How 24/7 IT Support Builds Stronger, Safer Global Operations

Managing a global team involves unique IT challenges, from solving cross-border tech issues and shortening logistical delays to overcoming collaboration gaps.

Whether it’s ensuring timely equipment delivery during onboarding or maintaining seamless communication across time zones, a global 24/7 IT support team keeps your workforce connected and efficient, no matter where they are.

In this article, we'll explore how 24/7 IT support can mitigate the challenges of managing a global workforce and offer guidance on selecting the right platform for your business needs.

The impact of inadequate IT support on global teams

Why is 24/7 IT support essential? To answer that, let's first explore the challenges teams face when IT support falls short.

1. Reduced productivity and increased frustration

Without timely IT support, an employee's workflow can quickly become disrupted, hampering their productivity. Employees can lose an entire day over minor issues if the IT support team works outside of their business hours.

In a new global study, 91% of surveyed employees said they would be more productive if their IT issues at work were resolved quickly and effectively.

This challenge can also impact morale—almost three-quarters of surveyed employees said poor IT support has decreased their motivation at work. An efficient IT support system needs to be in place to power today’s hybrid and distributed workforce, as unresolved technical issues lead to decreased job satisfaction and ultimately increase turnover rates.

2. Collaboration obstacles leading to delayed projects

Without proper IT support, team members may not have continuous access to the necessary tools and resources to collaborate effectively. It creates a cascading effect of disruptions that often extends beyond the technical issue being resolved and can delay projects.

Daniel Langkilde, Founder of Kognic, says, "When technical issues arise, and there's no immediate resolution, it creates bottlenecks, delaying project timelines and frustrating employees. For example, if data processing systems or communication tools aren't working properly, it can cause disruptions that affect collaboration and decision-making. This often leads to employees spending unnecessary time troubleshooting or waiting for support instead of focusing on their core tasks."

3. Increased security risks and potential non-compliance penalties

Christopher Budd, Director of Threat Intelligence at Sophos Cybersecurity, speaks on what happens when there is inadequate IT support. He says, "Data is being stored in locations that the business does not know about. Applications are being used that haven't been vetted for security, privacy and compliance; data can be lost or stolen more easily; the risks of downloading malicious, trojaned or imposter applications is high; because there is no professional IT support, the risks of mistakes and errors that lead to data loss are significantly higher."

Without round-the-clock monitoring, vulnerabilities can go undetected. There is also a chance of outdated software being used or slow responses to issues leading to breaches, giving attackers a wider window of opportunity.

The lack of immediate IT support not only increases the risk of such security attacks but also makes the recovery process slower and more stressful than it needs to be.

How 24/7 IT support can help you overcome global challenges

Here's how a 24/7 support team helps you build a stable global workforce:

1. Bridging time zones with continuous coverage

With businesses expanding globally, a strong IT support team is essential for maintaining continuity and plays a key role in effective workforce planning. Gev Balyan, Founder at Ucraft, has experienced the upside of having a 24/7 support team. "The biggest benefit is knowing that help is available around the clock, which is crucial for handling urgent issues, especially in different time zones," he says. "This constant support minimizes downtime and ensures that technical glitches don’t hinder progress."

2. Providing customized support for diverse technical environments

Different business units or teams often require specific technical setups. For instance, the finance team needs ERP software, whereas engineering teams need software development kits. A 24/7 support team can provide customized support for diverse technical environments by understanding their needs and providing tailored support.

3. Offering multilingual and culturally sensitive assistance

Language and cultural barriers can often pose challenges in global teams. While the majority of international companies choose English as their official language, English proficiency is low in many countries, making local language support necessary. A well-equipped support team can bridge language gaps and provide assistance in employees' preferred languages. Additionally, they often undergo cultural awareness training to foster sensitivity and prevent misunderstandings.

4. Ensuring global compliance and robust security measures

Security and compliance requirements shift from country to country. The European Union mandates compliance with GDPR, and China pushes similarly for its cybersecurity law.

By staying up-to-date with changing laws and data security expectations of different countries, global teams can mitigate regulatory issues and stay compliant.

An IT support team plays a key role in implementing strong backup and recovery procedures to protect company data. Conducting periodic audits to identify and address potential vulnerabilities is one way to stay ahead of regulatory changes. These efforts not only improve compliance but also shield the organization from potential security threats.

5. Gaining strategic advantages like enhanced employee satisfaction and operational efficiency

Overall, a 24/7 IT support team ensures employees are not held back by technical issues, providing timely assistance to minimize downtime. This constant support allows teams to stay focused on their core tasks, boosting productivity and ensuring that even minor disruptions are addressed quickly. By offering round-the-clock coverage, organizations can maintain seamless operations across time zones, building a more efficient and resilient workforce.

How to choose the right global IT support platform for your business

Identify the right 24/7 IT support platform for you by using the following checklist:

• Does the platform operate in countries your company currently serves in (or plan to expand)?
• Does it provide flexibility to buy or lease equipment?
• Does it offer enough types of equipment for scalability (including high-spec laptops)?
• Does it allow pre-configuring equipment?
• Does it support equipment repair apart from regular support tickets?
• Does it have a centralized dashboard to manage all devices?
• Does it comply with global data protection regulations and has robust security protocols?
• Does it offer multilingual support?
• Does it offer round-the-clock support?
• Does it have a proven track record of providing reliable IT support?

Deel IT: Your solution for 24/7 global IT support

Deel IT standardizes equipment and software operations with a global-first IT solution:

Comprehensive device lifecycle management across all locations

Deel IT helps you manage the device lifecycle with assistance at each of the following stages:

• Procurement: Buy or lease devices from vendors as per your needs and budget
• Provisioning: Remotely set configuration requirements for devices
• Allocation: Allocate devices to workers and deliver them to their location within 3-5 days
• Maintenance and support: Provide quick support to workers for fixing any issues or handling repairs in devices
• Upgrade and reconfiguration: Update hardware or software with the latest software as per the latest technical or safety requirements
• Returns: Safely take back devices when required by ensuring that all data is securely wiped and also reassign devices if required
• Decommissioning: Easily return a devices to the vendor when it's no longer required

Localized support available around the clock

Deel's support is available 24/7 to address issues (big or small) and provide assistance to workers around the world. This flexibility ensures workers receive help from an expert with their timezone.

Unified cloud-based platform for centralized control

With Deel IT, you get a centralized platform to track all IT assets. You can customize device configurations, grant or revoke app access, and track device health—all in a single window. By consolidating IT operations, Deel helps businesses avoid the complications of dealing with multiple IT vendors, simplifying the management of hardware and software across a dispersed workforce.

Compliance and security assurance aligned with global standards

Ensuring compliance and security across different regions is crucial at every stage of the IT process. From device delivery to setup, businesses must partner with providers who understand how to work through international regulations. Customs laws vary by country, and differing data security standards can expose companies to the risk of non-compliance.

Deel’s deep expertise in this field allows it to follow standardized protocols for device delivery while ensuring adherence to local compliance laws. The platform also offers certified data recovery and erasure procedures, safeguarding your data and helping you stay aligned with international security standards.

Effectively addressing internal support challenges for global teams

With Deel IT, global companies can overcome the following challenges that often come with device procurement, shipping, and support:

• Managing multiple vendors, customs rules, and shipping partners
• Organizing quick equipment deliveries to new hires for fast onboarding
• Tracking support or access requests
• Tracking app access requests and revoking (when required).

We provide one centralized system with global device procurement, device lifecycle management/mobile device management, IT services, app management, and data lifecycle management.

Want to get similar results for your company? Book a 30-minute product demo with Deel IT, including an expert Q&A session, today.