We’re the trusted partner for over 40 universities, including 7 of the top 10 as ranked by The Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2024. With 18 years of unparalleled experience, we make 24/7/365 support a seamless reality for your staff and students. Elevate your service desk with our expertise and transform your support model effortlessly.
Microsoft 365, covering essential productivity tools, including Outlook, Teams, OneDrive, SharePoint, and Office applications.
Resetting passwords and multi-factor authentication (MFA). Ensure your users can quickly regain access when locked out, with resets provided subject to access and security protocols.
Windows and macOS for both managed and personal devices, with secure remote support options to resolve issues swiftly and efficiently.
Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) and assignment tools, including Blackboard, Canvas, Moodle, Turnitin, Panopto, and more.
Compromised accounts, combating email spam and phishing threats, and providing essential end user security guidance.
Escalation to key technical or management staff as needed, keeping your operations running smoothly and minimising downtime.
Meet Ember – Norman’s groundbreaking AI assistant, launching in summer 2025. With 18+ years of expertise and powered by cutting-edge Microsoft AI, Ember is set to revolutionise IT support for Higher Education.
Step confidently into the future with Ember’s multi-modal experiences. From real-time chat and natural voice interactions to lifelike avatars debuting in 2026, Ember delivers intuitive, human-like engagement that evolves with your organisation’s needs. Seamlessly delivered as part of your Norman subscription, Ember provides a pioneering AI roadmap tailored to help you adopt transformative solutions effortlessly and with confidence.
Discover how Norman’s Ember initiative is transforming IT support for over 40 universities worldwide. Combining cutting-edge AI with 18+ years of expertise, Ember delivers personalised, accessible, and inclusive assistance. With innovations like advanced voice recognition, dynamic conversational AI, and future-ready avatars, Norman is setting a new standard in Higher Education support.
Read MoreOur service integrates seamlessly into your existing setup. Typically, a simple telephone divert allows Norman to start handling calls on your behalf. We also provide chat widgets for your website and portals, using advanced scripting to ensure they work effortlessly with any existing chat tools you use. Our advisors record detailed information about all queries, including whether they are resolved or require further action. This information is compiled into daily reports, which can be easily imported into your service management tool for streamlined operations.
Data stored by Norman is used exclusively to handle queries and is automatically deleted once no longer needed. During the setup process, we will discuss the impact of data usage and ensure all necessary legal documentation for data processing is completed. For security, Norman is Cyber Essentials certified - you can verify our certification by clicking the Cyber Essentials Certified badge in the footer of our website.
While local access is not mandatory, it significantly improves response times and maximises the value your organisation gains from Norman. By far, the majority of queries to our service relate to account issues such as forgotten passwords or multi-factor authentication (MFA) lockouts - where staff and students need immediate support and expect a swift resolution.
For students, account access is a fundamental requirement for their academic success. Being locked out on a Friday evening should not mean losing an entire weekend of study time while waiting for the local service desk to reopen on Monday. During university closures, such as over the festive period, these delays can stretch from days to weeks, leaving students unable to access critical resources, disrupting their learning, and increasing support backlogs when services resume.
Granting Norman secure access ensures account issues are resolved within minutes, whenever support is needed. We offer multiple Microsoft Entra ID (formerly Azure AD) options for fully controlled, audited access with minimal administrative effort. Norman will work with your IT security and governance teams to address any concerns or risks around access provision, ensuring compliance while delivering seamless, secure support to keep staff and students connected without delay.
We offer flexible cover options, including half days, full days, or units of hours for ad-hoc use throughout the year. This flexibility enables you to utilise Norman’s services for team meetings, local events, training sessions, etc. This tailored approach ensures you have additional support whenever needed, complementing your subscription.
As leaders in providing IT support to Higher Education, we’re always looking for individuals passionate about delivering exceptional customer experiences. Our job opportunities are usually posted on the university work for us portal. For certain roles, we also partner with trusted recruitment agencies like Blue Arrow and Hays. Be sure to check their websites for additional listings.
Norman was established in 2006 as a shared service for the five universities in the North East Metropolitan Area Network (NorMAN) — Durham, Newcastle, Teesside, Sunderland, and Northumbria. Over time, Northumbria University became the sole operator and owner, and the service was rebranded as "Norman Managed Services" (commonly known as Norman).
If you’re ready to transform your service desk or simply need more information, our virtual assistant, Ari, will take some simple contact details and a member of our friendly team will get back to you within 48 hours.