Topics covered in this Tutorial

• Goals, Objectives and Standards
• Evolution of Support Services
• The Role of the Help Desk
• Mission Statements
• Goal of the Help Desk
• Call Handling Process
• Role of the Help Desk Analyst

Goals, Objectives and Standards

We need goals to succeed.

To illustrate this point - read the following excerpt from Alice In Wonderland by Lewis Carroll.

'Cheshire Cat would you tell me please, which way I ought to go from here?'
'That depends a good deal on where you want to get to' said the cat.
'I don't much care where ...' said Alice
'Then it doesn't matter which way you go' said the cat
'...so long as I get somewhere' - Alice added as an explanation.
'Oh, you're sure to do that' said the cat '- if you only walk long enough'

What are Goals, Objectives and Standards?

• A goal is a major achievement. We need to set ourselves goals in life and work, which we then split into a series of steps before we can start to achieve them.
• An objective is a step by which we achieve our goals.
• Standards are the criteria by which we judge whether we have achieved our goals and objectives.

Evolution of Support Services

In the Beginning, only programmers and computer operators had access to the computer room and they delivered reports to the 'outside' world. If they had problems, hardware engineers would define the chip that needed changing or software engineers would re-write the program.

As the use of computers in business developed, more and more people were required to make use of them in the course of doing their job. As more and more people began to get a 'terminal' on their desk to access computer resources, the demands on the 'person(s) who understood it' became greater and greater. Often, technical experts in a company would be called upon to provide support to other users in addition to their normal roles.

With the advent of desktop personal computing, and the growing use of 'Office' software products and computerized databases, 'Super Users' or 'Expert Users' became the vogue. 'Expert Users' were people who could officially help out someone who was having problems. However, this support was still provided without a formal framework or training and in addition to their daily job.

As the complexity and scope of computer applications and devices spread in the typical business, the demands on the expert users' time increased, and their support role slowly became a full time job.

As the provision of support became more and more important to the performance of businesses, the concept of the Help Desk was developed and realized.

The Role of the Help Desk

Framework for Support Services

The concept of the Help Desk is to provide a proper framework for the supply of support services to clients. Help Desks can exist within an organization to provide IT or other technical support to the business' employees or to provide support to the business' customers. Alternatively, a business may contract-out the provision of Help Desk services to a third-party.

The framework in which Help Desk operates differs from previous 'models' of support services in the following ways:

• Well-advertised and recognized point-of-access for clients (telephone number, e-mail contact, website)
• Documented mission statements, call management procedures, customer service standards and quality assurance
• Professional support personnel trained in the range of competencies required
• Use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) to implement and manage support calls

Responsibilities and Activities of the Help Desk

Some of the responsibilities and activities of the Help Desk are to:

• Identify and document the customer's needs
• Manage expectations
• Answer enquiries
• Resolve problems
• Enhance customer relationships
• Deliver quality customer support consistently
• Own each call taken to its conclusion

Technologies Used by Help Desk

Some of the technologies used by Help Desk include:



Mission Statements

A Mission Statement is a statement which formally sets down the major goal of the organization or group.

Remember our definition: A goal is a major achievement.

We need to set ourselves goals in life and work, which we then split into a series of steps before we can start to achieve them.

An objective is a step by which we achieve our goals.

Standards are the criteria by which we judge whether we have achieved our goals and objectives.

So the mission statement must contain all these elements: Goal, objectives and standards.

A mission statement should be specific (that is, measurable and not dependant on opinion), achievable and realistic (there is no motivation in a task that is impossible), motivational (so that success can be seen as a clear picture) and comprehensible (the same picture is seen by everyone!)

Goal of the Help Desk

An example of a Help Desk's mission statement is:

To provide effective service to every customer by building a personal relationship with each caller, using the appropriate skills, tools and techniques for their requirement and ensuring that each call is either closed or escalated within the agreed timescales by owning each call. This will be assessed by checking with every customer that they are satisfied with the help they have received.

The goal of Help Desk is to maintain the clients' performance at the highest level possible when using the supported technologies.

This goal is enabled by specific objectives, such as:

• To provide a single point of contact for all customer requirements
• To provide technical assistance to customers
• To provide information and support to customers
• To provide quick, responsive support consistently
• To prevent recurrence of problems

Standards are maintained by:

• Professionalism and excellence of Help Desk personnel
• Effective use of documentation and procedures to manage the support process
• Effective use of technology in providing support
• Establishing procedures to ensure quality assurance and customer satisfaction

Call Handling Process

The core activity of the Help is the support 'call'.

A 'call' could be a face-to-face request, a telephone call, a fax or e-mail, and so on.

The following process outlines some of the steps involved in the support call. A structured process can be made the basis of a Service Level Agreement between the Help Desk provider and the client to agree on the standards by which the services will be provided and measured.

1. The customer calls with a problem
2. The Help Desk advisor makes a note of the request or data is captured on a call handling system
3. The request is given a reference (or log or ticket) number
4. An acknowledgement of the call is sent back to the customer either verbally or by e-mail
5. The Help Desk Analyst responds by either solving the problem there and then, thus logging the resolution and closing the call OR escalates the problem
6. If the problem is escalated, the person that takes over the problem now has responsibility for resolving it (ownership), logging the resolution and closing the call
7. The Help Desk Analyst verifies with the customer that they are satisfied with the solution
8. The call is closed and the call log updated
9. A relationship building follow-up call is often regarded normal practice, and is beginning to be expected by the customers

Role of the Help Desk Analyst

The Help Desk Analyst performs the basic operations of the Help Desk, processing calls and support requests. As can be seen from the description of the goals of Help Desk and the process of a call, the competencies required of a Help Desk analyst scarcely even start with knowledge of the hardware or software being supported.

To perform well in his/her role, an analyst must demonstrate the following competencies:

• Customer service techniques (for example, telephone etiquette, dealing with problems, active listening, questioning, assertiveness, empathy and rapport)
• Effective use of Help Desk technologies
• Creative thinking, problem-solving and knowledge management
• Time and process management and prioritization
• Team working and leadership
• Use of supported product(s) and related technologies

Other job titles for Help Desk Analyst include Customer Support Professional and Technical Support Professional.

Role of Other Help Desk Support Professionals

Senior roles within a Help Desk organization include:

• Senior Analyst (or Support Engineer) - with the additional responsibility of designing, analyzing and improving support services
• Manager - responsibility for all Help Desk operations