Help desk software: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 06:24, 24 June 2020

Latest revision as of 08:50, 18 August 2025

(36 intermediate revisions by 24 users not shown)

Line 1:

{{Short description|Software used by customer care operators}}

'''Help desk software''' refers tois a [[computer program]] that enables customer-care operators to keep track of user requests and deal with other customer-care-related issues. It is what makes customer-care service efficient and enterprising.<ref name="PC1">{{cite magazine|last=Oliver|first=Haslam|title=The Best Help Desk Software of 2015|magazine=Pcmag|date=4 September 2015|url=https://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2489457,00.asp|accessdate=11 January 2016}}</ref>

Generally, help desk software is part of an umbrella category called the service desk, which includes [[asset management]] and [[IT service management]]. Oftentimes, and the two terms are sometimes used interchangeably. Nevertheless, helpHelp desk software specifically refers to the system that addresses customer queries.

==History==

The history of help desk software dates back to the 20th century when businesses relied mostly on face-to-face interaction to resolve customer issues. Customers had to visit a company’s store or office with the product to get their problems solved.<ref name="CC">{{cite news|title=History of Help Desk Software: Evolution and Future Trends|publisher=Compare Camp|url=http://comparecamp.com/history-of-help-desk-software-evolution-and-future-trends/|accessdate=11 January 2016}}</ref>

With the invention of the [[telephone]] in 1876, and the telephone switchboard in the 1890s, the help desk assumed a better approach. Customers were able to reach their company and voice out their problem over the phone system.<ref name="CC"/> During the 20th-century era, companies used mainly equipment like dictation machines, typewriters, and dumb terminals with access to a [[mainframe computer]], to address customer issues. The earliest use of computers for customer service was done through the use of mainframe software. Customers would submit paper forms or communicate their issue by phone to customer service agents who would seek for avenues to handle the issues.<ref name="CC"/>

In the 1960s, companies began to set up call centers and also train staff to receive and handle customer inquiries in an organized and efficient manner. This was the era of [[Interactive voice response]] (IVR) which became a big boost to the telephone customer service system.<ref name="CC"/> Later on, Desktop PCs and email significantly improved help desk systems. Customers could communicate their problems by email, bypassing paper forms. Help desk agents could provide status updates and resolutions by email as well.<ref name="CC"/>

Meanwhile, the actual introduction of help desk systems began in 1980 when the internet was officially made available for public use. Many companies started outsourcing their [[customer service]] department. This led to the massive use of email and live chat systems in the 1990s. This new development enabled several [[United States|US]] companies to outsource their help desk to [[Low-cost country sourcing|low-cost countries]] like [[India]] and the [[Philippines]].<ref name="CC"/>

In any case, the real invention of help desk software came in the 2000s when, companies began to use diverse kinds of software packages to deal with customer-care issues. This led to the massive production of different kinds of help desk software programs across the internet and the world at large.<ref name="CC"/> In recent times, the internet and networked systems make help desk software more interactive and participatory for customers and the agents. Customer can now submit and track their issues more easily.<ref name="CC"/>

Customer service and help desk software systems have become increasingly popular in recent times. According to a recent report, there is a massive increase in sales of [[customer relationship management]] (CRM) software, which includes help desk software across the globe.<ref name="ITWC">{{cite news|url=http://www.itworldcanada.com/article/canada-lags-u-s-in-adopting-help-desk-software-as-email-spreadsheets-still-prevail/376078|title=Canada lags U.S. in adopting help desk software as email, spreadsheets still prevail|last=Gary|first=Hilson|date=23 July 2015|accessdate=11 January 2016|publisher=IT World Canada}}</ref>

==Basic characteristics==

Help desk software automates customer services in diverse ways. It typically consists of at least three parts. These include [[Issue tracking system|Ticket Management]], Automation Suite, and Reporting/Optimization.<ref name="KY">{{cite news|last=Jammi|first=Nandini|title=What Is a Helpdesk? What Isn’t a Helpdesk?|publisher=Kayako|date=27 January 2015|url=https://www.kayako.com/blog/what-is-a-helpdesk/|accessdate=16 May 2018}}</ref>

Help desk software has a point of contact for customers to send their queries and a ticketing system that tracks and organizes issues for faster resolution. It may also have a feature that aggregates and organizes queries and answers into a knowledge base, such as FAQs or guide articles. It may accommodate multiple points of contact; a working dashboard; and an analytics section. It may also have a feature that allows agents to escalate issues to a higher level.

More advanced help desk applications feature [[online chat]], insights and analytics, automated processes, multiple contact channels, reporting tools, collaboration tools, and a CRM feature.

Line 27 ⟶ 28:

* Any business that uses [[webmail]] for support tends to resolve customer support issues quicker and sees an increase in support productivity when they switch to help desk software.<ref>{{cite magazine|last =Suzanne|first=Kattau|title=5 Tips: Pick the Right Help Desk Software for Your Small or Midsize Business|magazine=Pcmag|date=4 September 2014|url=https://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2489868,00.asp|accessdate=11 January 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=How to Find the Right Helpdesk Software to Turbo-Charge Your Business|work=huffington Post|date=2 December 2015|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/andre-bourque/how-to-find-the-right-hel_b_6674220.html|accessdate=11 January 2016}}</ref>

* Help desk software automates tasks such as: ticket categorization and prioritization, ticket routing, alerts and notifications, ticket status management, and so on. With the right help desk solution, the workload is cut down as many tasks such as issue tracking, assigning, and ticket management can be automated.<ref name="CC"/>

* Some cloud-based help desk software has built-in security features, such as [[Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act|HIPAA]] compliance if for handling US health care information, or [[General Data Protection Regulation|GDPR]] compliance for accepting requests from persons located in the [[European Union]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Chloe|first=Green|title=How to choose the right help desk software: a step-by-step guide|publisher=Information-age|date=5 November 2015|url=http://www.information-age.com/industry/software/123460446/how-choose-right-help-desk-software-step-step-guide|accessdate=11 January 2016}}</ref>

==Disadvantages==

There are some disadvantages related to help desk software as well, mainly:

* Many help desk software platforms have expensive upfront costs as well as time-consuming implementation periods, which can significantly drain company resources. While most offer a trial option, effectively trialing software is difficult and time-consuming in a large organization. It's also difficult to evaluate the software with a full volume of tickets and staff in a short period of time.

* On-premises help desks can have costs associated with maintenance, upgrades, and scheduled downtime of servers, which are borne by the customer, not the help desk software provider.

* Cloud-based help desks can incur higher costs over longer periods of time.<ref name="CC"/> Cloud-based help desk software can become partially or entirely unavailable to users without an Internet connection. Consequently, unexpected disruptions in Internet connection may make such services temporarily unavailable.<ref name="CC"/>

==See also==

Line 42 ⟶ 43:

* [[Issue tracking system]]

* [[Technical support]]

* [[Comparison of help desk issue tracking software]]

==References==