Virtual help desk
Encyclopedia
A virtual help desk allows IT support organizations to virtually deploy IT technicians on demand to support a computer user experiencing technical issues. IT can efficiently manage and allocate global help desk resources, including – most importantly – its personnel, to access any computer to provide support despite the end user or IT rep location. Virtual help desks allow IT reps to virtually access end systems through support sessions where they can diagnose and fix computer issues quickly. This eliminates in-person customer service calls and/or ineffective phone-only tech support sessions, making the help desk more efficient.
Another objective of the virtual help desk is to improve IT resource management and save organizations money by increasing IT support efficiencies. Through an enhanced ability to allocate resources, IT organizations have the flexibility to create new ways of using its technical support
knowledge-base. This technology usually requires a software implementation and support contract.
environments, such as data centers. However, the concept of virtualization can also be applied to the way people work. When applied to the help desk
, this translates into the same number of technicians being able to handle more support incidents. As tech support problems are typically handled by the call center, contact center
, or a help desk, either by telephone
or remote desktop software
, it’s important that technicians be able to work independently (or virtually) to quickly troubleshoot computer issues. The following points provide a quick overview of the benefits to an organization virtualizing its help desk:
1. Increased productivity: Companies can increase the number of support calls handled per day and cut the costs of lengthy service calls. Also, companies can eliminate the time and travel expense of technicians going on-site to resolve customer tech problems, improving IT resource
management.
2. Efficient routing
: As technology becomes more complex, a virtualized help desk provides the infrastructure to better manage decentralized IT operations and assign expert technicians across the queue to handle a particular tech support issue. This helps streamline the overall customer service
process, while minimizing the time a support caller spends navigating through an automated phone tree.
3. Improved control: Putting a help desk rep in the driver seat to troubleshoot computer issues not only enhances the customer experience
by lessening frustration, but also reduces the stress and aggravation IT staff often face when walking non-tech savvy users through a tech support session. Ensuring that your help desk staff is happy when dealing with customers significantly helps your company build and maintain strong customer relations, not to mention reducing IT staff turnover rates.
The virtual help desk resides between the systems management
and service desk platforms to work with the systems that track when trouble tickets open and close, to provide an account of what happens during the support process. This level of granular support activity (e.g. the what, how, when, why and even whose mouse click is used) also helps organizations better manage its IT resources and optimize the help desk. Using a centralized, virtual help desk solution to capture important support details (e.g. record remote sessions, note where calls were transferred or how the issues were resolved) enables IT organizations to build an effective knowledge base
. This increased level of understanding can be used in root cause analysis
to minimize recurring help desk issues and begin to address the tech support issues that result desktop incident resolution gap.
This is also true for software vendors who must be able to troubleshoot and assist any customers who have purchased their product. Unlike a corporate help desk, the options for computing devices and Internet connections are endless and remain virtually unknown to the support representative until they get contacted for service.
All of this increased demand requires IT support organizations to be more agile in diagnosing and resolving desktop issues, which correlates with how the overall service support processes are run. Organizations that are integrating virtual help desk technology to optimize the overall IT support process are gaining significant benefits.
The SSPA (Service & Support Professionals Association) conducts ongoing research to provide help desk organizations with the information to reach their support and service objectives. John Ragsdale, SSPA VP of Research, reports on key benchmark information from the SSPA Benchmark Database, as well as other member and industry surveys to point out trends and best practices in support technology.
Today’s economic instability is also putting added pressure on companies to find gainful ways of optimizing current operations to ensure and build their business. In fact, recent Nemertes
research found that only 44% of companies are increasing their IT budgets in 2008; and only 28% plan to do so in 2009. This means that organizations across various industries will be looking for ways to optimize IT.
Persistent IT problems that prohibit a company’s productivity are another factor as money is lost from both sides of the balance sheet. This concern is amplified when talking about external support as the stakes are higher for companies to deliver swift, effective and reliable IT support to its customers.
Another objective of the virtual help desk is to improve IT resource management and save organizations money by increasing IT support efficiencies. Through an enhanced ability to allocate resources, IT organizations have the flexibility to create new ways of using its technical support
Technical support
Technical support or tech support refers to a range of services by which enterprises provide assistance to users of technology products such as mobile phones, televisions, computers, software products or other electronic or mechanical goods...
knowledge-base. This technology usually requires a software implementation and support contract.
Application/ Techniques
Organizations can gain considerable infrastructure and cost savings by deploying virtualization technologies in hardwareHardware
Hardware is a general term for equipment such as keys, locks, hinges, latches, handles, wire, chains, plumbing supplies, tools, utensils, cutlery and machine parts. Household hardware is typically sold in hardware stores....
environments, such as data centers. However, the concept of virtualization can also be applied to the way people work. When applied to the help desk
Help desk
A help desk is an information and assistance resource that troubleshoots problems with computers or similar products. Corporations often provide help desk support to their customers via a toll-free number, website and e-mail. There are also in-house help desks geared toward providing the same kind...
, this translates into the same number of technicians being able to handle more support incidents. As tech support problems are typically handled by the call center, contact center
Contact centre (business)
A contact centre is a facility used by companies to manage all client contact through a variety of mediums such as telephone, fax, letter, e-mail and increasingly, online live chat....
