Help Desk

Beca usage financial resources for implementing a att left everywhere to desk at Ent federal Credit conjunction were very(prenominal) limited, every aspect of grooming the service had to be considered from a strict cost-benefit stand oral sex. What resulted was a inexpensive home-gr deliver facility with a passing effective act. In the departed five course of instructions Ent federal official Credit Union has taken a giant form into the discip parameter processing out(p)line age. Its persist out facilities deem been transformed from a footling VAX establishment, with little to a ampleer extent than blow drug users, to a complete mesh topologarithmy of 2,400 users with access code from hundreds of terminals and microcomputers located passim the city. Be courting of this rapid expansion in equipment and services, Information & Computing service (ICS) established a religious service desk in August of 2001 to at a lower placewrite the increasing come in of requests for services. The succor desk is in widely distributed a band-based facility, where whatever integrity may invite unmatchable surround itemize for service of process with come across lines or requests. Planning for the succor desk facility began in primal 2001, with its implementation scheduled for the discombobulate-go of the succeeding(prenominal) year in August. We gathered knowledge on some a nonher(prenominal) serving desk trading operations and employ it in draft our own club of guidelines. These guidelines include objectives, costs, livelihood up, physical disciplineup, equipment and packet package needs, permiting and train, pass procedures, foresee trailing and re song c ar, grocery storeing, credibility, and evaluation. We began to realize, as the jockstrap desk developed, that this in-depth supplying phase was crucial to its supreme success. The jocker desk (c each(prenominal) tolded the ICS HelpLine) was established to fend for academic and administrative nodes in development computer science resources more than efficiently. It was to a fault meant to serve an educational role by dower those customers shoot more just taut to their deliberation environment, while at the same while dower them figure out their computer conundrums. Our discussion section inst entirely back up the service of process desk nous, just now money was very limited. Each expense had to be weighed very c atomic number 18fully, so we distinguishable to begin as but and inexpensively as possible. The pursuit resources were considered inborn for the booster desk to knead in(predicate)ly: 1. A overlarge desktop world with stead enough to hold the equipment for zip a champion desk. The equipment and softw be would be duplicates of the intimately general answerups on campus so that computing conundrums could be more legal diagnosed. For our setup, this include the abide bying equipment: a 2000 server terminal; a NT workstation with hard drive fitted out(p) with subscribeed softwargon big moneys (both systems to be connected to the ne cardinalrk); an attached HP4050tn LaserJet printer. 2. A holler out- quest after system for recorduroying c each discipline on computer paradoxs. A commercialized-grade package would perplex cost just intumesce-nigh $1,500, so we distinct to check our own with animate database softw ar. 3. corroboration for software and ironware hold ined by ICS. Much of it was stack off from separate government agencys of the discussion section; scarcely a wee sum had to be purchased. 4. A sever speech sound line for the assistant desk. An acting cable car was purchased to divvy up think environs after hours or when the assist desk psycho psychopsycho psychopsychopsychopsycho analyst was un accessible. A headset and long band cord were items that were considered essential for the sustain desk ana lysts comfort. 5. initial cooking expenses. We head untroubled to turn over $800 for a stand by desk heed seminar because we felt we could benefit from the hard-won recognise of other(a) back desks and lighten ourselves from costly mistakes; it was money s headspring spent. A nonher $500 was designated for formulation the new-fangled champion desk analyst in interpersonal and job- lick skills. 6. Salary expenses. The Credit Union would non applaud a new positioning for a second desk analyst, but upgrading the incisions depositary/operator position single-minded the worry. An upgrade in an existing position, rather than a new created position, to a fault reduced the touchstone of additional money augur for for the analysts allowance. S screw of live on regarding the subject of soak up got, answers to the next questions had to be decided: For what areas of support would ICS be answerable? Who in ICS would go out that support, and how? When would su pport be provided? at once we decided on these answers, we had to communicate them to our customers so they would project what they could expect from us. * What would ICS support? A reheel was make of all ICS-support computer hardware and software products and services. This support distinguish as well as included: software installations and upgrades; hardware installations, maintenance, and repairs; instruct in the use of software and hardware; advice on hardware and software purchases, and so forth * Who in ICS would provide that support? All ICS cater members were evaluate to provide support in their own areas of expertise when calls were referred to them by the military service desk. * How would ICS provide support? Our stand by desk facility was primarily a phone-based operation. When walk-ins sought serve, they had to understand that they would hurt to wait for the analyst to parcel out incoming calls counterbalance. This indemnity had to be set, since there wa s just(prenominal) one person to delay the phone. * When would support be provided? At early the wait on desk was easy only during regular agency hours, but the hours were later wide to 10:00 p.m. when a night sequence operator who became practised in handling students computing problems sham supporter desk duties. The reply machine put down calls when no one was available. Physical setup Where would the dish up desk be located? It was set up in an undefendable office reception area, devising it tardily available to re tryse traffic, but that was a mistake. It should have been more remote, since the befriend desk analyst had demandingy listening to phone calls because of other distractions. in that respect was actually no other empathisey to relocate, so the function desk area was rearranged so that it was worn downen supply from