Help Desk Services

Any production, supplying, banker, manufacturer, sales company or any customer oriented organization takes care of customers. The business concerns are competing with their competitors. They are competing with product, quality as well as service providing. When customers are paying for, they also want all in one stuff i.e. quality, support, delivery and service. So who is there to serve customers? They are help desk executives. The help desk provides technical as well as non technical helps to the customers. In broad sense help executives are two types, general and specific. General support services are provided for customer satisfaction, relationship building, retaining customer for future deals etc. Where as the specific supports are installing product or device, technical aspect, trouble shootings, warranty coverage, regular servicing etc. The help services are provided either by the direct company or outsourced to the third party company. Whoever is the help service provider, it has to appoint a number of help desk executives for different customers. Help desk service executives are trained by the first companies. They update the knowledge, technology to the support executives, so that they can aware and guide to the customer.

The process of help desk service starts from the training, knowledge sharing among the support service members. They know the database of customers, product, and service methods. They have adequate infrastructure for communication, sitting arrangement, computers, internet, tools etc. for customer service. A team has to work under a supervisor and they provide each service under a quality check. They maintain record of services, client feedback, issues etc. This record helps them as different case studies for future support.

Help desk support center has a Knowledge Base that is a searchable library of useful information, records of resolved case, frequently asked questions (FAQs) and other support information. They use this knowledge for new customers studying the old cases from the record. The service proving practice makes an executive expert in a particular domain.

The media like internet, telephone, online desk charting help a lot to the support providers and customer. A simple email from help desk can solve a problem of customers any of the world. KoreOne has been providing the help desk concept, jobs, resources, about customer service companies, who hire help desk executives.

Shakir A, independent writer for IT Recruiting and Staffing Services / IT Technical Professional Staffing Services, Jobs,Business,Consultancy, Recruiting and latest trends in hiring industry at San Jose, California and near by city/ states.Visit http://www.koreone.com

Help Desk Technician

Technical help desk support services is confined to the technical related support for software, IT, telecommunication, logistic, medical, electronics, electrical, home appliances and many more consumable products. Once the customer purchased the product from the dealers, they have to provide the help desk services for the sold product till the condition satisfied. Technical services are provided for genuine customer under certain terms and conditions. The help providers are basically technically qualified and deputed for customer orientation. Behalf of the direct company or service Provider Company the technicians have to work for customers.

Career in this profession is bright for talented people. There are plenty of opportunities come from different companies everyday. IT and software companies have major quantity of opportunities come up because of computerized modern society. The software and IT applications have been dominated each every sector. The technician has to support for computer operation, software troubleshooting, installation, network problems, and internet connectivity and so on. Many qualified people realizing the necessity of a technician in the technical environments. They want to convert themselves to technicians. Nowadays technicians are providing support online, telecommuting or help forum to the problem being described. They diagnose the trouble listening on telephone and solve the problem instantly. The call center organizations are doing the similar job in broad view being a third party service provider for a manufacturer. The Help Desk technician help customer from the front lines, middle layer of back office. They answer by tele-calling, email or chatting and obviously on the spot services if required.

Technicians must have good communication as well as technical domain expertise; because they supposed to give support any level of help to the customers. They should be well versed with the documentation, making help instructions, conveying style and process. They have ability to update every time with the technical knowledge. They should love information gathering and sharing of knowledge.

If Help Desk technician is experienced, there are lots of job openings are required. They have an ability to troubleshoot and resolve related problems, to work both independently and in a team. They should have strong written & communication skills, be available to work off days, be willing to travel customer sites. They should have a minimum exposure to coordinating or implementing of new technology and convergence.

The Help Desk Technician's must understand the end users interface with the product and common issues occurrences in the product. Problem resolution involves diagnosis, and help request tracking tools, as well as require that the individual give in-person, hands-on help at the desktop level.

Responsibilities: Helpdesk technician are responsible for answering incoming support calls, emails, online chatting. They have to provide efficient, strong customer support behalf of the company.

