Help Desk Best Practices-What Features You Should Look for in Help Desk Software

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This White Paper is a summary of Help Desk Best Practices from the following three authority sources: the Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL), the Required Practices for Organizations (BS15000) and the Help Desk Institute (HDI) Best Practices Standards for Certification.

"BS15000 provides a baseline against which the internal IS organization can demonstrate to the business that its service delivery processes represent "Best Practice" and are performing well". Gartner Group

To improve, an organization must assess its current practices against those used in other organizations, or "best practices." Simply put, a best practice is the most effective way to get something done. These practices, processes, and procedures have emerged as proven models for the majority of organizations. However, best practices are dynamic, evolving over time to adapt to changing needs. Periodically, new methods, models, and technologies arise, augmenting or replacing the existing best practice with a new one.

Help desk organizations must assess their competencies, find areas for potential improvement, and grow. A list of best practices that can be implemented and used in help desk software serves as the starting point for such an evaluation and improvement process. Use this list to reconsider what you are doing and why, and what you should be doing and when. Balance each potential change in a practice, procedure, or technology with a cost/benefit analysis.

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Help Desk Best Practices:

1. Perform Customer Satisfaction Surveys on a Regular Basis

2. Implement a Web-Based Knowledge Base Tool

3. Implement Service Request Automation Processes in your Help Desk Software

4. Use the Help Desk Software System to Increase Communications With Agents and Customers

5. Implement a Customer Self-Help Portal Accessible 24 hours/day

6. Use Real-Time Help Desk Reports, Dashboards, Metrics and Analytics

7. Use Real-time Reporting Features that Decrease Time Required to Prepare Reports

8. Implement an Asset Management System that is integrated with the Help Desk Software system

9. Implement an ITIL Change Management Software System and ITIL processes. Integrate the Change Management System with the Help Desk Software System.