The problem in most IT departments isn’t talent. It’s time.

You can have a strong engineering team. But if they’re spending hours resetting passwords or unlocking accounts, the work that moves the business forward gets pushed to the side.

This is not a hiring problem. It’s a structure problem.

What engineers are getting stuck with

Spend one week with your IT team and you’ll see the same patterns:

• Access requests

• VPN issues

• MFA lockouts

• Simple installs

• Account reactivations

These are high-volume, low-complexity tickets. But they end up on the desks of senior engineers. Every time that happens, something else slips.

• Projects stall

• Roadmaps fall behind

• Teams burn out

Engineers didn’t sign up to reset credentials all day. But without Tier 1 support, that’s exactly what happens.

Tier 1 isn’t overhead. It’s leverage.

A well-trained Tier 1 team acts as a buffer. They handle common issues before they reach your core engineers.

Nectar helps our clients build layered support systems:

• Tier 1 handles 60 percent of volume through fast, first-contact resolution.

• Tier 2 manages escalations and troubleshooting.

• Engineers stay focused on what only they can do: system design, deep technical work, and long-term improvements.

This isn’t just efficient. It’s sustainable.

What great Tier 1 support looks like

Most companies assume Tier 1 means entry-level. That’s a mistake. If your front line is undertrained or poorly equipped, they slow everything down.

Here’s what high-performing Tier 1 teams are supposed to do:

Solve problems immediately, without escalation

Document accurately so no one must ask twice

Communicate clearly in non-technical language

Surface patterns that inform better IT policy

This frees your engineers to focus, and it gives employees a faster, more confident experience.

Why this matters more now

IT has never had more pressure. Distributed teams. Cloud systems. Constant onboarding. Employees expect their tools to just work.

If engineers are buried in basic tasks, you’re not getting the most out of them. You’re also not delivering the experience your teams need.

Good Tier 1 support makes everything else easier.

The outcome is better across the board

• Less time wasted

• Faster resolution for end users

• More focus on systems that scale

• Happier engineers who stay longer

Not every ticket needs an engineer.

That’s not a cost-cutting statement.

It’s a focus statement.

And the more focus you give your best people, the better everything works.