Swabeng Thoughts at Work: The difference of a Service Desk and an Help Desk

I find this topic pretty interesting even for a fact that I'm not a Helpdesk nor a Service Desk for the time being (I'm a bum =P)

I never even imagine there was a difference of being an IT Helpdesk and an IT Service Desk until I read this lengthy article, I'll try to include some that had impact and I'm sure that some of the tech bloggers who work in the IT industry can relate to this.


A Help Desk focuses on end user needs.

A Help Desk provides incident management to ensure customer’s problems are resolved in a timely fashion. A best practices Help Desk utilizes software to track the incidents making sure that no trouble gets lost. It manages a database that keeps track of the IT assets enabling access on a real time basis to information about software and configuration of the IT system. The Help Desk has the ability to create monthly and annual reports on the number of troubles, the time to respond to the trouble, the time to fix the trouble which could all feed into a Service Level Agreement (SLA). Some of the specific tasks a Help Desk performs include:

• Computer or Software consultations
• Change and Configuration Management
• Problem escalation procedures
• Problem resolution
• Single point of contact (SPOC) for IT interruptions
• Service Level Agreements
• Tracking capabilities of all incoming problems

A Help Desk is tactically focused and is most concerned about end user functionality. One way of implementing a Help Desk is for the organization to meet minimum requirements to get an end user back in service once the incident is reported. However, a best practices Help Desk utilizes processes and software to minimize the service interruptions both proactively and reactively.


A Service Desk focuses on corporate strategy.

A Service Desk is a Single Point of Contact between users and IT Service Management. It manages information delivery by utilizing Information IT infrastructure Library (ITIL) v3 best practices to deliver these services both with software and defined processes. The Service Desk is the first contact in an organization for any and all IT questions. Best practices Service Desks are process focused and company strategy focused. The processes outlined in ITIL v3 are broken down into five ITIL Core Service Lifecycles.

• Service Strategy –Evaluate current services and ensure a plan is in place to, modify and implement new and existing services when required.
• Service Design – Evaluate and ensure a new service will meet current and future needs. Ensure a new service can be introduced into the live environment.
• Service Transition – Define a plan that ensures no service outages or gaps during a service transition, thus the effects of the transition on the corporation are minimal.
• Service Operation – Responsible for the ongoing monitoring of a service that is used to deliver services.
• Continual Service Improvement – Review and analyze opportunities to improve all IT process and functions.

Many companies have a Help Desk without a Service Desk.

There are some instances where a corporation does not require or is not ready for the processes and service offerings of a Service Desk. In that instance a Help Desk will meet the tactical needs of the corporation. The Help Desk will give users a place to contact when they are having specific IT issues. Thus, the amount of time an end user is out of service will be minimized by the Help Desk.

Very few companies have a Service Desk without a Help Desk.

The Service Desk is concerned with the overall IT process and the individual components that function and interact with each other on both a software and process level. One area that is a must in any IT service offering is the ability to manage specific end user problems and issues. Thus, a Service Desk either has to have Help Desk functionality embedded in their Service Desk infrastructure or has the ability to link into a Help Desk offering for the end user. The Service Desk is focused on corporate strategy and ensuring all the IT functions are currently working and will work in the future, they must also have the ability to ensure all end users up and functioning.


A Help Desk is technically focused

As described in one of the previous posts, the Help Desk fixes problems that are taking place at that instant. Any time one of your employees is experiencing problems utilizing your Information Technology (IT) infrastructure the Help Desk is contacted to fix the problem and get your employee(s) operational as quickly as possible. For this immediate response to end user IT needs, the Help Desk must have employees technically trained in the appropriate technologies. The ultimate goal of the Help Desk is to offer first contact resolution as often and as quickly as possible.

A Service Desk is customer and process focused

As described in a previous post, the Service Desk is offers a Single Point of Contact (SPOC) and is focused on managing processes. The Service Desk is outward focused on the customer and inward focused on the day to day processes of the business. The ultimate goal of the Service Desk is to reduce costs by having the appropriate personnel working on problems, by monitoring trends and by managing processes.


Actually, its the company that decides on whether to get the services of a Helpdesk or a Service Desk or probably both. 

If you want to read the full article, just go to this link. 

10 tenets that will help remote support techs succeed (and stay sane)

I got this from Tech Republic through my email (I'm a subscriber XD). As I was reading through its pages, most of them were right, but these are just tenets (meaning, an opinion, doctrine, or principle held true by a person or organization) from Jack Wallen.

