Process, Tools, Evaluation Help Desk Operations Process, Tools, Evaluation

Help Desk Structure Single Point of Contact Multi-level Support Model

Incident Management Process Well-defined Formal Uses telephone, face-to-face, e-mail, web-based interfaces

Step 1: Receive Incident Establish relationship with user Scripted / recommended greetings Language used Identify support person/group Notice of monitoring Name of user Apologies for wait

Step 2: Prescreen The Incident Filter process Information or incident? Determine what needs to be incident Try to close w/o going to next step

Step 3: Authenticate The User Authorized to help user? What level of service

Step 4: Log Incident Tracking # User Information Date/time opened Who logged incident Problem category Priority Problem Description

Step 4: Log Incident (cont) Assigned to/ escalation Action Taken Resolution Closed by Date/time of resolution

Step 5: Screen Incident Categorize Describe

Step 6: Prioritize Who is affected How many are affected Queue philosophy

Step 7: Assign The Incident Try to solve at the lowest level Appropriate assignment

Step 8: Track Update progress Serves as history Limit time to check progress

Step 9: Escalate Set policy/procedure for when Set period of time – make automatic

Step 10: Resolve Incident User’s problem has been solved OR Complaint has been noted and referred Doesn’t mean customer is satisfied! Minimize dissatisfaction Goal is win/win

Step 11: Close Feedback Insure resolution

Step 12: Archive Scheduled times for archiving Knowledge Base Review trends/ patterns

Tools Help Desk Software Log/Track Incidents Contact information Product information Information resource links Configuration information Diagnostics / Remote Access Problem-solving Database

Tools (cont) Help Desk Software (cont) Order Entry Customer Feedback Asset Management (Inventory Service Management (warranties/maintenance)

Tools (cont) Help Desk Software (cont) Statistical Reports Abandoned calls, call closure rates Receipt to closure FAQs Customizable Interface/Reports Phone/Computer Integration

Other Support Tools ACD (Automated Call Distributors) Web Site Support Remote Diagnostics

CRM Customer Relationship Management: Meet needs of customer Each customer is reason company exists Cost to replace a customer is greater than cost of managing a customer

Evaluation Method Decide on criteria Determine importance of each criteria Rate each product for each criteria Compute average ratings Weight ratings by importance Compute/compare total rating for each product

Criteria Hardware/Sofware Speed Capacity Capabilities/features Transaction volumes Compatibility Upgradability/Scalability

Criteria (cont) End User Needs Ease of learning Ease of Use Mandatory Features Desirable Features

Criteria (cont) Support Cost Technical support service, troubleshooting Installation assistance Training Documentation Maintenance, Repair Cost Total cost of ownership (TCO)

Example: Weighted Evaluation Criterion Importance Product X Product Y Configuration 25% 90 * .25 = 22.5 70 * .25 = 17.5 Scalability 35% 70 * .35 = 24.5 Vendor Support 10% 50 * .10 = 5.0 95 * .10 = 9.5 Ease of Learning 30% 60 * .30 = 18.0 90 * .30 = 27.0 Totals 100% 70.0 (/ 100) 78.5 (/100)