The University Information Technology Services 24/7 IT Support Center puts the ‘U’ in UITS as Customer Service Week comes to a close. With the rebranding of CatChat, a program to better assist students looking for computer help without leaving the comfort of their residence hall, and the support center’s always open doors, Peg Kearney, a 24/7 IT Support Center Information Technology manager, said, “This is a big deal for people like us.”

The rebranded CatChat, at support.arizona.edu, is a 24/7 live online site that allows UA students to get remote support from the agents at the 24/7 IT Support Center. Once UA students submit their problem through CatChat, 24/7 agents are ready to help with troubleshooting and working to fix the issue. The improved CatChat will be presented at the UA IT Summit held Oct. 13.

“It’s a great tool and has saved a lot of people from hauling their computers here,” Kearney said.

In addition to CatChat, the 24/7 IT Support Center provides help over the phone and in person, located in the Martin Luther King Jr. Building at the corner of First Street and Mountain Avenue. Except on university holidays, the 24/7 IT Support Center is always open. According to Kearney, the 24/7 IT Support Center gets an average of 1,200 calls and 400 walk-ins per week.

“It’s seasonal,” said Andres Irigoyen-Au, a Business Administration senior and Senior IT Support Center Specialist. “During the beginning of school our traffic is much higher.”

Most UA students call the 24/7 IT Support Center to get their passwords reset and receive help with UA enterprises like D2L and CatMail, while student walk-in problems are primarily getting help with installing software, virus removal or performance issues, according to Kearney.

“I love the diversity we have here. Every single one of the technicians who works here has a different professional background,” Irigoyen-Au said.

The 24/7 IT Support Center acts as the heart of the UA technical infrastructure.

“We really are the face of IT, particularly UITS, for the university,” Kearney said.

Arjun Singh, a finance senior who was experiencing problems with his mousepad on his laptop, visited the walk-in area of the 24/7 IT Support Center for the first time. Singh said he had found out through a friend about the support center and decided it was time to get help before the issue got any worse.

“She [Singh’s friend] was telling me that UITS can fix basically anything with computers, so I knew when I was having a problem, this is the place I needed to be,” Singh said.

When students hang up the phone, end their CatChat, or leave the walk-in center at the 24/7 IT Support Center, Kearney and Irigoyen-Au want students to feel relieved that their problem has been fixed.

“The ultimate goal is not only have we resolved their issue, but that we’ve made their day better by doing so,” Kearney said.

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