IT Service Solutions

Introduction

The management of Lakewood IT consulted analysts on the feasibility of adding an IT service department as one of their product offerings. From their consultation, they requested a SWOT analysis. A SWOT analysis showed that this was a feasible project. In making their decision, management requested information on IT service implementation options. Specifically, management requested information on SaaS and non-SaaS solutions. The paper last week gave an introduction to these solutions giving examples. The paper discussed the benefits and limitations of each solution to help management choose the best solution for their project. Finally, the paper recommended a SaaS and non-SaaS solution for management. For the SaaS solution, the paper recommended a non-SaaS solution, specifically SysAid, as the best non-SaaS IT solution for the company. The recommendation followed the features and benefits of a non-SaaS solution compared to a SaaS solution.

In this paper, management would like more information on the IT service solutions discussed in the last paper. These solutions are SaaS and non-SaaS solutions. Management would like more detail on the solutions identified as the best selections. The management would like a comparison of the solutions by identifying at least five features and functions in each solution. Further, the management would like information on the risks associated with implementing each solution recommended last week. Additionally, the paper should include the capital costs and any ongoing operational costs for the hardware/software associated with each solution.

SaaS Solutions

Software as a Service IT solution is where IT is offered via the cloud as a service. This service offering has several benefits but also limitations. Last week’s paper discusses the benefits and limitations of SaaS in detail. The SaaS recommendation for Lakewood IT was Zoho compared to Google Applications. The next sections under SaaS solutions will discuss Zoho in detail (Patel, 2014).

Zoho

Zoho desk is a customer relationship management software (CRM). This software offers businesses everything they need to increase leads, accelerate sales and measure sales performance. The software uses Artificial Intelligence, Business Intelligence and is accessible remotely (Shabdar, 2017).

Features of Zoho

The first feature of Zoho is that it allows automation of the sales force. The software will allow Lakewood IT to automate routines such as sales, marketing, and support functions that are time-consuming instead of focusing on serving customers. This feature will help the company reduce time spent manually entering data, speed up overall business operations and eliminate redundancies (Shabdar, 2017).

The second feature is live chat. The software is omnichannel. Zoho allows company technicians to have real-time customer conversations (Shabdar, 2017). This feature will help technicians solve IT service problems online by guiding customers. This feature also allows technicians to get customer feedback and notifications when customers interact with the company through emails, websites or social media mentions of Lakewood (Zoho, 2016).

Thirdly, there is a reporting feature on Zoho. Zoho has analytical features that enable technicians to generate real-time and customized reports. The reports give insights into metrics such as marketing campaigns, sales trends, performance and activity. Technicians can also analyze trends, set targets and identify key performance areas(Zoho, 2016).

Fourthly, there are group features. The software allows for creating groups, tagging others, sharing updates and note-making for other team members. This feature is great for collaboration so that teammates can join a group and work together (Zoho, 2016).

The fifth feature is Zoho integration with Google Ads (Shabdar, 2017). The software integrates with Google Ads so that the company can generate new leads, compare ads and spending to revenue generated and release targeted email marketing campaigns. The marketing feature allows segmenting customers to share personalized ads with them, nurturing leads and managing to communicate events through the platform (Zoho, 2016).

The sixth feature is customization. The company can customize the platform according to its needs. The company can combine features to fit the business in information collection, viewing information, language and currency, among other features (Zoho, 2016).

Risks associated with Implementing Zoho Solution

The first risk is that the system may need to be compatible with the company’s existing system. There may be compatibility issues between the system Lakewood currently uses and Zoho. This incompatibility may make it difficult to migrate data and integrate it with other systems.

Another risk is redundancy in features (Zoho, 2016). The software is rich in features, and there is a risk of redundancy where the business can get some features from other software, yet the same is in Zoho. The business may get similar features instead of new ones that meet their needs; it is important to examine them before implementation (Zoho, 2016).