, or a help desk, either by telephone
Telephone
The telephone , colloquially referred to as a phone, is a telecommunications device that transmits and receives sounds, usually the human voice. Telephones are a point-to-point communication system whose most basic function is to allow two people separated by large distances to talk to each other...
or remote desktop software
Remote desktop software
In computing, the term remote desktop refers to a software or an OS feature allowing applications, either command line programs or graphical applications, to be run remotely on a server, while being displayed locally. Remote desktop applications have varying features...
, it’s important that technicians be able to work independently (or virtually) to quickly troubleshoot computer issues. The following points provide a quick overview of the benefits to an organization virtualizing its help desk:
1. Increased productivity: Companies can increase the number of support calls handled per day and cut the costs of lengthy service calls. Also, companies can eliminate the time and travel expense of technicians going on-site to resolve customer tech problems, improving IT resource
Resource
A resource is a source or supply from which benefit is produced, typically of limited availability.Resource may also refer to:* Resource , substances or objects required by a biological organism for normal maintenance, growth, and reproduction...
management.
2. Efficient routing
Routing
Routing is the process of selecting paths in a network along which to send network traffic. Routing is performed for many kinds of networks, including the telephone network , electronic data networks , and transportation networks...
: As technology becomes more complex, a virtualized help desk provides the infrastructure to better manage decentralized IT operations and assign expert technicians across the queue to handle a particular tech support issue. This helps streamline the overall customer service
Customer service
Customer service is the provision of service to customers before, during and after a purchase.According to Turban et al. , “Customer service is a series of activities designed to enhance the level of customer satisfaction – that is, the feeling that a product or service has met the customer...
process, while minimizing the time a support caller spends navigating through an automated phone tree.
3. Improved control: Putting a help desk rep in the driver seat to troubleshoot computer issues not only enhances the customer experience
Customer experience
Customer experience is the sum of all experiences a customer has with a supplier of goods or services, over the duration of their relationship with that supplier. From awareness, discovery, attraction, interaction, purchase, use, cultivation and advocacy...
by lessening frustration, but also reduces the stress and aggravation IT staff often face when walking non-tech savvy users through a tech support session. Ensuring that your help desk staff is happy when dealing with customers significantly helps your company build and maintain strong customer relations, not to mention reducing IT staff turnover rates.
The virtual help desk resides between the systems management
Systems management
Systems management refers to enterprise-wide administration of distributed systems including computer systems. Systems management is strongly influenced by network management initiatives in telecommunications....
and service desk platforms to work with the systems that track when trouble tickets open and close, to provide an account of what happens during the support process. This level of granular support activity (e.g. the what, how, when, why and even whose mouse click is used) also helps organizations better manage its IT resources and optimize the help desk. Using a centralized, virtual help desk solution to capture important support details (e.g. record remote sessions, note where calls were transferred or how the issues were resolved) enables IT organizations to build an effective knowledge base
Knowledge base
A knowledge base is a special kind of database for knowledge management. A Knowledge Base provides a means for information to be collected, organised, shared, searched and utilised.-Types:...
. This increased level of understanding can be used in root cause analysis
Root cause analysis
Root cause analysis is a class of problem solving methods aimed at identifying the root causes of problems or events.Root Cause Analysis is any structured approach to identifying the factors that resulted in the nature, the magnitude, the location, and the timing of the harmful outcomes of one...
to minimize recurring help desk issues and begin to address the tech support issues that result desktop incident resolution gap.
Example
Within the current workplace environment, technology is rapidly making geography irrelevant. Even small companies are doing business in countries around the globe. People are now working remotely. The growing number of remote workers and telecommuters have put increased pressure on IT networks, forcing administrators to spend an increasing amount of time trying to fix users’ problems instead of their regular IT work.This is also true for software vendors who must be able to troubleshoot and assist any customers who have purchased their product. Unlike a corporate help desk, the options for computing devices and Internet connections are endless and remain virtually unknown to the support representative until they get contacted for service.
All of this increased demand requires IT support organizations to be more agile in diagnosing and resolving desktop issues, which correlates with how the overall service support processes are run. Organizations that are integrating virtual help desk technology to optimize the overall IT support process are gaining significant benefits.
The SSPA (Service & Support Professionals Association) conducts ongoing research to provide help desk organizations with the information to reach their support and service objectives. John Ragsdale, SSPA VP of Research, reports on key benchmark information from the SSPA Benchmark Database, as well as other member and industry surveys to point out trends and best practices in support technology.
History
Several things are driving the development of the virtualized help desk. According to IDC, key market factors include the proliferation of remote workers in the enterprise, the expansion of the small and medium-sized business (SMB) and small office/home office (SOHO) market and its increasing dependence on IT, and the need for a cost-effective way to support the consumer market. As workforces become more dispersed – 83% of companies say they operate a virtual workplace, in which more than one-quarter of employees work away from their supervisors or workgroups – responding to IT issues can be complex and costly if travel is required.Today’s economic instability is also putting added pressure on companies to find gainful ways of optimizing current operations to ensure and build their business. In fact, recent Nemertes
Nemertes Research
Nemertes Research is a research-advisory firm that specializes in analyzing and quantifying the business value of emerging technologies headquartered in Mokena, Illinois...
research found that only 44% of companies are increasing their IT budgets in 2008; and only 28% plan to do so in 2009. This means that organizations across various industries will be looking for ways to optimize IT.
Persistent IT problems that prohibit a company’s productivity are another factor as money is lost from both sides of the balance sheet. This concern is amplified when talking about external support as the stakes are higher for companies to deliver swift, effective and reliable IT support to its customers.