Availability Services

Technology is without any doubt a key driver of business success. But as business becomes increasingly dependent on technology to deliver on profit objectives, so too does the business environment become more dependent on desk-side devices and demands for improved support and services to minimise downtime and optimise productivity. GijimaAst Availability Services supports all segments of the marketplace that makes use of ICT Infrastructure, ensuring that your complex technology environment is managed optimally to deliver the availability necessary for business continuity and uninterrupted productivity.

Technology brings business challenges

The increasing complexity of technology poses key challenges to businesses and managing these challenges in-house has become increasingly difficult and expensive. The growth in the number of servers and diverse range of desk-side devices as well as the greater connectivity between these devices requires a much more sophisticated type and level of support. Coupled with this, shorter product lifecycles require more regular upgrades, more stringent upgrade disciplines and management of change while non-standardisation within the client environment creates complexity, takes up management time and risks warranty problems. After all managing IT infrastructure and related services is not a client's core business, thus customers are finding it increasingly difficult to manage the complexity and diversity of the hardware and software requirements needed for the business to remain competitive and functional. Some of the key challenges faced by clients managing their own IT services include:

• Managing desk-side assets and keeping track of changes requires a highly disciplined approach
• Multiple software images for different user communities due to application incompatibilities
• Clients have to manage regular upgrades and complex changes mostly without the necessary skills. This may result in loss of productivity, the potential unavailability of critical systems and they are at high risk of financial exposure
• Clients don't have the expertise to make use of available management and support tools. It is not feasible for clients to select and use the large plethora of available support tools. Support tools are very expensive and clients are unable to apply economies of scale when using these tools as individual users
• There is a need for higher levels of support and increased service levels demanded from internal IT departments.
• There is continuous pressure to reduce costs of support and remove the complexity thereof.
• Staff turnover in the IT environment becomes an issue as the business is unable to attract and retain staff as they are firstly not challenged or developed sufficiently since IT support is not a core business and secondly, the client simply does not have sufficient critical mass in terms of technical staff and support applications to handle support economically
• Managing an in-house IT department has high operating costs that reduce profitability and in turn, any attempt to reduce IT costs will directly result in a loss of efficiency and productivity
• As the business becomes increasingly dependent on technology, any downtime has a direct effect on the company's ability to perform business functions and costs the business money
• When it comes to remote deployment, outlying branches rarely receive optimal technical support and getting to the outlying regions takes time and travel costs are expensive

Availability Services offers a solution

GijimaAst's Availability Services helps clients to overcome these business challenges at a far lower rate than what they are currently spending on support. GijimaAst Availability Services has over 600 skilled technicians who are highly specialised in their respective fields. By deploying these skills across a variety of clients we are able to keep client costs down while making effective and broad use of skills and economies of scale.
We are also trained to understand business, processes and the effects of technology on business deliverables. Our clients do not only get the benefit of superior technical skills but also business advice based on experience too. In special circumstances or as the clients require, we are able to place engineers onsite permanently. Additionally, we have strategically placed offices throughout Southern Africa to supply services to all subsidiaries of our clients. Our engineers operate out of 70 points of presence including 10 Regional offices and two bench-repair centres.

Skills and training

The essence of our Availability Services solution is the provision of highly skilled engineers who have as a minimum skills level requirement an A+ or N+ certification. Because technology environments are subject to rapid change, we also operate a formal programme to keep our skills levels current with changing technology and client demands.

Access and Support

We have e-enabled our field force, ensuring that information can be electronically passed between relevant engineers. When an engineer is attending to a service issue, a client has access to our entire pool of backup expertise to resolve the problem as soon as possible and within agreed service levels. Furthermore, the electronic availability of client information drives efficiency as engineers have first-hand reference of relevant client information and service level requirements. Above all, our engineers are process and procedure-driven, striving always for consistent service delivery. Supported by a world-class Integrated Service Management Centre (ISMC), our field force is able to provide a support and maintenance model that leverages our clients' technology investment in support of their business processes.

Benefits for clients

• Lower operating and resource costs
• Increased efficiency and productivity and no training costs for internal IT staff
• Engineers are fully versed in the technology needed to drive business objectives
• Able to translate technology into business value and advise clients accordingly
• Engineers always available and access to a skills pool of 600 highly trained engineers
• End-users educated on a timely basis
• Down-time significantly minimised
• Consistency of costs and budget planning is easier
• No difficulty in retaining IT employees and full use of paid skills
• Technology is managed and maintained effectively for maximum business benefits
• End-users are able to maintain productivity and efficiency
• Reduced cost to business from effects of down-time
• GijimaAst engineers operate out of 70 points-of-presence including 10 regional offices and 2 bench-repair centres. Remote regions have access to consistent service levels across all branches
• Support costs and time to site reduced

Contact:
Tel: 27 12 682 5710