'DIY approach best for IT glitches'

Both techies and business users back the go-it-alone approach to fixing work-related IT glitches, judging by comments made by silicon.com readers.

In response to the story last week, which revealed two-thirds of workers prefer to deal with IT issues themselves rather than go to an IT helpdesk, readers were quick to have their say.

One reader said it is hardly surprising people feel like this when helpdesks seem to know less about PCs than themselves. He added: "The amount of times I have rung up about something and been told to restart the machine is exasperating."

But IT managers and helpdesk staff were keen to defend their corner, with one reader saying: "Problems which affect production will take priority over individual problems.

"Sometimes the problem is through a loose nut on the keyboard - and they are the worst to fix! Most things are solved quickly and painlessly though."

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But on the whole, IT professionals support the DIY approach favoured by users in the research.

One IT director said: "As a long-term IT professional, I fully support the 'restart the computer' and 'check the manual' philosophy."

He added: "It doesn't show lack of faith in IT support at all, just the application of a little common sense before contacting support teams - I wish all users would do this."

Another IT manager said: "I am all for people attempting to fix their problems, if nothing more than to give them confidence in their kit." He added this will make users more confident and mean IT staff can actually do "real work" rather than "hold hands".

silicon.com reader Nick Cole added: "People need to be encouraged to fix user-based faults themselves. This is akin to a driver refilling the washer bottle and oil on their cars."

Reader George Dundon suggested support staff are not always to blame. "Maybe the problem is not the techies but the helpdesk. Most helpdesk software is more dedicated to collecting information... than actually allowing the problem to be escalated to an expert," he said.

While another reader, Bruce Sandeman, a software consultant, blamed IT support being sold off to third party companies that have little interest in individual businesses: "The support levels that they [businesses] receive are awful. No wonder users start to take matters into their own hands. Frankly, I don't blame them, I would do the same."