IT Support Services in a Covid-19 World: Adapting, Innovating and Reducing Risk for Federal Government Customer Success

The Covid-19 pandemic has set stringent limitations on business and governments around the world. Information from the CDC and the news report harrowing statistics, rates of infection and a mutating, invisible enemy. Corona virus changes how we work, travel and interact with people. It reveals how much we rely on technology to communicate and keep things running. It also underscores the inherent necessity of strategic thinking and robust IT infrastructure and support. Our primary motivator was to partner with customers and adapt together, with the mutual focus of health and safety of constituents and staff.

In March 2020, the Federal government instated their maximum telework policy and local governments were limiting gatherings, HumanTouch moved seamlessly to teleworking. Ninety percent of our workforce began working from home in support of our Federal Government customers; many of whom were pivotal to pandemic response.

As government contractors and service providers, our teams quickly realized that the only way to keep Federal customers’ operations running was to adjust the way we function, communicate at all levels and to leverage remote technology solutions as much as possible. 

The challenge was to find literal and figurative “work-arounds” for IT Service and maintain our Service Level Agreements (SLAs) and high levels of client support. For those staff who remain on site , they are always equipped with proper PPE and social distancing protocols and we sanitize all spaces and IT equipment daily.

Motivation of team, client and senior management is at the heart of anyone’s success. Initiating social behaviors in a COVID world has not been easy due to distancing. Our team along with our clients have worked to keep everyone engaged with physical as well as educational tasks. Virtual Happy Hours, book reviews, and satire has been at the crux of our reaching out without touching.

Cybersecurity was another immediate and pervasive concern. With staff and Federal employees working remotely, security issues were raised around home Internet. The use of VPN and high-security networks has been critical in addressing vulnerabilities and safe-guarding our security posture. Discussions with clients to support networks, bolster perimeters, monitor client systems and create safeguards for teleworking was paramount. In case of a malfunction or incursion, essential staff were dispatched to address and alleviate the situation.  

As Federal Government employees telework and learn how to do their jobs in new ways, so do we as government contractors and service providers. Demand for social distancing and safe solutions has driven innovative responses and solutions. The HumanTouch Covid-19 solution to IT support is a supplemental, touchless Service offering – the Connect2IT! Kiosk. Staffed with IT service pros, it presents a no-contact IT support and efficient, economical options for Federal Agencies. The Connect2IT! Kiosk enables remote, encrypted tech interface with customers, using video conferencing and direct connection to a customer’s devices. Deployed in Agency buildings and lobbies, campuses and regional offices, this high-quality solution is ADA/Section 508 compliant and is being installed in select Federal Government locations.

Although information changes daily on how business and the government will handle Covid-19, all signs suggest we will be working within distancing parameters for quite some time. Implementing efficient and effective tools that facilitate the work of Federal Agencies is essential to keeping our country running, during a pandemic or normal business.    

As we continue to adjust and respond to new demands for our teams and clients, we will harness technology to deliver reliable and innovative solutions.

We do our work so you can do yours. HumanTouch bridges the gap between people and technology.