FITS Getting Started module
Interactive Software based service desk solution with support tools for the technical and support staff
Overview
The goals for this step are as follows:
- Improve the Service Desk processes
- Make the most of the operators of the service desk
- Evaluate service desk software
- Evaluate tools to assist the management and resolution of calls
Service desk software
There are a number of providers of comprehensive software packages for managing your Service Desk. They provide a number of additional features, tools, and methods for managing aspects of your process. It is important that you review how you want to process work. Implementing a relatively cheap and quick package, in step 2, should have given you a better idea of what works well for your environment and what facilities you will be looking for in a full implementation.
Some of the additional features you may want to consider are:
- Customisable screens,
- support of user logging of faults,
- work queues,
- customisable work flows.
Tools
In addition to your Service Desk software, there are a number of tools that can assist the resolution of faults. The following are some of the tools available and there purposes.
- Knowledge bases. A searchable database of technical information.
- Remote access tools. Software allowing service desk staff to assume control remotely of a users' computer (with their permission).
- Monitoring tools. Tools for monitoring the state of the ICT environment.
- FAQs, cheat sheets, and scripts. While not so much tools more, self developed, documents and aids.
Implementation - What should I do?
The evaluation and implementation of a customisable service desk and its supporting tools will be a sizable undertaking. Details of how to prepare for and plan such an implementation are covered in detail in the Becta Framework for ICT Technical Support, Service Desk document.
The more sophisticated the software, the more facilities it may offer you, but the important factor at this stage is that call details are being kept.
Now that you have worked through these 'Getting Started' procedures for Service Desk, you may find it useful to review our detailed Service Desk process.
OK, that's hopefully given you a good idea about what's involved in implementing your Service Desk. Let's move on with our getting started theme by looking at Incident Management.
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