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Information and Communications Technology Qualifications | Back to list of Prescriptions Prescription: HD600 (HD200)Help Desk Aim of Module To provide students with the knowledge and skills necessary to support users in an ICT environment. Credits 7 Student Learning hours 70 Prescription Expiry Date Nov 2005 Level and Assessment Schedule Topics Highest Skill Level Suggested Assessment Percentage 1 Processes and Procedures C 10 2 Customer Service Skills A 20 3 Tools & Technologies A 15 4 Roles & Responsibilities A 15 5 Implementing a Help Desk P 40 100 LEARNING OUTCOMES The Student Will C 1 Describe help desk processes and procedures A 2 Practice customer service skills A 3 Demonstrate the application of help desk tools and technologies A 4 Assume the roles and responsibilities associated with staffing a help desk P 5 Implement and manage a range of help desk activities CONTENT 1 Processes and Procedures > Help desk processes and procedures may be described using the following terms: >“World Class” help desk >Customer support >Customer service >Technical support >Call tracking systems >Single point of contact >Service Level Agreements (SLAs) >Outsourcing >Skills Based Routing (SBR) >Tools & technologies >Key skills required >Roles and responsibilities – customer and management >Any other terms relevant to current practice top 2 Customer Service Skills > Soft skills > Perceptions of service > Monitoring customer satisfaction > Internal and external customers > Dealing with customers in terms of: -Complaints -Expectations -Giving feedback and Information -Options > Self-management skills > Service contracts > Policies and procedures top 3 Tools & Technologies > Staff a help desk (where manageable) > The way in which technology can be applied to benefit the help desk will be explained > Primary help desk technologies will be described in terms of: >Telephone technologies, which may include: -Voice mail -Fax -Fax-on-demand -Announcement systems -Automatic call distributor -Voice response unit -Computer telephony integration -Recording systems > E-mail > The Internet and the World Wide Web > Call Tracking systems > Search retrieval techniques and storage methods top 4 Roles & Responsibilities > The use of techniques for identifying, proposing and implementing solutions for problems may include: > Questioning > Active listening and echoing back > Providing assistance in the form of -A quick reference guide -A training manual -Specific training -Any combination thereof > Establishing priorities > -Staffing a help desk > -Providing first level maintenance > -Identifying and allocating resources > Managing stress in a help desk environment > Record keeping > Performance measurement top 5 Implementing a Help Desk > Scheduling (maintenance routines) using appropriate electronic media > Keep records (in the form of logs, diaries, and reports) using electronic office tools > Process fault reports, prioritise, identify possible solutions and resolve or delegate > Other optional activities as noted below top Note NOTES TO TUTORS > The type and level of the problem envisaged is in the order of: -Hardware "The printer won't work" "The computer won't start" -Software "I can't get my spreadsheet to sort properly" -Simple Problem Solving "I've got student information duplicated three times over" "How do I organise the hard disk which is arriving tomorrow?" > This is the opportunity to practice the skills, and utilise the knowledge, taught elsewhere. > In recognition of the fact that it may not be possible to have students staff a help desk the following range of optional activities may be employed: -Visiting an industry site help desk where students are required to interview help desk personnel and to record their observations -Visiting schools; e.g. a primary school (by prior arrangement) to provide one-on-one help with timetabled ICT activities -Assisting with the “National Netday Project” -Providing training to other students, either one-on-one or small groups -Providing first level maintenance of institute/IT department computer labs (with the agreement and co-operation of Information Technology Services (ITS) -Any other associated help desk activities deemed suitable LEARNING RESOURCES Suggested textbooks: > Knapp, D. (1999) A Guide to Help Desk Concepts, Course Technology: International Thomson Publishing > Bruton, N. (1997) How to Manage the IT Helpdesk, ComputerWeekly Professional Series: Butterworth-Heinemann. > Czegel, B. (1998) Running an Effective Help Desk: Wiley Computer Publishing. > Czegel, B. (1999) Help Desk Practitioner’s Handbook: Wiley Computer Publishing. | Home | Newsletters | Conference | Qualifications | Forum | Job Vacancies |