8 technologies that are changing IT services

No one can deny that service is a job performed by humans. But technology can enhance service and even take over certain tasks. In particular, technology that promotes digital transformation can have a significant impact on the way services are delivered and the customer experience.

Here are 8 technologies that are transforming IT services:

1. Search

When customers need help, their first instinct is to search online. Suppliers should ensure that their online company and product information is easy to find and optimized for search so that the most relevant results appear first. Ideally, this information would be placed on the supplier's website and prompt visitors where to go or find it.

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2. Chatbots

Most vendor websites offer an online chat option. However, users usually don't have to chat with a service person, but rather with a software program called a chatbot. This simple chatbot uses a set of programmed instructions and word matching to recognize questions and answer them. More advanced chatbots use artificial intelligence to understand the meaning of sentences and learn from question-and-answer sessions. In theory, a chatbot can manage a huge number of simultaneous conversations, provide answers faster than a human, and handle customer questions with more patience.

3. Cloud computing

Cloud computing is a key factor in digital transformation. There are many cloud-based applications for IT service delivery tasks, such as customer relationship management, help desk, remote network management, etc. Service delivery usually requires some kind of collaboration between support engineers and customers. The cloud environment provides a convenient solution for sharing documents, exchanging log files, storing historical data, and other collaborative tasks.

4. Augmented Reality (AR)

Although augmented reality (AR) has some application potential, its use in the service industry is still limited. For example, through glasses with augmented reality (AR) functions, remote experts can see what the data center field engineer sees on site. The remote expert can provide instructions to the field engineer and project them onto the field engineer's glasses. Another possibility is to scan an image, barcode or QR code using the camera on a smartphone or tablet. The augmented reality (AR) software will recognize the image and overlay information on the display, enhancing the real-time image with information from the database.

5. Virtual Reality (VR)

Virtual reality (VR) is still a technology in development, but it has made great progress in the past few years, depending on the application. Virtual reality (VR) may require a lot of computing power and bandwidth, which makes it unsuitable for long-distance use. However, it can help engineers perform certain tasks without the need for real-time products. In this way, the entire data center can be virtualized, making operations more efficient.

6. Mobile Application

Almost everyone spends a lot of time on their smartphones, so customers want to be able to get in touch using their phones. Therefore, corporate websites need to be more mobile-friendly, and mobile customer service apps may be a good idea. Especially in IT services, where a lot of interaction takes place between IT-savvy engineers, using mobile apps may be the best communication mode. Mobile apps also allow companies to collect information about users and help customize the user experience.

7. Social Services

According to a survey, people spend an average of three hours a day on their smartphones, two hours of which are spent on social media. So customers need to communicate through social media such as Facebook, WeChat or WhatsApp. Many companies have already provided "social support" services with varying degrees of success. In order to avoid annoying their customers, they can only use social media to provide services and support by integrating their customers with other channels and using sufficient resources for backup.

8. Internet of Things

Millions of sensors are connected to the Internet, facilitating real-time remote monitoring. Engineers used to have to go to the site to record measurements and forward this information to the control center. With the Internet of Things, the control center can directly record information in real time, saving time and money, and improving the accuracy and quality of the process. For example, with smart meters, consumers do not have to record and report the gas or electricity usage displayed on the meter. The utility can do this remotely and inform the consumer through an online dashboard, thereby enhancing the customer experience.