Exceeding customer expectations: Ten years of collaboration between UCOL and New Era Technology
Whenever a student, or staff member at the Universal College of Learning (UCOL) has a Tier 1 or Tier 2 IT support issue, they call the UCOL Service Desk for help.
Challenges
Solutions
Results
Full Value of the Transformation
For more than ten years, Universal College of Learning (UCOL) and New Era Technology have worked together to deliver reliable, responsive IT support across UCOL’s campuses in Manawatū, Whanganui, Wairarapa, and Horowhenua. Supporting a student population of more than 6,000, this partnership has helped create a service environment where technical issues are addressed quickly and consistently.
The results are reflected in the day-to-day performance of the UCOL Service Desk. On average, 80% of Tier 1 and Tier 2 support calls are resolved immediately, while most of the remaining 20% are resolved within hours. This level of service has helped maintain a strong user experience for both students and staff.
Maintain Value and Costs
As a multi-campus tertiary institution, UCOL needed an IT support model that could respond quickly to a broad range of user issues while maintaining consistent service quality across locations. The institution also needed a support structure that could do more than react to incidents by helping identify potential faults before they affected service performance.
At the same time, UCOL required a partner that could work closely with its internal IT team, provide dependable operational support, and adapt to changing needs over time. Ensuring continuity, responsiveness, and a seamless support experience for stakeholders was essential.
A Full-service Management Approach
New Era Technology provided a dedicated Tertiary Managed SLA Team to operate and staff the UCOL Service Desk, resolving Tier 1 and Tier 2 issues and working in close coordination with the UCOL IT team. Six team members were assigned to UCOL, supported by a broader regional managed services team with 16 staff and 64 years of combined experience.
The partnership extended beyond help desk coverage. New Era worked proactively with UCOL to identify faults early, support troubleshooting, contribute to capacity planning, and meet regularly with UCOL leadership to review operations and identify opportunities for improvement. This collaborative model helped ensure that support remained efficient, transparent, and closely aligned with UCOL’s needs.
Maximising the Benefits
The long-standing relationship between UCOL and New Era demonstrates the value of a collaborative and consistent support model in the education sector. With strong service desk outcomes, proactive operational support, and close alignment between teams, the partnership has helped UCOL maintain a dependable IT environment for students and staff.
That value was reinforced when the partnership was extended for an additional year in October 2019. At a time of change across New Zealand’s polytechnic sector, continuity in IT services remained a priority, and the ongoing relationship positioned UCOL to move forward with confidence.
Frequently Asked Questions
A managed service desk helps institutions respond to issues quickly, maintain consistent service levels, and reduce pressure on internal IT teams. In UCOL’s case, this model supported fast resolution for Tier 1 and Tier 2 issues while enabling closer coordination with internal IT operations.
Long-term collaboration creates stronger operational alignment, better visibility into recurring issues, and a more proactive approach to service delivery. Over time, this helps institutions improve continuity, planning, and the overall support experience for students and staff.
Let’s Build What’s Next—Together
Today’s challenges don’t sit in one category. Neither should your solutions. When infrastructure, digital transformation, and security work together, complexity fades and progress accelerates.