The importance of having a quality IT system is especially evident when it stops working properly: downtime and disruptions can lead to business loss, while inadequate security measures can cause data breaches, leading to costly fines and reputational damage.

But high-quality IT support is not always seen as affordable, especially when an organisation needs a bespoke, hyper-efficient, extremely secure service. In reality, sharing an IT Service Desk with other organisations within the same sector is an easy way to gain access to high levels of IT skills and specific expertise at a reduced cost.

Organisations may be concerned that, with this solution, their data and intellectual property are not secure, or that shared support personnel will give reduced attention to their business or perform poorly.

In fact, the structure of a shared service desk should guarantee an improvement in service levels compared to an in-house desk. Service Level Agreements and Key Performance Indicators ensure the provider is hitting the levels your organisation requires, and performance is improved thanks to staff trained to follow best practices and experienced in your specific industry. Since the shared aspect of the service means all of this will be delivered for a reduced cost, the benefits in terms of cost-efficiency become apparent.

However, a shared service is not for every organisation. The primary benefits are seen when the sharers are similar organisations, but it might not create strategic advantage over competitors. Due to this, in industries such as retail or banking a shared service may not be appropriate; but for organisations in the public sector or industries where collaboration is commonplace, such as Law firms, the likelihood of competitive advantage being affected is slim.

While clearly not applicable to every organisation, a shared services model bypasses the dangers typical of services that achieve cost-reductions by cutting down on quality, guaranteeing instead an efficient service at a reduced and affordable price.

Pete Canavan is Head of Support Services at Plan-Net

About Plan-Net

A specialist in transforming IT operations into high-performance, cost-efficient platforms for business success, Plan-Net works with clients of all sizes and needs to help them maintain high levels of service while still meeting demands for a reduction in IT spending.