1. Customer Support as a Profession
A Guide to Help Desk Concepts, Second Edition
Chapter 8

2. Objectives In this chapter you will learn:
Help desk industry trends and directions
The role of certification in the help desk
How to maintain your technical skills while learning help desk management skills
How to prepare for a future as a help desk professional
Chapter 8

3. Help Desk Industry Trends and Directions
Pursuing a career in the help desk provides the opportunity to:
Use and support state-of-the-art technology
Work with people and with technology
Use previously acquired skills, such as customer service skills, to gain entry into the computer industry
Gain entry into a company at which you want to work
Learn about all the different departments within a company and gain a full appreciation of the opportunities available within that company
Advance your career either along a technical career path or a managerial career path
Chapter 8

4. 24 x 7 Support
Customers are challenging companies to provide 24 x 7 support, which means that help desk services are provided 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
According to the Help Desk Institute, what percent of its members have at least one employee on-site 24 hours a day?
31%
24 x 7 support does not, however, mean that help desk analysts must be on-site at all times
Chapter 8

5. 24 x 7 Support
Many help desks use their phone system to direct customers to their Web site after hours where they can help themselves, submit a problem or request, or obtain the status of an outstanding problem or request
Companies that provide 24 x 7 support may also offer very flexible schedules for their employees
This trend also creates opportunities for people who assume supporting roles in the help desk
Chapter 8

6. Fee-Based Support
With fee-based support, customers pay for support services on a per-use basis
Help desks that charge for support then have funds available to acquire resources and continuously improve their services
Charging for support is an effective way to manage customer expectations
Chapter 8

7. What About Global Support?
Some companies are being challenged to support customers anywhere in the world
This demand for global support may be caused by the need to support a large company that has foreign divisions and subsidiaries or by the need to support customers who are doing business with the company through the Web
Companies providing global support must address the culture, language, and legal issues that come with working in an international market
Chapter 8

8. Global Support
There are several ways companies can address international issues, including:
Regional, in country help desks
Follow the sun support
One global support desk
Chapter 8

9. Help Desk as a Profession – The GOOD, the BAD, and the UGLY
Today, a number of trends indicate that the help desk has been elevated to a profession in and of itself
According to the Help Desk Institute, more than 69 percent of help desks report to a Chief Information Officer (CIO) or senior executive
Many companies have rewritten their help desk job descriptions to create higher-level job positions, which reflects the expanded responsibility of the help desk
Chapter 8

10. The Good..... or the Bad? Career Path Opportunities
What are they?
Increased dependence on Technology
New technology and old technology
Mobile workforce/Wireless – Web-based Support
Outsourcing
What is it? Why do we use it?
Factors that prompt companies to consider outsourcing include outsourcer experience, flexibility such as an outsourcer’s ability to accommodate peak periods, seasonal call volumes, or after-hours call volumes, and the opportunity to leverage an outsourcer’s investment and use of new technologies
Chapter 8

11. The Good..... or the Bad? Increased dependence on Technology
What are they?
Increased dependence on Technology
New technology and old technology
Mobile workforce/Wireless
Outsourcing
What is it? Why do we use it?
Factors that prompt companies to consider outsourcing include outsourcer experience, flexibility such as an outsourcer’s ability to accommodate peak periods, seasonal call volumes, or after-hours call volumes, and the opportunity to leverage an outsourcer’s investment and use of new technologies
Chapter 8

12. Career Path Opportunity within an Beyond the Help Desk
Chapter 8

13. Increased Dependence on Technology
Our dependence on computing technology and on technology in general is becoming increasingly prevalent
The fact that computing technology is beginning to converge with communications technology is further increasing our dependence on technology
Chapter 8

14. Ubiquitous Computing Devices
Chapter 8

15. Increased Workload
The help desk is experiencing an increased workload due to several trends, including the expanded role of the help desk evidenced by the shift toward the support center
The increasing complexity of technology and the speed with which companies introduce new technologies also lead to a great demand for support
Chapter 8