For more articles please visit : www.koreone.com

Help Desk Training

Training, Qualifications, and Advancement in Help Desk support services are as important as other job sectors. Because of wide range of skills required, the education in this service is mandatory for an entry to this job. For an example, the candidate has to work as computer support specialist or systems administrator whatever may be, the genuine education and expertise is must for an efficient support. There is no universally accepted way to prepare for a job as a computer support specialist, but most of the employers prefer to hire persons with some formal college education. A bachelor's degree in computer science or information systems is a prerequisite for some jobs; however, other jobs may require only a computer-related associate's degree. For systems administrators, many employers seek applicants with bachelor's degrees, although not necessarily in a computer-related field.

Before going to make career in a specific field like Help Desk support executive, technical expert, instructor, teacher, trainer education on the particular domain is must. Some essential skills are highly required for effective support or management. There are various tools and methods for help desk professionals. Hence, an extensive training is required for the customer service providing process. Training on work process, technology, communication, relation building and sustain. These are various genuine training organizations and mentoring teams provide training on the help desk profession.

Technical training: Training on Telecom services, voice & data networking technology concepts, call center service, call center math: the top ten calculations to know (online web seminar), call center technology, beginner's guide and online web help, building and improving and performance contact center.

Besides technical session there are general session on how to optimize help desk center, implementing six sigma in the help desk services, strategic planning for executives and technicians, management tactics, help desk center manager certification, managing a help desk improvement project, tools and methods for help desk managers, management skills for new employees in Help desk service are included in training sessions.

For business point of view the training includes topics like business skills for technical professionals, project management, help desk center leadership & business, supervision, coaching, and team leadership, help desk supervisor methods, metrics, and coaching techniques, monitoring & coaching for improved call center performance and motivating center employees.

For certification program, the customer support executives can go through leadership training & certification. Certification programs are based on foundation, service management, and practitioner certification on release and control management, support and restore availability management, capacity management, financial management, security management, service level management etc.

There are different institutions; they cover very worthy topics such as workforce management, managing human resources: tips and techniques to keep Help desk center agents available, workforce recruiting, screening, and hiring. Level of certification training programs are 1. Executive level, 2. Center Managerial level, 3. Help desk professional certification, 4. Customer support team leader training, 5. Quality assurance certification, 6. Domain or expert level certification.

For more articles please visit : www.koreone.com

Reduce helpdesk costs by 20%, is your network VoIP ready ? Eurotek newsletter

Reduce Helpdesk calls by 20% and Improve remote worker support.

The helpdesk engineer's problem...

" These guys working at home are driving me crazy! They call me whenever anything is going slow - or they think is going slow - so I have to gather all their details and run through all the usual diagnostics I often find it's either a blip and no real problem, or that they've installed software that isn't even supposed to be on the PC. I understand they do need help, but I can't be with them all day... "

The home / remote worker's problem...

" I think my PC is running slow, or is it the Internet? I can call Helpdesk and get them to check it out, but it will take at least 20 minutes to do so. Last time they checked it out and said there was nothing wrong, I wish I had some help at hand just when I need it....." and here's the solution... Remote Angel? from NNT Remote Angel? is a unique solution designed to improve remote user experience and in doing so, reduce Helpdesk calls and support costs. Having Remote Angel? on board the remote PC gives the user added comfort when working remotely, enhancing productivity and reducing panic when things don't go to plan

Through the constant monitoring of PC and internet performance by Remote Angel?, a remote worker can immediately get a straight answer to their question - 'Is there a problem?" When a Helpdesk call does need to be logged, Remote Angel? will do this instantly. It will have already done all the time-consuming information-gathering and initial diagnostic checks a Helpdesk engineer will need, saving both the user, and engineer, time, and the company money

Is your network VoIP ready ?

Your network was not originally designed to carry high-quality voice transmissions. To deploy VoIP successfully you need to conduct a VoIP network readiness assessment first.

If you skip this important step your probability of difficult network challenges is greater than fifty percent. Eliminate deployment risk, cost overruns for upgrading networks and dissatisfied users by conducting a VoIP Network Readiness Assessment. Your business will thank you for it.

Continued on page 2.

Is your network VoIP ready ? Continued from page 1.

Your data network was originally designed to support e-mails, file transfers and deliver Web pages, not carry high-quality voice transmissions.

Voice traffic is very time-sensitive and can't be queued like e-mail or Web traffic. Delays up to a half hour for an e-mail or file transfer are generally not a problem, but delays of only a few hundred milliseconds can ruin a VoIP call, producing "choppy" conversations or dropped calls.

