WEEK TWO

HELPDESK OPERATIONS

WHAT DO WE MEAN BY SAYING “HELPDESK OPERATING CHARACTERISTICS”?

OPERATING CHARACTERISTICS

This refers to :TYPE

SIZE andSTRUCTURE

This will vary depending on the needs of the customer.

FROM AN OPERATIONAL PERSPECTIVE, WHAT DO YOU NEED TO KNOW TO WORK IN A HELP DESK?

-Understand the different types and size of helpdesk that exist.- How the Helpdesk is structured- Daily activities related to a Helpdesk environment, which is regarded as daily activities that employees need to perform- Individual performance required as well as organisation’s performance

These two performances are important because

The individual performance and the Helpdesk Operation contributes to “Helpdesk mission” and that of the

“organisation’s mission”

TYPES OF CUSTOMER SUPPORT AND SUPPORT ORGANISATIONS

CALL CENTER: a location where telephone calls are received, calls made, in high volume.

Term CONTACT CENTER is also used to refer to a Call Center. The term “Contact Center” is often referred to a call center when it uses technologies such as email and use of Web-related services, in addition to telephone calls as a medium of communication.

INBOUND CALL CENTRE: receive telephone calls from customers and provide customer support services - take orders, respond to complaints, queries, fault management.

OUTBOUND CALL CENTRE: makes telephone calls specifically for telemarketing

Tele Marketing: this is the selling of products and services over the telephone

Recall definition of a “Helpdesk”?

“Helpdesk is a SINGLE POINT of contact within an organisation for managing customer

problems and for providing SOLUTION-ORIENTED support services.

This means that a series of support levels are required to smoothly operate the “Helpdesk function”. A multi-level support model used.

HELP DESKS uses multi-level support model

LEVEL ZERO support: CustomersLEVEL ONE support: HelpdeskLEVEL TWO support: Technical support

Network SupportSubject matter experts (Knowledge Champion)

LEVEL THREE support: Vendors (Software / Hardware)Subject matter experts

Helpdesk Mission statement

For example:

Provide our customers a centralised point of contact for support-oriented services.

Committed to quality help and assistance through teamwork with a view to identify and

solve customer’s problems

Organisation’s Mission statement

For example:

To Lead the information communication market through excellence in quality, value

and customer services

Why have we gone through two different mission statements?

It is important that helpdesk employee understands the “Helpdesk mission statement” and how it fit into the organisation’s mission statement.

Also how the employee’s role fit in that mission

Types of Helpdesk

INTERNAL Helpdesk – responds to questions, distribute information, handle problems and

service requests for its organisation’s employees. Meaning for internal customers

For example:Going to HR helpdesk for staff related issues –

medical, payment, leave, etc

Going to IT Helpdesk for hardware or software related issues on information systems or user

accessories. Network and system administration

EXTERNAL Helpdesk – Support customers who buy their organisation’s products and

services.

Meaning exclusively for external customers

SIZES OF HELPDESK

How do we define size?

The size of Helpdesk is determined by the mission, scope and

responsibilities of the organisation (business)

SMALL Help desks

The size is usually anywhere from 1 to 10.

- business just started- do not have high volume of calls

- support products and service are stable, easy to use, customers have other means and modes to obtain support, such as a

Web interface

LARGE Help desks

The size is usually more than 25 people

- many have grown from SMALL helpdesks

- have high volume of calls- common to be sub-divided into

speciality teams

What size are we missing?

MEDIUM Help desks

what is the size?

Small is between 1 to 10Large is usually more than 25

So medium helpdesk is range between 10 and 25

Another factor which influence the size of Helpdesk is

HELPDESK STRUCTURE

1. Centralized Helpdesk

2. Decentralized Helpdesk

Centrally decentralized Helpdesk

CENTRALIZED Help desks - They support all of the technologies used by its

customers

- customer’s problems and requests are more likely to be remembered and resolved

because a centralised helpdesk ensure that incidents are logged, solutions are delivered,

and customers are satisfied.-

DECENTRALIZED Help desks - They support specific products or customer

communities

-design is to provide a high level of customer service.

- provide fast solution for incidents due to expert assistance immediately

DECENTRALISED Help desks - specialised helpdesks created by

having structure based on solution-oriented needs.

For example, PC users who call one number for ; mainframe users call

another number; customer experiencing network problems call another number

What are centrally DECENTRALISED Help desks ?

Centralized Decentralized Helpdesk

This approach combines a single, central helpdesk with multiple,

specialized helpdesks.

Customers contact the central helpdesk first. If they cannot provide a solution, the central help

desk then transfer the customer to the appropriate helpdesk.

LOCATION of Helpdesk

LEVEL ONE support – centralized location such as corporate office.

LEVEL TWO – are located at remote locations

Organisations uses a combination of centralized and decentralized

Helpdesk

Helpdesks as COST CENTERS or PROFIT CENTERS?

Helpdesk services can cost an organization a considerable amount of money. Whether

internal or external, small or large; centralized or decentralized. Helpdesk need many

resources – tangible or intangible.

So what factors need to be considered to determine which category it fits?

1. Employee Recruiting2. Furniture

3. Travel expenses.4. Telephone services and equipment cost

5. Hardware and software cost6. Office equipment and expenses.

7. Subscription costs to technology magazines, etc

Helpdesks are run either as a cost center or as a profit center

Helpdesks as COST CENTERSbudget items required to run helpdesk are considered a cost /

expense to the organization.

So aim of management is to reduce / minimise and eliminate expenses so that profit will be as high as possible.

Define standards; limit services – support only certain products or services; limit contact hours which service is provided.

Helpdesks as PROFIT CENTERShelpdesk must cover its own expenses and also make a profit to

the organization.

Helpdesks makes a profit by charging a fee for support services. External helpdesks can establish pricing structures that allows

customers to choose free service (self help such as Web-based, fax-back systems or Intelligent Voice Response IVR).

Running Helpdesks as either cost centers or profit centers are not an easy job. Customer demands are

changing and demands are increasing. What else can

organizations do?

Outsourcing? Service agencies? The support center model

NEXT SESSION covers:

Information gathering The support center model

NEXT WEEK:

Helpdesk Staff and Service Orientation