Users resort to DIY fixes to avoid IT department
When faced with a computer failure, 70 per cent of office workers try to fix the problem themselves before asking for help, according to a survey.

Seven out of ten office workers try to fix computer problems without contacting the IT department, according to a survey by Richmond Systems.
Over half of the 250 office workers said they simply restart a failing computer and hope for the best - a process they'd repeat as many as five times before calling up the IT department for assistance.
Another nine per cent said they would attempt to take a computer apart and fix it without help, while 13 per cent would pick up a manual to look for a solution.
Only three out of ten of the respondents went straight to the IT department for help, which Richmond System's managing director Eric Wright said reflects a lack of confidence in the IT department.
"This research shows a lack of faith in the ability of IT teams to fix computer issues quickly, leaving personnel to have a go at fixing the problem themselves," said Wright in a statement.
IT teams can overcome users' doubt by logging incidents and responding to inquiries quickly. "Until office workers have confidence that the IT team have these issues under control, a DIY approach will continue to slow them down," he said.
Get the ITPro. daily newsletter
Sign up today and you will receive a free copy of our Focus Report 2025 - the leading guidance on AI, cybersecurity and other IT challenges as per 700+ senior executives
Freelance journalist Nicole Kobie first started writing for ITPro in 2007, with bylines in New Scientist, Wired, PC Pro and many more.
Nicole the author of a book about the history of technology, The Long History of the Future.