Help Desk Implementation
A help desk implementation initiative can be a complicated undertaking, requiring a thorough understanding of workflow, escalation processes and how service obligations will be met.
Establishing formal service desk processes can be a daunting prospect for organizations, but it is necessary to maintain operational efficiencies as well as improve the satisfaction of internal and external customers.
To establish a service desk, there are several key questions that must be answered:
- What will be the workflow process for services?
- How will levels of service be established and maintained?
- How will performance be tracked and results measured?
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By answering the following questions, companies can simplify their help desk implementation and its integration with the organization.
Establishing Help Desk Workflow
In establishing the workflow of the service desk, organizations must determine:
- The creation of tickets. How will tickets be created - by notes taken from a phone call, by emails to a designated address or from a Web form? What information should be included with the ticket?
- Ticket assignment. On what basis will the ticket be assigned, and how will the assignee be notified? How will the assignment be recorded and tracked?
- Tracking ticket status and fulfillment. How will the status of the ticket and progress on its completion be recorded? How will the ticket creator be notified of the issue's resolution>
Support Tracker.Net provides configurable, easy to use support ticket forms for reporting issues. In addition, using Support Tracker.Net, IT departments can establish email accounts that consume received messages and convert them into tickets. On submission, tickets may be automatically assigned, with automated email notifications sent to the assignee, with links that put recipients one-click away from their responsibility. Using ticket dashboards, IT managers can easily review the assignments, status and age of open tickets in the help desk. Once the assignee is finished with the ticket, a completion note is created and emailed to all relevant parties.
By implementing a help desk system, organizations can more effectively track the performance of their support services and measure results.
Maintaining Service Levels
The establishment of Service Level Agreements (SLAs) is a cornerstone to any help desk implementation. The SLA is a documented process description of how support tickets will be handled, a service agreement that dictates the performance or delivery schedule of the services to be provided. For organizations designing an SLA for their support services, the key questions to answer include:
- Who will be responsibile for handling the ticket?
- What is the expected closure time for tickets?
- How will critical tickets be escalated?
Support Tracker.Net facilitates SLA compliance with functions for the automated routing of tickets based on category, request type and priority. Rules and escalation profiles can be set for tickets by status, priority and/or age, which can trigger reminders to assigned staff or re-assignment of the ticket to a manager for their immediate attention.
Tracking Performance and Results
Ultimately, the organization needs a means to review the performance of their implemented help desk, to measure the value and benefits it has provided. Typical metrics include average ticket closure times, the total tickets open and closed within a month, and required escalations. In addition, reports that provide a mile-high view of the support desk, not only of its performance but also of the tickets it receives, can help the organization identify potential trends and problems.
Support Tracker.Net provides comprehensive desktop widgets and dashboards which IT managers and executives can utilize for on-the-go reviews of the performance of their help desk, as well as more comprehensive reports including Ticket Pies, Open/Closed/Escalated Tickets and Help Desk Trends.