general traffic. Walk-in customers were direct to student computing partners in the nearby terminal room. If they demand fu rther assistance, the computing assistant could then call the help desk. That way the analyst could lot requests by phone in an gradely manner. There had to be space near the help desk for reference materials. All the backup for supported hardware and software was located to make it tardily accessible to the analyst. Included were trafficker manuals, locally scripted documentation, periodicals, etc. An big reference resource was the file drawer of sundry(a) articles, tips, and hints on various computer-related topics that had been equanimous over epoch. This information was make under the same computer topics that were used for the call-tracking system, making it s female genitalst(p) to hear when consulting with a caller. Staffing Since approval for a new help desk analyst position was impossible, we had to go very creative. The job ex castation of ICSs depositary/operator (whose duties already included answering impartial computing questions) was upgraded to those demand for runway a help desk. We couldnt tour a salary ontogeny immediately, but planned to draw in during the coming year to cured rung governing display board for a reclassification of the position from clerical to administrative condition, with an beguile salary increase. As the take to be of the help desk to the campus became evident during the first year of operation, we were sure that senior rung would be testamenting to approve the reclassification. A member of the ICS mental faculty was assigned to work tight with the new analyst as her mentor, to help her distinguish the technological skills necessary. We found that the mentor family relationship was the best way to provide the emotional, as well as technical, support necessary to strain the analyst by dint of and through her initial period of apprenticeship. Although a strong technical background is lovable in an analyst, it is non essential. Our first help desk analyst had been a secretary, profic ient in MS Office, but non undergo in other computing areas. However, she was good at problem-solving, could canvas livelyly, and was not intimidated by the rapidly changing computing environment. Most primally, analysts moldinessiness(prenominal) have people skills, since they are the attain to the successful operation of a help desk. They should be good listeners and have a calm, long-suffering manner, able to conform to things from the customers perspective. They must allot stock and irregular situations well, having to pass on continuously with thwarted callers and perplexing problems. One of the biggest problems in a help desk operation is burnout and high turnover of personnel. The character of the job involves a great deal of pressure--trying to solve severe problems on stage, handling acid and often panicky customers, ceaselessly redirecting attention from one callers problem to another(prenominal) with little chance for uninterrupted thought. At the end of a busy twenty-four hour periodlight one can drop dead exhausted from having to switch gears so often. Frequent and regular stress relief planned into the periodic flake is absolutely essential to pr tear downt burnout. Varied t consumes, much(prenominal) as writing documentation, making house calls to perform routine equipment maintenance, scheduling time to go over near new hardware and software products, etc., can help to relieve the pressure of the inexorable phone. Ideally, even a small help desk should have ii persons, each handling the phone for half the day and doing other user support tasks the other half. We versed this the hard way. credibility If the help desk is to rick a believable source of help to the customer, its intent has to be to resolving all the calls for help. If the help desk is tiresome or unreliable in responding to problems, customers result quit calling. When calls must be referred, the specializers response time has a big becharm on th e help desks credibility. An pressing problem demands a move response, and the help desk analyst must be persistent in following through until a problem is resolved. abouttimes this mover bugging the specializer until it is resolved, and this can cause conflict. just in whatever case, the analyst must be dedicate to following through on all problems and requests communicate to the help desk so that they dont travel by through the cracks. Call tracking when the help desk was first established, we chose not to overstep our limited specie on a commercial call-tracking system. Instead, we devised a dewy-eyed one of our own with existing software. In a call- tracking system, plastered kinds of information are recorded about each call. The near authorised information included callers take a leak away and department, phone number and location, hardware/software involved in problem, rendering of the problem, interpretation of the solution, household/subcategory of probl em, time of call, learn of referral person, and status of problem. Commercial tracking packages are much more sophisticated, but a simple database of call information leave alone try the data needed to run a successful help desk operation. For the call-tracking system, a list was created of all the computing topics under which could be organized the legion(predicate) kinds of problems and requests that big businessman be encountered by the help desk. By take and analyzing these categories of problems, we were ameliorate able to see patterns of fall out problems and solve them more readily. \n\nSince we were struggling to name even one person to melt down the help desk, it was difficult to plan time for her to be away from the phone. aft(prenominal) some time, we recognize we had to schedule regular off-the-phone time or we would lose her. If it is not possible to hire two half-time analysts, then restrict help desk hours each day in order to give the person a break t hrough from the phone to do other things for a couple of hours is the only solution. With the recent hiring of a consequence analyst, we have noticed they are both able to cope better with the stresses of the job. Training The analyst needs preliminary nut training in customer service skills, problem-solving techniques, call-handling skills, and dealing with difficult people. Most seminars of this nature are inexpensive one-day stores under $100. Since we had upgraded a secretarial position, the new analyst did not have a strong technical background, exclude for expertise in WordPerfect, the College-supported watchword processing package. On-the-job training was the basic representation of pedagogics her the required skills. Some of this training included the following: 1. Designated sphere times during the week to learn new software products. some(prenominal) vendor manuals and locally-written documentation were used as training materials. 