Sooner or later, every company's support needs will demand an approach more sophisticated than leaning over and asking a neighbor for help. For companies that don't yet have formalized help desks, knowing when to start building the business case for one is a critical step in laying the proper foundation. Start assessing future needs now.

Support's Hidden Cost

Companies that are resistant to establishing a help desk are often oblivious to the significant costs associated with technological interruption. For example, if an end user's PC suffers from a damaged or worn-out piece of hardware, the resulting costs can take many forms:

• Up-front costs include the actual technician service call, related parts, or warranty coverage.
• Hidden or less tangible costs include lost end-user productivity, lost productivity of other end users who are involved in ad hoc recovery efforts, and the opportunity...