2nd Edition

How to Manage the IT Help Desk

By Noel Bruton Copyright 2002
    372 Pages
    by Routledge

    372 Pages
    by Routledge

    Are you overworked, unappreciated and under-resourced? This book understands you, and provides years and years of User Support experience packed into one volume. The 'How To' book that every IT department needs, it will help turn your helpdesk into a company asset. How to be successful at probably the most stressful job in IT

    This book offers tools for measuring productivity and features ten key steps for successful support, while User Support successes and failures are revealed in true life case studies.

    This book gives you techniques for:
    *Justifying staff and other expenditure
    * Gaining senior management support
    * Getting the users on your side
    * Running a motivated and productive team
    * Designing and managing services and service levels

    The second edition of this popular book brings updates to several of the author's ideas, strategies and techniques with new material on:

    * Customer Relationship Management - definition and the role of the helpdesk
    * E-Support and the Internet
    * Contrasting the Call Center and the Helpdesk
    * first, second and third line support
    * Operational Level Agreements
    * Strategies for backlog management
    * Telephone technologies in user support

    In addition there is:
    * A new Template for a Service Level Agreement
    * An Improved cost justification model for the Internal Helpdesk
    * A New cost justification model for the External Helpdesk

    What is 'support'? - Defining Computer User Support; Support as an IT function; Forms of support; Typical support structures; Support functions; Client Management - What is a 'customer'?; What do they want?; Prioritizing clients; Keeping in contact; Customer service in IT support; A view from above; Marketing the Support Department; Service Management - Analysing service needs; Putting services in place; Excellence in support service; Service level agreements; Support from outside; The international dimension; Workload Management - Reactivity and proactivity; Managing the queue; Delegation and escalation; Measurement and reporting; Controlling the workflow; Resources Management - Justifying user support expenditure; Knowledge; Equipment; Staff Management - The ideal support person; Motivation and productivity; Staffing and structure; User support management considerations; Bibliography; Index.

    Biography

    Noel Bruton

    "Noel's passion for the industry combined with years of personal experience in the field makes him uniquely qualified to help you deliver great helpdesk customer service no matter how hopeless you think your current work environment is."
    - Phil Verghis, Vice President, Service Delivery, Akamai Technologies USA and multiple award-winning author of the Internet Helpdesk FAQ

    "Helpdesk managers weary of industry jargon, nonsensical acronyms, and technological hype will be relieved to find a book that talks their language. Despite years of experience, Noel Bruton has managed to remain firmly rooted in reality, and is able to clearly describe the complexities involved in the helpdesk, while remembering that it is often the most basic of issues that require the most attention."
    - James West, Editor, Customer Service News Magazine

    "This book won't tell you how to get your printer working with your word processor - it's better than that. It tells you how to deploy your Support staff so as to have the best chance of preventing or fixing such problems. If you're in charge of a PC Support group, or would like to be one day, get this book and read it."
    - Dr. Alan Solomon