End User Support Responsibilities

In today's fast paced world, technology has become the key for survival. Technology plays a key survival factor in almost all the businesses, and hence opens the door for requirement of end user support professionals in the market. End user support professionals are in great demand in today's technology oriented environment, and thus there is a great scope of building a progressive career in this field. Before opting for the particular career, it is necessary to have an idea about the duties and responsibilities of that job. Given below are the detailed analysis of the responsibilities of end user support.

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Key Responsibilities

Responsibilities of an end user support include providing professional support to the customers and computer users, detecting flaw in the computer hardware, software and other equipments, and repairing the same. The major role of end user support professional is to diagnose a faulty program in the computer systems within an organization and provide immediate solution to the problem, so that the organization can run effectively.

When a flaw in the computer system is detected, clients request end user support professionals in the organization to resolve that particular issue. The end user support then diagnoses the problem and works towards resolving the issue. For major technical flaw in the system, the end user support professional has to call level two technical support team for resolving the same. The work assigned to the end user support varies as per the company guidelines.

The key responsibilities of an end user support professional include:

1. User End Support
   • Identifying, diagnosing, and resolving the level one issues in computer hardware and software in a mainframe systems such as laptops and PCs
   • Installing and up grading hardwares and softwares and providing complete assistance while configuring hardwares, softwares, and peripherals of the end user systems
   • Providing general desktop support, project coordination, imaging/ re-imaging PCs, and laptops
   • Providing one on one assistance to the end user regarding the technical flaw, either by phone, mails, or in person
   • Resolving network related issues like local area connection problem, network access, mails, internet, dial-ins, etc.
   • Coordinating with the third party service provider for timely repair of the system under the maintenance agreement warranty, and repairing minor flaws in hardware if not covered under the same
   • Providing assistance in installation of other peripherals like printers, scanners, etc., cabling systems like local area network cables, network interface cards, wired switches, etc.

2. Work End Support
   • Supporting and assisting colleagues and working with other support groups and vendors for solving level two issues
   • Developing strategies, assisting with designs and applications, software testing, development, and up gradation with level two support for preventing technical breakdown in future
   • Monitoring and analyzing the performance of upgraded system, keeping track of its performance, reliability, risks, and benefits
   • Providing assistance to network technicians for creating user end informative materials like brochures and leaflets, updating themselves on the latest IP policies, and other technical controls

Required Qualifications and Skills

Since the job of the end support user is entirely based on handling technical flaws in the computer system, they are required to have basic training in configuration, installation, and troubleshooting of computer hardware and software. Depending upon the requirement of expertise knowledge and the scope of responsibilities, certificate course on specific computer networks, hardware, software, and/or applications is considered. Someone with a Bachelor's Degree in Management Information Systems or Information Technology is preferred over a normal graduate.

Professional experience is also considered for this job depending upon the scope of responsibilities involved, but many companies do hire freshers directly from technical schools, as there is a vast range of responsibilities involved in this job. Previous experience involving the use of MS Active Directory, DNS, DHCP, TCP/IP, and other technical skills is generally considered for getting a better placement. Apart from professional experience, interpersonal skills are also considered, as the job requires to prioritize and handle multiple customers simultaneously.

Work Schedule

Since the end user support professionals work in a technical field, they play an important role in the overall operations in the system. Apart from working in normal hours, an end user support professional may require to work beyond the normal hours and/or on weekends based on rotational shifts.

Salary Compensation

Average salary range for an end user support falls in between $40,000 to $50,000 per annum, depending on the company, complexity of the job, and the sense of responsibility.

In the near future, end user support professionals will have lots of career advancement in the field of technology as it keeps on developing. Hence, a brief look on the end user support responsibilities will always prove beneficial for someone who is willing to start a career in this field.