Lastly, there is a security risk. Like any other software, there are security risks. During implementation, there is the risk of unauthorized access to the system, data loss during the migration or data corruption. However, Zoho is among the software with great data security compared to other software (Patel, 2014).

Capital costs and ongoing operational costs with Zoho implementation.

Table 1

Non-SaaS Solutions

This solution is where Lakewood would host the IT solution on their premises. The solution can be both hardware and software or either. The non-SaaS solution recommended for Lakewood is SysAid in comparison to Microsoft Office.

Features of SysAid

The first feature is ticket management. This software will allow Lakewood to log in automatically and issue tickets through its ticket management features. This feature saves time and increases efficiency (Smith, 2016).

The second feature is that it is a self-service portal. This feature allows customers to get tickets, submit their requests and tickets, chat with technicians, track the movement of their tickets and perform self-service actions through this knowledge (Smith, 2016). This feature also makes technicians’ work easier.

The third feature is that there is a knowledge base. This feature allows technicians to make videos and IT service tutorials to help customers with simple issues. This knowledge is accessible to both customers and technicians.

The fourth feature accounts for each customer to whom they have access. Customers can set and reset their passwords and access customized services through their accounts, such as email ads and marketing videos.

The fifth feature is remote access and control of the software. Since SysAid is a non-SaaS solution, it also includes SaaS features (Smith, 2016). Technicians will be able to access the software from anywhere and help customers.

The sixth feature is asset tracking and management. Lakewood will be able to keep track of its assets, IT infrastructure and features, as well as the movement of these assets from one department to another. This feature is useful in integrating all three departments of the company.

Risks associated with the implementation of SysAid

The second risk is in its advanced encryption. The software is highly encrypted and may deny data access to authorized users who are not tech-savvy.

Another risk is that it takes longer to implement a non-SaaS solution than a SaaS solution. However, Lakewood has 6 months before it starts operation, and this is enough time to install SysAid.

Like with any other software, there is a security risk. SysAid is very secure; however, new attacks and vulnerabilities rise each day due to technological advancements. These are a threat to the software (Rance, 2015).

Capital costs and ongoing operational costs with Zoho implementation.

Table 2

Conclusion and Recommendation

The two selected solutions are both appropriate for Lakewood IT. However, if Lakewood is to implement one, then SysAud is the best for the company. The solution integrates both SaaS and non-SaaS solutions. SysAid will cost more to install; however, its installation cost will be less than the monthly subscription costs of Zoho in the long run (Shabdar, 2017). Since Lakewood already has two departments that will work with the new department, SysAid is the best. This preference is because SysAid is easy to install, supports integration with other systems, and management has control of the software. With Zoho, management will rely on a third party to perform their software needs which take away control of the software from them.

References

Cho, V., & Chan, A. (2015). An integrative framework of comparing SaaS adoption for core and non-core business operations: An empirical study on Hong Kong industries. Information systems frontiers, pp. 17, 629–644. https://www.proquest.com/scholarly-journals/integrative-framework-comparing-saas-adoption/docview/1680396993/se-2

Patel, N. S., & Rekha, B. S. (2014). Software as a Service (SaaS): security issues and solutions. International Journal of Computational Engineering Research, 4(6), 68-71. http://www.ijceronline.com/papers/Vol4_issue06/version-2/J3602068071.pdf

Rance, S. (2015). 5 reasons the service desk should care about information security. SysAid blog. https://www.sysaid.com/blog/service-desk/5-reasons-the-service-desk-should-care-about-information-security

Shabdar, A. (2017). Mastering Zoho CRM: Manage Your Team, Pipeline, and Clients Effectively. Apress. https://www.oreilly.com/library/view/mastering-zoho-crm/9781484229040/

Smith, K. (2016). Managing electronic resource workflows using ticketing system software. Serials Review, 42(1), 59–64. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00987913.2015.1137674

Zoho, C. R. M., & Free, S. (2016). Zoho CRM. https://www.zoho.com/crm/free-crm.html