Change Requests are often sent over to us as a normal ‘break/fix’ ticket. But a Change Request is anything but a run-of-the-mill break/fix request. In this article, we look at the difference and why it’s important to separate the two types of requests.
First, let’s talk about a ‘normal’ request (aka ticket). Standard tickets consist of our helpdesk team resolving things that were working once but have since stopped working. For example, Word won’t open or the printer won’t print.
Our team are armed with an array of tools to check how your network used to be configured and they compare that with the state of the equipment now. Fixing these types of issues usually involves putting things back in working order.
A Change Request is when we are asked to make a material modification to an existing system. Here is an example list of some of the requests we receive:
What all these types of requests have in common is that they require a material change. Our helpdesk team have no reference point of how it used to be configured. They can’t put it back the way it was because it was never there in the first place.
These differences matter because, if not planned and managed properly, making any changes to your network can cause considerable disruption to your business. That disruption could cost your business a lot of money in idle staff, lost sales and stalled production.
That’s why requests to make changes to your network should be properly managed. These projects should be;
A Change Request is also likely to need a budget and timescale set with meetings involving all parties to ensure the project is delivered successfully, on time and within budget.
No, Guardian is exactly what it says on the tin, a guardian angel that looks after your existing network and Cyber Security as it is. Because requests for change are so infrequent, it’s far cheaper to pay for change requests whenever they’re needed than try to include them in the monthly fee.
Simple, just email or call our helpdesk as normal and we will triage your request. If our team identify your issue is a Change Request they will pass it on to your project or account manager here at Alcom IT to quote. Don’t worry, we will always quote you BEFORE we start work so there won’t be any nasty surprises.
At Alcom IT we are proud to follow the industry standard ITIL 4 Change Management Process as a basis for our definition and implementation of Change Requests.
No comments yet.
Leave a reply...