Border closures expose the real cost of internal network support

The silver lining of the COVID crisis, and the snap border closures that have ensued, is a new perspective on the efficient and cost-effective management of regional network challenges.

Traditionally, a large company with a national footprint but a local head office would deploy head office-based resources across Australia to deal with an unexpected outage or equipment failure impacting the local operation. This expense was absorbed by the business as part of day-to-day operations, and without perhaps a deep dive into the many associated costs.

The other option – to outsource the project to a local resource – sounded like a costly alternative. But the reality of border closures, lockdowns and quarantine have helped big business to revaluate the benefits of a remote hands service in terms of time savings, cost saving and reduced downtime.

Let’s imagine a case in point. A large national retailer has an unexpected equipment failure in a remote regional store. Previously, a member of the retailer’s IT department would head off on an all-day road trip. One hour on site and the problem is solved – but it’s late the IT resource heads to their hotel for a beer and a well-deserved meal, then comes another day on the road commuting back to head office, without any time left to start another project. The next day they submit an expense claim for the meals and the kilometres driven. And they need to push back on a few other project deadlines due to the two days they just lost.

Of course, the alternative was a $600 quote for the problem to be solved same day by a remote hands service. Which sounded like a lot for an hour’s work. Of course, the reality is very different, and with large organisations forced to deploy remote hands services due to border closures, savvy IT managers are starting to see the costs benefits firsthand, as regional challenges are being resolved swiftly, without impact on day to operations – and without the associated expense claims!