Effective Support for Information Users, Essay Example

Information Technologies: Effective support for information users

The information technology department in any organization has the mandate of ensuring that every employee is comfortable when using computer resource. The technological changes being experienced in many business organizations require employees to demonstrate the ability of operating, troubleshooting and managing various technological resources. It is not surprising that almost all organizations have a help desk point, where every question, every aggravation and every mistakes faced by employees are addressed (Bayan, 2003). Experts have been of the opinion that many help desks are ill equipped in terms of skilled staff and resources. This has calumniated to limited help and service delivery. It does not have to be this way anymore because there is a lot of information out there regarding effective and efficient ways of providing help services.

IT experts argue that many organizations fail to see the availability of help service information just like other information technology aspects. This article is going to highlight the strategic things any organization can do to ensure that their IT users access tangible and adequate technical support. First off, any company that wants to set up a successful help desk must put much emphasis in the physical aspect. Reviewing the different kinds of services an organization is going to give is the first step toward developing an ideal help desk center. Ruby Bayan argues that a call tracking software like HEAT service and support would be an ideal package to implement. This application would allow the organization to expand the help desk center if needed. Note that this expansion would be achieved at extraordinarily minimal cost since call center applications are toiler-made just for that function. When taking the consideration of the users into account, custom applications and packaged technologies should be the preferences. Sarsi Pablo’s advice to organizations is “implement applications that will complement, and not complicate the daily operations of the company” (Bayan, 2003).

Another important aspect an organization needs to put into consideration when developing a help desk center is ensuring that a serene working environment is available. Help desk experts call this ergonomics, note that job expertise is highly determined by the workplace. When help desk facilities sought by your clients is troubleshooting, then embracing ergonomics would be the ultimate solution. The sitting arrangement in the help desk center would determine its success or failure. Ruby Bayan (2003) asserts that help desk reps should be lined up in a neat row of cubicles. This will provide the help desk reps the needed space in carrying out their duties. Note that a creative floor plan would constitute the helpfulness or helplessness of a contact center. IT users are characterized with having many nagging and mind blowing inquiries, when setting up a help desk center for such people, ensure that the distance between the reps and the client is acceptable. Ruby Bayan has used the word proximity to delve into this issue. An overcrowded help desk center would not be ideal for IT users. Ensure that one help desk reps can communicate efficiently with a client without disturbing the next rep. Organizations are advised not to let this tragedy befall their help desk facilities. Every employee’s and client’s ambition is to work and be served in a harmonious environment. A help desk center can achieve this by using muted, blended and non-primary colors in the surrounding.

Hoffman (1996) claims that IT users are open minded people who want to learn new stuff as they happen. Organizations should construct open floors with that can be moved and rearranged quickly; this will go along a way in counteracting the enormous work flow characterized with IT users. It should be understood that a gloomy help desk center would affect the disposition of the reps, this will lead to grouchy performance by the reps who end up looking for jobs in other organizations. Running a successive help desk is a common problem in many organizations; there is little these organizations can do when a client leaves your help desk dissatisfied. However, equipping your help desk with qualified reps would reduce the number of complaints significantly. Hofmann (1996) asserts that clients know more about the services they might need from a help desk; however, they do not have the necessary tools to perform the required tasks.

This leads us to the next strategic exploit an organization can do to create an ideal help desk center, with the goal of helping the IT users, and other clients who might be in need of help desk services. Having the necessary spare parts at hand is particularly critical. Set your help desk center in a manner that will allow the reps work at ease. A help center that serves IT users should have a work desk at the front and a workbench at the rear, each serving a different purpose. Hoffman claims that this will assist the reps to repair and troubleshoot faulty computers easily. By having a KVM and an Ethernet switch on the workbench, and malfunctioning computers on the work desks, a rep can service multiple computers at once. Constructing a help desk facility that would allow a rep to multitask is extremely beneficial. Considering that an IT user or a client for that case sought help desk from a phone company, the help desk rep should be able to use both hands. One hand might be used to write down the inquiries of the client, while the other hand would be used to crank up the volume of quiet talking client. Finally, a complete help desk center should have all the necessary tools and equipments needed for fast delivery of support services. An IT user’s help desk should be equipped all kinds of authentic software and hardware that might help whenever a client comes with a problem (Hoffman, 1996).

In conclusion, constructing a suitable help desk comes with many challenges. Any company that wants to have a complete help desk center should have enough resources. E.g. funds and qualified personnel to operate it. Organizations should recognize that having a good help desk that would meet the needs of the clients does not come in a silver platter.

References

Bayan, Ruby. (2003). Setting Up a Successful Help Desk: Physical Considerations. Retrieved March 29, 2010, from http://articles.techrepublic.com.com/5100-10878_11-5112459.html

Hoffman, Russell. (1996). How to Get Good service. Retrieved March 29, 2010, from http://www.animatedsoftware.com/misc/stories/jobs/dbmscntr.htm