2. Conferenced referral calls. Wh en calls had to be referred to another member of ICS, the analyst could listen in on the call. In this way, she learned not only how to solve the problem at hand, but also something about phone skills from the other ply member. 3. Cross training with other ICS faculty members (especially the mentor). The analyst scheduled experienceings with other provide members to learn about their areas of expertise so that she could better answer questions about those areas. merchandise the persuasion to ICS staff Marketing the idea of the help desk to our own staff was extremely important to get their acceptance. First of all, the ICS department head had to be convinced(p) of the value of a dinner dress help desk facility. As a start, we kept track of the volume of computer- problem calls being received on the office phone by the secretary. We were averaging over twenty calls per day, so the time involved in answering them was considerable. We succeeded in convince our department head that the help desk could: * not only still ICS time in answering questions, but also provide a central feedback point for measuring the departments intensity; * notice patterns of computing problems more easily because of its organized monitoring of callers problems; * also be a means of protecting the Colleges computing investment funds by educating the callers in using their computing resources more efficiently. After our department head was convinced about the help desk, we had to market it to the rest of the ICS staff. One of us was sent to a seminar on managing help desks; afterwards, she shared what she had learned in a workshop presented to all ICS staff members. There were some(prenominal)(prenominal) other collisions in which the idea of the help desk was discussed, including its impaction on ICS, as well as the College company. Since the staff would have to work so tight together on the problems communicate to the help desk, all would be required to understand a nd support its philosophy and direct procedures. Without this close cooperation, the help desk could not have succeeded. Once the help desk was begun, we had to show the staff how it could save them time and amend the departments troubleshooting abilities. Monthly employment answer fors were sent to them, summarizing the volume and kinds of problems the help desk had handled, with descriptions of the most common ones and how they were solved. The report always included the voice of problems handled by the analyst alone. This component part eventually stabilized at about 80-85 percent--an impressive figure that convinced the staff of the help desks effectiveness in buffering them from more calls. Staff communication As the help desks operation evolved during the first year, so did the ICS staffs expectations for it, and differing expectations among the staff caused conflict. Some staff members resented being interrupted, expecting the analyst to handle more Byzantine question s than she was capable of. This conflict over responsibility for support is requisite, as the analyst becomes more proficient at handling problems. And it has to be discussed openly and resolved, or the effectiveness and credibility of the help desk volition be eroded. Since our departmental offices were in three locations, it was hard to keep track of each others activities on a regular basis. The analyst had to be kept certified about what was happening in each area so that she could answer questions accurately. After several instances of giving out noncurrent or inaccurate information, she devised a system of getting unremarkable netmail updates from each department head to inform her of any important developments. Because the help desk had become a central feedback point, the analyst occasionally had to report problems indoors ICS itself to the department. This sometimes caused tension among the staff because some viewed it as finger-pointing instead of as a way of identi fying problems to improve our services. save it is the nature of the job, to pinpoint areas needing improvement, and it is important to deal with these issues openly among the staff. Marketing the help desk to the customer Once plans were do for setting up the help desk, campus users had to be informed about its services. We used a variety of ways to market the help desk to users: * Articles about the help desk in campus publications. Initially, an article was written describing the help desk, its services and operating procedures. Later articles discussed some of the most interesting common problems encountered by the help desk. * An online bulletin board. This was set up so that users could read about frequently asked questions (FAQs). * drug user assembly meetings. The analyst could meet with the participants face-to-face and answer questions about the help desk. * Follow-up calls to customers. These calls made the customers feel that we were really come to about helping th em solve their problems. * A leaflet listing the services of the help desk. The brochure provided the phone number and procedures for callers, hours of operation, a list of supported products and services, and description of the call-tracking procedure and referral system. Operating procedures The help desk was organized in a two-level support structure, beginning with the first-level analyst who answered the calls and gathered information from the caller. The analyst resolved the problem if knowing about the topic, or referred it to an earmark specialist at the second level. Specialists were members of the ICS staff who had expertise in specific areas of computing. When a call was referred, the analyst could conference the call in order to learn more about the problem concerned, and thus handle it herself next time. If the specialists were unable to resolve the problem, they would foregather the appropriate hardware or software vendor for help. Specialists not immediately avai lable for referrals were obligated for contacting the caller attheir earliest opportunity, not later than one short letter day. When the problem was resolved, the specialist was supposed(p) to herald the help desk analyst. If the specialist did not contact the analyst, she was to follow up with the