16. Increased Workload
A third trend that is causing increased workload is the growing number of multi-vendor incidents that help desks must handle
Multi-vendor support is support for customers who use products developed by a number of different vendors
Multi-vendor support can be difficult and time-consuming to provide because it may not be clear if the problem lies in the product the customer is using, in a related or dependent product developed and supported by another vendor, or somewhere in between
Chapter 8

17. Mobile Workforce Support
A growing mobile workforce is another of the reasons that many help desks are experiencing an increased demand for support
The variety of mobile and wireless devices and applications and the speed at which individuals are adopting these devices make supporting mobile workers particularly challenging for help desks
Chapter 8

18. Mobile Workforce Support
Increasingly, help desks are helping to define standards in terms of what mobile devices and applications best serve the needs of users and ensure the security of corporate data assets
Help desks are also modifying SLAs to include mobile computing policies and procedures, and address asset management and configuration issues such as when and how to swap out failing devices with usable devices
Chapter 8

19. Multi-Channel Support
For years most help desks have offered customers alternatives to the telephone such as voice mail, , and some Web-based support
Help desks have historically, however, viewed the telephone as the “official” support channel
Several factors are causing help desks to look at multi-channel support differently now
Chapter 8

20. Outsourcing
Many of the trends discussed earlier such as 24 x 7 support, global support, increased dependence on technology, increased workload, and mobile workforce support are prompting an increase in help desk outsourcing
Outsourcing is when companies have help desk services provided by an outside supplier instead of providing them in-house
Factors that prompt companies to consider outsourcing include outsourcer experience, flexibility such as an outsourcer’s ability to accommodate peak periods, seasonal call volumes, or after-hours call volumes, and the opportunity to leverage an outsourcer’s investment and use of new technologies
Chapter 8

21. Outsourcing
It is not uncommon for companies to allow a service agency to hire qualified members of their help desk staff when it takes over support because knowledge about the customer community is very important
This is particularly true when a company decides to in-source its support services, which means the service agency employees who deliver support services are physically located at the company’s facilities
Companies may in-source for security reasons, or because they want to leverage an existing investment in technology
Chapter 8

22. Web-Based Support
Customers have come to expect support organizations to offer Web-based services such as knowledge bases, FAQs, and Web forms that can be used to submit problems and requests, and so forth
A common misconception is that Web-based services eliminate the need for help desk analysts
Although Web-based support does not eliminate the need for qualified help desk analysts, it does change the skills they must have and the types of problems and requests they resolve
Chapter 8

23. Web-Based Support
Web-based support also creates a need for people to develop, maintain, and support the help desk’s systems
Help desks also need people to embrace trends such as self-healing, mass-healing, and assisted service, and to evaluate and deploy the technologies that enable these services
Mass-healing systems enable help desks to detect and repair problems across the entire enterprise
Chapter 8

24. Preparing for a Career in the Help Desk
A successful help desk career begins with the decision that you want a help desk career
This is easily determined by asking yourself a few simple questions: (Let’s determine some questions)
Do you have a positive attitude?
Do you enjoy helping others?
Do you enjoy solving problems?
Do you like change?
Do you enjoy learning new skills and acquiring new knowledge?
Do you have the ability to see good in people and be objective in difficult situations?
Chapter 8

25. What do we care about? Certifications? Work Experience? Education?
HelpDesk/Customer Service vs Technical
Work Experience?
Education?
Chapter 8

26. Role of Certification in the Help Desk
The idea of certifying professionals has existed for years
Examples include certified public accountants (CPAs), certified electricians, and certified mechanics
Only since the late 1980s have managers recognized the importance of certifying IT professionals
Chapter 8

27. Role of Certification in the Help Desk
This recognition was prompted by the growing complexity of technology coupled with the shortage of people with IT skills
Early IT certification programs focused primarily on analysts’ technical skills
There are two types of certification programs available to help desk professionals: technical certifications that are vendor specific and help desk certifications that are vendor neutral
Chapter 8

28. Help Desk Institute Certification
Help Desk Institute certification is an open, standards-based, internationally recognized certification program for help desk professionals (
Certification levels include Customer Support Specialist (CSS), Help Desk Analyst (HAD), Help Desk Senior Analyst (HDSA), and Help Desk Manager (HDM)
Chapter 8

