This chapter is a macro view of helpdesks: what they are, how to organize them, how to manage them, and so on. Handling a call to the helpdesk is covered in the next chapter.
A helpdesk is a place, real or virtual, where people can get answers to their computing questions, report problems, and request new services. It may be a physical desk that people walk to, or it may be a virtual helpdesk that people access electronically.
Nothing is more important than your helpdesk; it is the face of your organization. The helpdesk staff make the first impression on your customers and maintain your relationship, good or bad, with them. The helpdesk staff fix the daily problems that are part of living with modern computers and are the heroes who are called when customers have an emergency. A good
helpdesk reflects well on your organization. The typical customer sees only the helpdesk portion of your organization and often assumes that this is your entire organization. Customers have no idea what back-office operations and infrastructure are also performed. In short, a helpdesk is for helping the customers. Don’t forget the help in helpdesk.