You may read and try to ingest as much as you can as I am doing it to. I may add some of my insights here soon as the comments here are from Jack's
 

 

1: Patience will carry you

If you’ve done ANY remote support, you know that clients can really tax your patience. I have actually had clients take the mouse from me, while I am trying to solve their problem, so they could compose an email. 

Many clients will feel like their problem is the only one you have to solve today and will not allow you to work as expediently as you would normally work. Some clients will struggle with the proper language or terminology to successfully communicate to you the problem they are having. It is crucial that your patience be at a high when dealing with these types of clients. Not only will this help them, it will keep your blood pressure down.
 

2: Compassion will help you understand
I have had clients cry on the phone, thanks to the problem they are having. It does no good to leave compassion at the door when dealing with clients. You must remember that in some instances, their problems are keeping them from getting their work done or doing business. When this happens, stress can be high and clients can be a bit edgy. Put yourself in their shoes and see how you would deal with it. Try to be understanding so you clients feel you are on their side and will do everything you can to make their issue go away.
 

3: Flexibility will keep you from getting stumped
On a daily basis, I come across something that requires thinking beyond the norm. Sometimes methods that would normally work simply don’t. When this happens, I am thankful for having enough flexibility to avoid banging my head on my desk screaming, “This should work!” Instead, I look at the task from a different angle and attack it again. Usually this works.
 
4: Communication skills will allow you to work around frustration
Remote support is an incredibly frustrating job at times. This is especially true when you can’t actually log into the client’s machine remotely and do the job as if you were sitting at the machine. When this happens, you must be able to tell the end user what to do and how to do it. Without the ability to communicate this in a way the user can understand, your job becomes exponentially more difficult.

5: Saying “no” will keep you from being taken advantage of
Clients will take advantage of you. That is a given. They call to have you fix problem A and “while you’re at it,” they talk you into fixing problems B through Z. This is an unfortunate reality because, well, a gig is a gig right? Wrong. By not saying no, you are giving the client the power to ruin the rest of your day. And when you don’t say “no,” everything you do beyond the point of “yes” will be nothing but an exercise in frustration. Learn to say “no” — but make sure you say it politely and professionally.
 
6: Understand there are real jerks out there, but they need your help as well
That’s right. There are always clients you really don’t want to help, talk to, be around, or even know exist. In some circumstances, you will have no choice but to help them. I have one (or two) clients whose names make me cringe when I see them on my calendar. But I know I have to suck it up and move forward. Even the jerks need help. The key is to go into the task knowing full well they have the power to be a completely and utterly insufferable. When you approach the task that way, and they’re not, the surprise will be all the more rewarding.
 
7: Patting the end user on the back now and then will help establish good rapport
Every once in a while, it’s a good thing to let clients know they did the right thing. Even if this pat on the back seems inconsequential to you, it could be huge to the end user. Do not ever hesitate to give the end user a pat on the back for doing something right. And, on the flip side, do not ever scold a user for doing something wrong. Those clients are not puppies piddling on the floor.
 
8: Swallowing your ego will keep it from getting in the way
We all have egos. Some support specialists have egos much larger than others. That ego can be your worst enemy at times. An inflated ego can prevent you from hearing what the client is really trying to tell you or prevent you from being able to communicate with a client. In the end, that overly inflated ego will probably prevent you from getting the job done. It’s simple –check the ego at the door.
 
9: Reassuring end users that their problem can be fixed means more than you might think
One thing I always say to end users is that their problem can be fixed. That takes a huge load off their shoulders. Of course, the “fix” could always (in extreme cases) call for a reinstallation of their operating system. But one way or another, the problem will go away. If you tell your end users, “Oh this can’t be repaired,” you have just created a monster you probably don’t have the time or inclination to deal with. Throw the client a bone in this situation.
 
10: Professionalism and propriety will place you far ahead of equally skilled support specialists
At all times, the remote support specialist must be professional and speak with propriety — even when the client isn’t. This may seem unfair, but they are paying you (not the other way around) and that payment should include the respect that is expected of your position. Although it may feel good to call the end user a blathering, raving lunatic not worthy of your time and effort, it will only end in lost clients or worse, the loss of your job.
 
Survival skills
Those are the tenets of remote support I always stress to anyone considering getting into this business. What about you? Is there a mantra you use to survive those tough clients and situations? If so, share them with your fellow TechRepublic readers.

Damn!!!

Too bad I can't play Mafia Wars during office hours. Boo... XD