29. Service & Support Professionals Association (SSPA) Certification
The SSPA individual certification training program is designed to prepare support professionals at all levels to perform within industry standards and to earn international certification (
The five levels of SSPA individual certification available include: Customer Service Qualified, Certified Support Professional, Certified Support Specialist, Certified Support Manager, and Certified Support Executive
Chapter 8

30. STI Knowledge Certification
STI Knowledge offers Help Desk 2000 certification ( /certification_advisory/ courses.asp#hd2k) for help desk analysts, managers, and directors
Help Desk 2000 programs involve a stringent testing process that includes a three-hour written exam along with an oral exam or a specific help desk project
Certification levels include: Certified Help Desk Professional, Certified Help Desk Manager, and Certified Help Desk Director
Chapter 8

31. Important Technical Certification Programs
Chapter 8

32. Work Experience
Although prior help desk experience is optimal when looking for a job in the help desk industry, companies that are hiring people for help desk positions will also consider relevant work experience that represents some form of customer service
Chapter 8

33. Education and Training
Not all companies require candidates to have an MIS or Computer Science degree when applying for help desk positions
Because communication skills are so important, companies also consider candidates with English or Communications degrees
Chapter 8

34. Self-Study No one can predict what the future holds
Today’s trends, however, provide some insight
Take it upon yourself to do reading and studying over and above that which is required at work or at school
To be successful in the help desk, continuously follow help desk and general business trends, gain an understanding of their impact on your skills and on the support industry, and determine how you can seize the opportunities they present
Chapter 8

35. Transitioning to a Management Position
Whether you plan to pursue a career in management or at some point are promoted into a management position as a reward for excellent technical performance, the transition to a management position can be trying
Chapter 8

36. Focus on the Big Picture
Successful managers strive continuously to understand how their group or department fits into the company as a whole and how it contributes to the company’s goals
Chapter 8

37. Serve as a Consultant to Your Staff
A consultant is a professional who analyzes clients’ needs and helps them develop systems to improve employee performance, company productivity, customer satisfaction, and so on
Chapter 8

38. Learn to Delegate
Delegating is a tough lesson for every new manager to learn, but it is particularly difficult for people with strong technical skills
This is because technicians often fear that if they do not use their technical skills they will lose them
Chapter 8

39. Lead and Coach Your Staff
A good manager understands that he or she can’t motivate other people
Motivation comes from within
What managers can do, however, is to provide leadership and a motivating, well- managed environment
Chapter 8

40. Herzberg’s Work Satisfiers and Examples in a Help Desk Setting
Chapter 8

41. Lead and Coach Your Staff
Successful help desk managers lead their staff by helping them to understand the role of the help desk in its company or its department, the help desk’s importance to the company or the department, and the scope of the help desk’s responsibilities
As a manager, all you can do is create a motivating environment through:
Teamwork
Education
Setting goals
Empowerment
Chapter 8

42. Learn to Use Information
It is imperative that help desk managers understand that information is a resource, just as people, processes, and technology are resources
It is not enough for managers to ensure that their staff is collecting information; they must add value to that information and share it with others throughout the company
Chapter 8

43. Broaden Your Skills Base
Managers need to add to the business, technical, soft, and self-management skills that they depended upon as analysts
They must quickly acquire or fine-tune skills such as team building, project management, presentation, and meeting skills
It is important to understand that promotion to a management position means that you will be expected to acquire and demonstrate management skills
Chapter 8

44. Summary
Tremendous opportunities exist for people interested in pursuing a help desk career
An irreversible dependence on technology has prompted customers to demand ever-cheaper, faster, and better support services
There are two types of certification programs available to help desk professionals: technical certifications that are vendor specific, and help desk certifications that are vendor neutral
Chapter 8

45. Summary
A successful help desk career begins with the decision that you want to have a help desk career and the type of career you want to pursue
Technicians who choose or are promoted into a management position must work hard to acquire the business skills needed to be a manager
They must understand that information is a resource, just as people, processes, and technology are resources, and they must add to the business, technical, soft, and self-management skills that they depended upon as analysts
Chapter 8