Top 20 false beliefs users hold about IT professionals

 

Your relatively insignificant issue probably isn’t the most important thing IT needs to focus on right now. Often they’re working on higher-priority problems.

 

 

IT pros are great at problem-solving, but getting to the bottom of an issue is a process that involves research; trial and error to rule out potential causes; and often, good old-fashioned Googling.

 

 

IT professionals get paid to do work in the office, but what they do after hours is their own business. It’s weird to ask them to do work for free. You wouldn’t expect a mechanic to fix your car for free, or an accountant to do your taxes for you.

 

 

It’s not reasonable to expect someone to know everything about obscure products they’ve never used before. Sometimes IT will need to do some research before they can help you out, or you can just read the manual and figure it out yourself.

 

 

IT professionals maintain computer and network infrastructure. Not fridges, toasters, or air conditioners. You call someone else for that. And often IT pros specialize in a specific area. You shouldn’t expect a database or security expert to know how to repair a printer.

 

 

The fact that an IT pro isn’t running around the office doesn’t mean they’re free. Perhaps they’re in the middle of solving a complex issue, or using remote software to examine someone’s computer. Don’t take their presence as an invitation to ambush them with whatever questions you might have. It’s best to submit a trouble ticket, or send an email. The appropriate person in IT will get to you when they have time.

 

 

Here’s a pro tip: IT professionals are not your full-service people in waiting. They’re not going do everything for you if it’s easy enough for someone else to do on their own. According to IT pros, sometimes IT departments might just give out new toner cartridges.

 

 

While the IT department can typically reset your password, for security reasons this information is encrypted. So if you forgot your password, don’t expect IT to be able to tell you what your password is. You wouldn’t want anyone to be able to look up your passwords anyway.

 

 

To get to the bottom of an issue, IT pros need to be able to understand exactly what’s wrong first. If you don’t provide them with any details, it’s going to be very difficult for them to help you.

 

 

Sometimes issues just work themselves out, or weren’t a problem to begin with (working as designed!).

 

 

If an important IT service like Wi-Fi is down in a large office, in all likelihood the IT department heard about it about 30 seconds after it happened. If you keep interrupting the IT department from their work, your probably delaying them from fixing the actual issue.

 

 

For every weird issue you might experience on your computer, there’s an underlying cause. If you’re seeing a problem pop just now, it’s very likely that something changed recently.

 

 

IT professionals should be involved when a business makes major technology purchases. They can help decision-makers consider if the product does what it claims, if it makes financial sense to use the product, and if the product is secure. By including IT in the process, you help ensure that you’re making a good decision … and not throwing money away. And you should always make sure IT is equipped actually to support the product as well.

 

 

The primary goal of an IT department is to manage and maintain a business’ computer infrastructure, not do your job for you.

 

 

Don’t expect IT professionals to know about every obscure feature on every single product.

 

 

Some people don’t read the helpful tips and reminders IT sends out. Then they complain that IT never told them about the big update, a server reboot, planned downtime, security alert, or even something as simple as how to schedule use of a conference room.

 

 

If you haven’t learned by now, “turning it off and on again” really does fix many issues! Think of it as giving your computer a chance to start fresh. If an IT pro asks you to try rebooting your computer, do it. And don’t lie about doing it because you think it’s a waste of time.

 

 

IT professionals don’t necessarily fit a standard stereotype. They come from all walks of life, and they have unique interests and personalities. You shouldn’t assume too much about someone just because they work in IT.

 

 

The internet is a complex network of interconnected computers spanning the entire globe. While your IT department has control of the computer network in your office, if there’s an internet connectivity problem, it might be due to a problem hundreds of miles away that’s out of IT’s hands.

 

 

IT professionals are busy spinning many plates. They have to prioritize what to work on next based on how important an issue is. Just because you say you need something done ASAP doesn’t mean that it’s the most important thing the company needs fixed at the moment. Please be patient!