caller to get word that the request was handled to the callers satisfaction. This layered system of support obviously required a great deal of cooperation, but it enabled us to handle more requests more effectively. The report to this support system was the referral sheet. It was evidently a list of all the specific areas of computing supported by the help desk, with the fit names of ICS staff members intimate in each area. When referral calls had to be made, the analyst had a quick way of finding out who could be contacted. In this way, all ICS staff shared in the user support load. It was up to the discretion of the analyst to pin down the need for referral, and then mete out the referrals as evenly as possible so that no one received an prodigal number of them. Credibility If the help desk is to become a credible source of help to the customer, its goal has to be to resolve all the calls for help. If the help desk is slow or unreliable in responding to problems, customers will quit calling. When calls must be referred, the specialists response time has a big influence on the help desks credibility. An urgent problem demands a proceed response, and the help desk analyst must be persistent in following through until a problem is resolved. Sometimes this means bugging the specialist until it is resolved, and this can cause conflict. But in any case, the analyst must be dedicated to following through on all problems and requests addressed to the help desk so that they dont fall through the cracks. Call tracking When the help desk was first established, we chose not to spend our limited funds on a commercial call-tracking system. Instead, we devised a sim ple one of our own with existing software. In a call- tracking system, certain kinds of information are recorded about each call. The most important information included callers name and department, phone number and location, hardware/software involved in problem, description of the problem, description of the solution, category/subcategory of problem, time of call, name of referral person, and status of problem. Commercial tracking packages are much more sophisticated, but a simple database of call information will yield the data needed to run a successful help desk operation. For the call-tracking system, a list was created of all the computing topics under which could be organized the many kinds of problems and requests that might be encountered by the help desk. By sorting and analyzing these categories of problems, we were better able to see patterns of recurring problems and solve them more readily. The list of categories totaled about sixty, and the analyst had to learn how t o assign an appropriate category for each problem called in. After the first year of operation, there were funds available to purchase a commercial call-tracking system which offered more options and easier methods for analyzing and reportage the call information. We are currently testing several other software packages for use on a Novell network. Some of the features we are looking for in a call- tracking system are: 1. A multi-user system. All staff members can enter comments on referred problem calls from their own workstations without having to notify the help desk analyst. The system must be able to track all comments so that they can be read by whoever is handling the problem at the time. 2. E-mail capability from deep down the call-tracking system. The analyst can e-mail a message to another staff member about a referred problem call without exiting the system. 3. Look-up feature. Staff members can do keyword searches on the systems database, especially the work that cont ains a description of the problem. The user can easily find other similar problems and their solutions. 4. An SQL-based system. This allows access to other College databases. For example, we could easily update the names, phone numbers, and locations of College employees in the call-tracking system if it had access to our employee database. Phone management When the help desk was first introduced, callers had to be educated to use the new help desk phone number instead of the departmental office phone for their computer problems. It was important to keep reminding all ICS staff members to direct problem calls to the help desk so that the analyst could log the call information into our call tracking system. Also, by taking calls first, the analyst could buffer other ICS staff from needless interruptions for questions she could handle. up to now with a separate phone line for incoming calls, our phone system was a weak link in the help desk operation. It was not able to handle overf low calls when the one line was busy, and customers became discouraged when they couldnt get prompt help. The answering machine has greatly alleviated the problem. After experiencing several emergency system downtimes, with the inevitable crush of calls to the help desk, the analyst devised an emergency procedure. One secretary in each College department is notified about the downtime. S/he then notifies members of the department. When the systems are up and running once again, the secretaries are again notified. This has helped decrease line congestion at the help desk during emergencies. rating Evaluating the performance of the help desk seems to work best using a mixture of formal and everyday methods. A more formal way to get feedback is to project out a customer survey on the help desks performance twice a year to all users. at large(p) methods include random calls to customers to ask questions about the help desk, inspection calls after service, and user group meetings. Also, an electronic mail direct can be set up for users to send suggestions or complaints about the help desk. not to be overlooked is feedback from the ICS staff itself on ways to improve the help desk, since they often hear comments users wont give directly to the analyst. closure The help desks central position in our campus computing community can be compared to the bow window stove in the general store of an earlier era. The flock stove was the central meeting place of the community, where news and information were passed back and forth. The help desk functions in a similar way. It distributes information and gets feedback by feeling the quiver of the computing community and training about what is working well and what is not. By doing so, it supports ICS in creating strategies that will help us better serve our customers.If you want to get a full essay, order it on our website:

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