it pro value survey: the end user’s perspective (uk)

IT PRO VALUE SURVEY:THE END USER’S PERSPECTIVE

S U RV E Y C O N D U C T E D B Y H A R R I S P O L LJ U LY 2 0 1 5

E X P L O R I N G T H E VA L U E O F I T P R O F E S S I O N A L S T H R O U G H E N D U S E R S ’ AT T I T U D E S A N D O P I N I O N S A B O U T I T P R O F E S S I O N A L S A N D T H E B U S I N E S S T E C H N O L O G Y T H E Y S U P P O R T

( U N I T E D K I N G D O M )

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STUDY OVERVIEW

This survey was conducted online within the United Kingdom by Harris Poll on behalf of SolarWinds from July 8-10, 2015 among 1,032 adults ages 18 and older, among whom 479 are employed but not as an IT professional or executive.

S C O P E A N D D E M O G R A P H I C S

© 2015 SOLARWINDS WORLDWIDE, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

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KEY FINDINGS

• 66% of end users identify a type of technology (computer, software, smartphone or tablet) as among the most important in their daily work life. Nearly half (48%) say their computer, while three in ten say a smartphone (29%), 23% say software and 11% say a tablet is among the most important in their daily work life.

• Just about one third (32%) say personnel is among the most important in their daily work life, with one in ten (11%) indicating administrative assistants and business operations managers (10%).

E N D U S E R S P L A C E G R E AT E R I M P O R TA N C E O N T H E T E C H N O L O G Y S U P P O R T E D B Y I T P R O F E S S I O N A L S I N T H E W O R K P L A C E — S U C H A S S M A R T P H O N E S , TA B L E T S , C O M P U T E R S A N D S O F T WA R E — T H A N T H E Y D O O N P E R S O N N E L


Question: Which of the following would you say are the most important in your daily work life? Please select up to three items.• Computer• Smartphone• Tablet• Software (e.g., email, CRM, word processing

and spreadsheet applications)• IT professional(s)

• Administrative assistant• CEO

• HR professional(s)• Legal department• Procurement department

• Project manager• Business operations manager• Other

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KEY FINDINGS

• Two thirds (66%) say it would take them more time to complete a typical day’s worth of work without the use of the technology typically maintained by the IT department or professionals employed by the company in which they work, with 29% saying one day’s work would take an additional business day or longer. 12% of employees say it would not be possible to carry out their daily work without the technology supported by IT professionals.

A M A J O R I T Y O F E N D U S E R S I N D I C AT E W O R K P R O D U C T I V I T Y I S L O S T W I T H O U T T H E T E C H N O L O G Y S U P P O R T E D B Y I T P R O F E S S I O N A L S


Question: How much more time, if any, would it take you to complete a typical day’s worth of work without the use of the technology that is typically maintained by IT professionals (e.g., computers, software and telephone systems)?

• An hour or less• More than an hour, but less than a business

day • One business day• More than one business day, but less than a

business week

• A business week• More than one business week

• It would not be possible to carry out my daily work without the technology supported by IT professionals.

• No additional time• Not applicable

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KEY FINDINGS

• Seven in ten (70%) agree that their company’s IT department going on vacation for a month would have a greater impact on their daily work life than if their company’s executive leadership did.

M O S T E N D U S E R S A G R E E T H AT I T H A S A G R E AT E R I M PA C T O N T H E I R D A I LY W O R K L I V E S T H A N T H E C -S U I T E


Question: How strongly do you agree or disagree with the following statement?

My company’s IT department going on vacation for a month would have a greater impact on my daily work life than if my company’s executive leadership (e.g., CEO, CFO, CMO) did.

• Strongly disagree• Somewhat disagree• Somewhat agree• Strongly agree• Not applicable

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KEY FINDINGS

• Two thirds (66%) of end users say they do not understand or understand only a little about the role IT professionals employed by their company, beyond helping them as an end user resolve their technology issues.

• Four in five (80%) of those who work for a company that employs IT professionals say they ask for technical help/support from their IT professionals. More than half (53%) ask for help/support from IT professionals monthly or more frequently.

W H I L E T H E R O L E O F T H E I T P R O F E S S I O N A L I N I T S E N T I R E T Y I S N O T A LWAY S W E L L U N D E R S T O O D B Y E N D U S E R S , T H E Y K N O W W H O T O C A L L O N W H E N T H E Y H AV E A T E C H N O L O G Y P R O B L E M


Question: How well, if at all, do you understand the role of IT professionals beyond helping you as an end user resolve your technology issues?

• I do not understand at all• I understand a little• I understand a lot• I understand very well

Question: On average, how often, if ever, do you ask for technical help or other forms of support from IT professionals at work?• Multiple times a day• Daily• Weekly

• Monthly

• A few times a year• Once a year

• Less than once a year• Never

The SolarWinds and SolarWinds & Design marks are the exclusive property of SolarWinds Worldwide, LLC and its affiliates, are registered with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, and may be registered or pending registration in other countries. All other SolarWinds trademarks, service marks, and logos may be common law marks, registered or pending registration in the United States or in other countries. All other trademarks mentioned herein are used for identification purposes only and may be or are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies.


it pro value survey: the end user’s perspective (uk)

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