Running an Effective Help Desk

"If you aren't setting objectives, you aren't improving, changing, measuring yourself."

"The structure of the front line can make or break the Help Desk. It is the point of first contact with the customer, the first chance to help the customer."

"Turnover is traditionally high in a Help Desk environment. Planning for turnover means that you are less likely to be caught unprepared when someone does leave."

"Evaluating the activities of your Help Desk on an ongoing basis is necessary to ensure that your Help Desk is functioning effectively."

"The more integrated a system is, the less data you have to keep duplicate copies of or rekey, and the less chance there is of error."

"Network management systems monitor the performance of all the components, or specific components, of a network and can flag occurrences of problems, degradation, or unusual activity."

"Keep track of useful Help Desk sites for both you and your customers."

"Ultimately, the purpose of a Help Desk Web site is to eliminate calls. You want to give your customers as much information and help as you can via your Web site so they don't have to call you."

"Measuring the performance of your Help Desk thoroughly and regularly will give you more control over its success."

"You need to show customers and management what the Help Desk offers, what it can do for them, and what it can do for the business. You need to market."

"The way to evaluate the Help Desk function is to consider what it would cost the business to not have a Help Desk."

"By making your staff aware of the outsourcing process early on you will make them feel like a part of the process, and they will be much more likely to give the outsourcing their support."