Business expenditure on IT will increase by 6.7% in 2022.
Every organization today has IT systems that manage its operations. Many IT specialists work on these systems, including support analysts. The analysts are responsible for increasing the productivity, efficiency, and security of IT systems.
So what does an IT support analyst do? Here is an IT support analyst guide.
Who Is an IT Support Analyst?
An analyst is also referred to as a technical support analyst or help desk analyst. Their main purpose is to offer advisory and technical information to users of IT systems.
They provide their services through social media, phone, email, or in person. Their information can be about peripherals, hardware, and computer programs.
An analyst is usually on standby to await user concerns. They will then examine IT applications or equipment for any problems. If they detect a problem, they will find and implement a solution.
Analysts will always collaborate with administrators and technicians. This ensures that solutions are implemented quickly to avoid disruptions.
They use creative and technical approaches when handling problems. Besides, their specific actions will change throughout the day.
Successful support analysts must display great customer service qualities. They must also be efficient and complete their responsibilities on time.
At the end of the day, an analyst is supposed to increase the efficiency of a company. To accomplish this, they should be conversant with the business’s network systems and other IT components.
Becoming an Analyst
There are many ways you can become an analyst. The most common ones include completing a university degree, finishing a college course, or gaining experience while working for an analyst.
Most companies require analysts to have at least two years of experience working as desktop support agents. The IT support analyst hire must also demonstrate the ability to conduct computer operations in various environments.
Other requirements are proficiency in all Windows versions, patch management, and remote smartphone support.
What Does an Analyst Do?
The main role of an analyst is to maintain a business’s IT systems. This primarily includes identifying and solving hardware and software problems. They also have to test and implement new updates.
An IT support analyst job will also include the following:
Audits Your Existing Systems
The help desk technician must have complete information about your system. They should understand all software and hardware controls. This includes preparing a report of the inputs, operations, and data output of each unit in the system.
First, the IT expert will measure the vulnerability of your IT system. They will then identify weaknesses and possible areas of abuse. Pinpointing sources of cyber attacks is also part of this process.
The analyst will then create a list of vulnerable points. The analyst will come up with the riskiest units in your IT system from this list. You can learn more here about IT risks.
Migrate Networks
Old networks may have become obsolete and prone to attacks. They may also not have enough features to support the business’ new requirements.
It’s the work of an IT analyst specialist to identify obsolete networks and recommend possible substitutes. The specialists will do market research to know the best new networks. They will also calculate network migration costs.
The analyst will be responsible for teaching staff about the new networks. Other duties include overseeing the transfer of information from the old networks to the new networks. The IT support specialist should also be on standby to troubleshoot any network issues.
Convert Client Proposals Into Projects
Your clients may have a series of requirements. However, they may not know the specific IT processes that will bring their ideas to fruition.
An analyst will understand the client’s requirements. They will then suggest solutions and how to implement them.
The analyst will also be responsible for communicating these solutions to the client in an easy-to-understand manner. In some cases, the analyst will provide timely reports on the project progression.
Do Staff Training
Analysts can also train your staff on various IT aspects. The training can happen when a staff member raises an IT issue. Also, the analyst can hold regular training seminars for your staff members.
The analyst will use a combination of training methods, such as interactive demos, microlearning resources, and gamification.
The support analyst will teach employees about new systems and potential problems. Staff members will also learn about software updates and how to activate them.
The analysts also teach members about cyber security practices. Your team members will know how to detect hacking attempts. They will also have information about what to do if they detect a hacking attempt.
The IT analyst will set realistic and clear training milestones. They will also determine the training methods and approaches for each department in your business. Furthermore, the help desk technician will give advice on how to get the training equipment and tools.
Some analysts use incentives to encourage employees to learn things quicker. This means that the analyst should know each employee’s desires to get the most effective reward.
Control IT Budget
The IT analyst is responsible for aligning your budget with IT requirements. They ensure that your company achieves its goals without wasting money.
The support analyst will always be on the lookout for software and hardware that cuts your costs. For instance, they can suggest that you move some of your operations to the cloud to save on costs.
They can also identify duplicate processes that waste resources. The analyst will then recommend how to combine the processes. In some instances, the analyst can advise that you use automation to save on cost.
An analyst can offer advice on IT vendors. They will identify vendors who offer discounts and deals on hardware products. This ranges from desktops, laptops, routers, and servers.
The analysts will also identify software applications that can save money. They will also attend demos and negotiate payment terms with the software vendors.
Some IT analysts are also responsible for outsourcing your company’s IT requirements. They will identify the best managed IT service provider and contact them. They will then decide on the specific tasks that will be outsourced.
By tracking costs and expenses, an analyst can reduce your IT expenditure.
Test Systems
The analyst must test each component of your IT system. The testing will confirm whether each component is working properly and complies with the requirements. The primary aim of system testing is to determine irregularities in the system.
The analysts will need to set up a test environment and come up with their test cases. They will also identify testing data and specify test cases. While the test is going on, the analyst will be looking for defects in the system.
System testing will focus on many things. The help desk technician can decide to test the performance of the software. In this case, they will look at the reliability, stability, and speed of each software application.
Alternatively, the technician can decide to do scalability testing. This involves looking at the performance of each software application and if it can be scaled down or scaled up.
The system testing will also extend to the hardware components. Can the hardware system withstand a fire outbreak? Is it possible for thieves and rogue employees to steal the physical equipment?
Perform User Administrative Tasks
Most of an IT support specialist’s day-to-day work will involve conducting administrative tasks. This includes managing internal communications and answering calls and emails.
First, the help desk analyst will have to respond to queries from clients, senior staff, and employees. They may also organize face-to-face meetings to iron out pending issues. Moreover, support analysts will develop and distribute time-sensitive IT information.
It will also be the responsibility of the support analyst to schedule some tasks. For example, they can schedule appointments with clients and managers. They can also organize appropriate meetings and conferences to discuss IT matters.
Other main administrative tasks include:
- Updating and securing databases and filing systems
- Creating user accounts and assigning passwords
- Cataloging and storing smartphones, laptops, and desktops
- Tracking the locations of remote workers and their performance
- Creating and giving business emails to employees
- Recovering email addresses from fired workers or who’ve resigned
- Helping remote workers to set up their network and check its security
- Responding to hacking attempts by securing systems
- Backing up data and creating disaster recovery plans
The support analyst will complete many of these tasks in collaboration with other employees.
Work With an IT Support Analyst to Gain an Edge
An IT support analyst is a critical employee in any organization. They will always be on standby to help with managing IT issues. Without a qualified help desk specialist, your business workflow will not be stable.
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