In Pictures: 10 hard truths IT must learn to accept

Unsanctioned devices, compromised networks, downtime -- today's IT is all about embracing imperfections

IT concession No. 9: Your users will never support themselves

It's the IT dream: Getting needy users off their backs. But despite knowledge bases and automated support, the notion of ditching help desks is the stuff of science fiction, says Nathan McNeill, chief strategy officer for Bomgar.

"IT can deflect a big chunk of common issues -- like password resets -- with self-service, but it will always be more cost-effective to have humans handle the one-off and more complex issues," he says.

"Many organizations build a database of questions and leverage workflows to drive end users to an online answer," says Chris Stephenson, co-founder of Arryve. "The investment in self-help support would be much better replaced with remote assistance where the support staff can gain access to the user's computer immediately and solve the problem directly."

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