Solved Do I need help desk system ?
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Hello all,
We have 100+ users with very few people in remote location. And I am the only one IT guy in our company + we have basic AMC from other Service Provider (I will take help from them while I am rush in issues, and network related stuff).
For any issues, users give a phone call (around 80%), few emails and very directly ask to assist. We don't use any Remote Control software to support but directly attending to user's desk.
As I am only person in IT, I don't have any supervisors/manager to report when it comes to technical things, but I need to coordinate with Finance Dept. for IT purchases.
One thing is, I don't maintain any log for complaints (IT issues) anywhere (neither on note book nor excel log), but only issues came through emails will remain as record. Here I am not talking about documentation of IT resources, but only about Helpdesk related logs/complaints.
Is that necessary to have record/maintain complaints and resolutions for them ?
Further do I need Helpdesk system in my Scenario ?
If Yes, two Helpdesk software to my mind :
- Spiceworks Helpdesk : As you know it's free with support. I like it's simple interface, mobile app to be active on the Go or instant reaction etc.
- ManageEngine Service Desk Plus (standard free) : Other idea is, if I am going to start some Helpdesk, why not use something industry aware for their (maybe it will add an advantage in my CV profile if I look further in other company ? I don't know how SW HD will be recognized in the industry ?). On other hand, ME Service Desk is saying ITIL based/compliant Helpdesk, how's it going to fetch in knowledge or career ?
If I go with setting up Helpdesk system, I need to respond on all tickets, need to update, close, open tickets on behalf of management, guiding users to do so , of course I need to spend extra time to do all above. Is that reasonable to do/realistic for me ?
Appreciate your suggestions !!
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Why not make a ticket system but only use it for yourself? Just because you have one does not mean that you share it with anybody.
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@scottalanmiller said in Do I need help desk system ?:
Why not make a ticket system but only use it for yourself?
You are saying me set-up Help desk system and use it by myself without users involvement (ticket creation and closing by myself) ?
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@scottalanmiller said in Do I need help desk system ?:
Just because you have one does not mean that you share it with anybody.
Passed over my head
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It is a good idea, regardless of the method, that you keep some form of 'help desk' ticketing system. This helps you determine problem trends on hardware, software or even users.
It's also a way of documenting your activities and proving when you are in need of additional assistance.
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@gjacobse said in Do I need help desk system ?:
It is a good idea, regardless of the method, that you keep some form of 'help desk' ticketing system. This helps you determine problem trends on hardware, software or even users.
It's also a way of documenting your activities and proving when you are in need of additional assistance.
I understand it's good idea to have record for issues and solutions. In that case, I prefer to have help desk system than doing it on Excel, as Help desk will be more organized and free.
Sure, I will be setting up Help desk.
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I agree with maintaining Help desk. But I have two real questions :
- Should I enforce all users to complaint for any IT issues through Help desk only ?
In this case, how much reasonable for me to spend time to users to guide, updating and closing tickets (which is additional work) ?
Or
- Receive complaints from users and create tickets, update solution and close ticket myself ?
In this case, it will bit additional work unlike first option but I will get organized record for issues and solutions.
And then choosing application :
Spiceworks Help Desk or ManageEngine Service Desk Plus ?
- Should I enforce all users to complaint for any IT issues through Help desk only ?
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Having a help desk is almost always good. Forcing people to use it is only sometimes good. Help desk for you is good. For them is maybe. We don't expose helpdesk to users normally, we manage the tickets ourselves.
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@openit said in Do I need help desk system ?:
I agree with maintaining Help desk. But I have two real questions :
- Should I enforce all users to complaint for any IT issues through Help desk only ?
In this case, how much reasonable for me to spend time to users to guide, updating and closing tickets (which is additional work) ?
Or
- Receive complaints from users and create tickets, update solution and close ticket myself ?
In this case, it will bit additional work unlike first option but I will get organized record for issues and solutions.
And then choosing application :
Spiceworks Help Desk or ManageEngine Service Desk Plus ?
there are several options,
- Spiceworks
- ManageEngine
- osTicket
- HESK
If you have your website hosted, it is likely they have a One Click install for osTicket... Might look there. Still free, and very functional. NTG moved to osTicket from SW and thus far, I like it better than SW....
Overall though, I have used all four of the these,... Of them, I would go with osTicket.
- Should I enforce all users to complaint for any IT issues through Help desk only ?
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We prefer osTicket to either of the two that you mention but you have to run it yourself. But it is very easy.
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Of the two that you mention, it really comes down to which you like for you.
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Thanks for feedback.
What attracted you people to move/stick to/with osTicket ?
I may choose btw SW or MD.
One more thought is, choosing MD will fetch on my Profile ? through hands-on experience if I wish to move to other company (as ManageEngine is known in industry and ITIL HD), is it ?
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osTicket is pretty easy to use, and fully open source. We can control everything about it and it's not so hard to use.
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The first thing about helpdesks is that your company policy may require record of all IT activities, whether it for legal reasons or for the sake of record keeping or other reasons like patterns. It may also serv as a way to remember how you resolved a past similar issue.
Whether or not you need a ticketing system depends on if it will benefit the company. If you are walking through the halls to do a specific task, and someone stops you for one of those "quick questions", you may forget what you are going to do or you may forget what the person in the hall just tasked you with. I suppose you could walk around everywhere with a pen and pad, but that isn't always the case.
Ticketing systems also help to stay organized and to help prioritize things closer to the money. I don't know anyone who can live from the list of 1000 things strictly in their head. Having it documented somehow will be best.
We require all users to submit tickets. If you don't know if you should make a ticket, make a ticket. If a user emails you, forward it to the ticketing system. Most systems will automatically turn them into a ticket.
If a user calls you and its more of a request than a question, kindly ask them to submit a ticket.
Depends completely on your environment of course, but those are my thoughts anyway.
Wrote this on my cell phone which is hard, so excuse my not so well thought out points and spelling errors.
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We normally have IT submit tickets because users often put in useless tickets without useful details.
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@scottalanmiller said in Do I need help desk system ?:
We normally have IT submit tickets because users often put in useless tickets without useful details.
Yes you'll have that. Our system automatically includes pc name and user name. So you'll have breadcrumbs at the very least to follow up with.
I think that's better than nothing at all. Also, IT generally doesn't have time to act as a ticket receptionist. Maybe not the case in big places where there's a team dedicated to it, but in smbs, IT is only 4 or less people.
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Well, I have decided to setup help desk anyways. Will test those software and decide it later.
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Maybe I will start maintaining (opening, updating and closing) as of now. I will think later about to involve users to Submit Tickets or no.
What is unnecessary to create a ticket for ? like toner replaced, monitor was not working due to power cable loose, outlook mobile app forgot password for email etc.
Do you think above kind of issues are not necessary to include in help desk system ?
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I put everything in as I find it a useful log of my time. It's also useful to know that it's the 37th time Sue from Accounts has forgotten her password in the last 10 years.
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@openit said in Do I need help desk system ?:
Maybe I will start maintaining (opening, updating and closing) as of now. I will think later about to involve users to Submit Tickets or no.
What is unnecessary to create a ticket for ? like toner replaced, monitor was not working due to power cable loose, outlook mobile app forgot password for email etc.
Do you think above kind of issues are not necessary to include in help desk system ?
I think that that is best. Zero disruption for now, learn the system, figure out how to make it useful. Then decide how to impact users later. And maybe it can be voluntary, or just for some users.
