Put up good scripts that simplify managing user accounts. Put up good scripts for restarting databases and other services. Put up good logon-scripts run remote jobs on their machines while they are un. Implement "always on" clients. Cut their local admin privileges. Set up a PXE-server so you do not have to install operating systems manually. Try to implement some sort of system for automatically distributing software updates. This frees up time for taking the users seriously..

Draw a list of applications you support. Refuse to help with applications not on that list. Then try to make a list of what problems the users have. If a majority of the users problems are related to VPN - you attack that by buying a new system. If the problems are related to printers - you try to find a solution (cut back on the number of printers or put the ones you have on the network). Virtualize your servers and put up virtual application clients that the users can access remotely.

Remember that you work with machines. Machines can be programmed to do most of "the machine work". The more of your time you can free up for thinking - the more perfect the automatic solutions will be. Automation is the only way to go. If that means coding for a couple of evenings - so be it - it will pay for it self after a pretty short time. That free time can then be invested in freeing up even more time. You go like that until the shop almost runs itself. If the users - by this point - starts bugging you - delete every single script - destroy the backups and then *get a new job*. ;)