Before you know how much a VoIP deployment will cost and how successful it will be, you need to understand if your data network can carry high-quality voice transmissions. The odds are that a network upgrade will be needed to successfully deploy VoIP.

To ensure your VoIP deployment is successful and on budget, you need to find answers to these important questions before deploying VoIP:

* What type of VoIP MOS (Mean Opinion Score) call quality can I expect from my current data network for each business site? * Is network delay, loss or jitter the main problem impacting VoIP call quality, and how do I fix it? * How many concurrent VoIP calls can my network carry without impacting existing data services?

Knowing this information before deploying VoIP will ensure your success, but what is the most accurate and cost-effective method to obtain it?

To ensure your VoIP deployment is successful and on budget, you need to find answers to these important questions before deploying VoIP:

* What type of VoIP MOS (Mean Opinion Score) call quality can I expect from my current data network for each business site? * Is network delay, loss or jitter the main problem impacting VoIP call quality, and how do I fix it? * How many concurrent VoIP calls can my network carry without impacting existing data services?

Knowing this information before deploying VoIP will ensure your success, but what is the most accurate and cost-effective method to obtain it?

The fastest and most cost-effective way to determine your network's VoIP readiness is to conduct a Remote Network Assessment

The assessment quickly diagnoses all your network issues so that by the time you begin your VoIP deployment, you have a converged network that will carry high-quality voice transmissions.

The metrics and findings are used to create a detailed report summarizing the results of the VoIP assessment.

Organisations that skip this important deployment step experience poor call quality, dissatisfied users, cost overruns for upgrades and delayed deployments.

Shouldn't you be taking a serious long term view of your I.T. Security?

According to CERT just under 6000 security vulnerabilities were reported in 2005, the largest ever recorded annual jump. That's 500 new vulnerabilities every month, 115 per week, or 16 each day.

The majority of these vulnerabilities are targeting your business critical applications.

Firewalls can do very little to protect against application layer vulnerabilities.

The Solution: Our Managed Vulnerability Assessment Services.

To stay on top of these vulnerabilities and ensure they're not exploited take our annual managed vulnerability assessment service. Each month, or more frequently, we will run a comprehensive up-to-date set of non-destructive security tests to determine how vulnerable your key Internet facing business assets are.

Our monthly findings are presented in an easy to view HTML report that contains corrective actions, management overviews and executive trends.

Steve has over 20 years experience in I.T. and is currently Managing Director of Eurotek Networking Solutions Ltd.

www.euroteknetworking.com

Benefits of Help Desk Software

Help desk software should be used in any organization whether it's a large corporation or a small startup company. Why should my company implement a helpdesk software solution? Some of the benefits of helpdesk software are improved customer service, faster response times and lower information technology costs. Lets outline these three areas in greater detail.

When a user contacts the computer support professional in your organization, what steps are taken? Does it depend on who answered the phone? Do the immediately drop any task and visit your desk? Do they jot your information down on a note pad? Do they attempt to resolve the issue on the phone at great length? What criteria merits the call be moved to another member of the IT staff, or merits a call the software vendor? All these questions can be answered in some way within the use of help desk software. Helpdesk software forces your IT staff to handle help desk calls in a structured manner that can be counted on each time. When a helpdesk call is received, it should be immediately be entered into the help desk software database, even if it is easily answered. At this point there is now a record of the call, and this allows other IT staff to view the contents of the problem and makes it a simple task for other IT staff members to offer solutions. This also prevents the call from being lost in the shuffle if staff is busy when the call is received. Your general staff will have much more confidence that when they place that call to your help desk staff, their call will be handled in a structured method to ensure their satisfaction. If they can continue to work, they will not feel the need to keep calling or checking with IT staff on the progress, or worry that their call will not be answered in a reasonable amount of time. This allows them to focus on their tasks, and not be concerned with the status of their call.

Many help desk software solutions offer a self-help method, allowing the staff members in your company to submit a helpdesk request directly into the help desk system. (granted their computer is functioning enough for this) This feature greatly streamlines the process, and can increase response time for all users. Help desk support staff will not be interrupted by the phone call and have to stop working on another issue to record the call information. In fact, it should be encouraged by the IT staff to submit all request possible with this method. When a request is entered into the system, it allows any available support personnel to respond to the request. It also allows support personnel to diversify calls, so if a calls is shown to be about a particular problem that a staff member has greater expertise with, that staff member will likely be able to solve the problem much quicker. Once each calls is resolved, the solution will then become available for future reference. This is one of the greatest benefits an organization will receive from using a help desk system. This allows newer support staff to be able to answer many questions by simply searching the database for other calls. Also prevent 2 support staff from having to research for the same solution, this benefits in much faster response time for the end user.

