Calls for IT support at UK SMEs have ballooned during the pandemic, according to research conducted by YouGov on behalf of Cantium Business Solutions.

The survey of 939 IT decision-makers at SMEs logged the increase in IT support tickets and requests since lockdown restrictions first came into place in mid-March this year.

Medium-sized businesses saw a particularly high increase, with 59 per cent reporting more support requests, while the figure for small businesses was 39 per cent.

Connectivity issues (46 per cent) topped the list of support challenges facing IT service desks at SMEs, followed by computer issues such as laptops not turning on, freezing or poor battery performance (28 per cent); and networking issues including lost access to shared drives at 24 per cent.

Connectivity was the biggest issue at medium-sized businesses, taking up 52 per cent of IT requests.

Almost three-quarters (72 per cent) of SME IT decision-makers agreed that IT support investment is “likely to grow” for all organisations over the next five years.

Mark Scott, CEO at Cantium Business Solutions, said of the results: “We’re seeing an increase in demand for IT support services and with this comes the need to shift to self-serve models that address the needs of a more mobile workforce.

“IT professionals will need to consider how they create an experience for employees that empowers them with knowledge and solutions. Part of this will be investment in technologies that enable accurate, convenient and faster IT support interactions.”

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