report can be downloaded here.
About Lakeside Software:
Lakeside Software is how organizations with large, complex IT environments can finally get visibility across their entire digital estate and see how to do more with less. For far too long, IT teams have struggled to see what’s going on in their dark estate โ where costly inefficiencies, poor employee experiences, and unresolved problems hide.
Only Lakeside lets you give everyone a better view, so they can see the hidden issues, see the smartest fixes, and see the biggest savings. That’s why so many of the world’s leading global brands rely on Lakeside. And it’s how our customers see an average ROI of more than 250%. Learn how you can get a better view atย lakesidesoftware.com. Give everyone a better view.