Everything mentioned above will contribute to the overall quality of service in your organization, happier staff and faster response time will mean lower costs and higher productivity for your organization.

Free Help Desk Software

The ABC's of Online Customer Support

Want to provide great online customer support? Want to provide the kind of customer support that will grow your business, by building customer loyalty and satisfaction? It’s not as hard as it sounds! Just remember your ABC’s.

A-Add value

Don’t just do the bare minimum when it comes to providing customer support on your website. Go above and beyond to provide the customer with an exceptional experience. Remember, there are probably several sites out there right now trying to sell the same products or services that you are. Differentiate yourself by the high level of customer service you provide. Don’t simply answer questions. Provide solutions. Don’t just give a suggestion. Be an expert! If your customers or potential customers come to your site with a question or problem, help them as if you’re the foremost expert in your field. For example, let’s assume you run a website that sells bird houses. A potential customer visits your site and has a question about a specific model. How do you help them? First and foremost, I hope that you answer their question. But you have a great opportunity to go above and beyond. Ask the potential customer what types of birds she’s hoping to attract, where she is going to be putting the bird house, and where she’s located. With this information, as the world’s foremost expert in bird houses, you can recommend the right model in size, style, and material for her desired result. Now, you’re more than just a bird house salesman to this customer, you’re a bird house expert! You’ve added value through your online customer support.

B-Be There

A customer is on your site looking at your information and they have a big question. Where are you? The idea of ‘being there’ is twofold. First, it means making customer support channels easily accessible via your website. Regardless of what channels you use, you want them to be easily accessible from any page on your site. Either put your customer support channels on each page, or provide a clear and easy-to-find link to your support page from every page. As soon as your customer has a question, you don’t want them to have to look far to find a way to get in touch with you. Second, ‘being there’ means being available when your customers contact you. Be ready to answer the phone when they call, respond to all emails within a couple hours, or be prepared to handle incoming chats or support tickets. What good is customer support when a customer finds no one on the other end to assist them immediately? ‘Be there’ for your customers and you will be rewarded with better relationships and stronger loyalty.

C-Count the Cost

Let’s face it, your time and money are valuable. So, how do you provide great customer support on a budget? Come up with a plan. Determine what options are available to you, weigh the advantages vs. the costs, and implement your decisions. Here are some considerations regarding different online customer support options:

Phone support: Convenient for your customers, but potentially costly and time consuming for you. If you have an 800#, that is a large expense, and you can only talk to one person at a time.

Email support: Less effective for the customer than phone support. It is quick and easy to send their questions to you, but uncertainty over the length of time for responses is a concern. For you, email is one of the cheapest and easiest forms of support. You probably already have email, and you can respond to inquiries on your time.

Live chat software: Most effective channel of online customer support for the customer. Their questions can be answered immediately on the website by a real person. For you, the key is finding quality and affordable live chat software, and it is available. Also, live chat requires that you, or an employee, are available to handle incoming chat requests as much as possible.

Knowledge Database/FAQ/Self-Help: This can be a quick and easy way to get answers for your more savvy customers. However, it can also be burdensome for customers if they aren’t quickly and easily able to find answers to their questions. This is probably the easiest channel of customer support for you. After the initial time investment required to dump all of your information to the site, it is there and available for customers from then on.

These are just 4 of the channels for online customer support. You may also consider support tickets, forums, and others. As you can see, each channel has its advantages and disadvantages, both for you as the business owner, and for your customers. The best websites for online customer support usually offer a blend of several of these channels.

Providing great customer support on your website is not difficult, and it will have tremendous advantages for you. To provide excellent support for both you and your customers, simply remember the ABC’s of online customer support: Add value, Be there, and Count the cost.

Dan Cavanaugh is an online customer support expert with the Customer Support Network, an organization committed to the improvement of online customer service. To learn more about online customer support and the role it plays in e-commerce, click here: http://www.customersupportnetwork.com