What Are The Levels Of Help Desk ?

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levels of help desk

“Customer service shouldn’t just be a department, it should be the entire company.”

– Tony Hsieh

A huge $1.6 trillion is lost every year due to poor customer service!

So, obviously, if there is one thing in the world which can deprive the CEOs of a peaceful sleep, then it must be finding a way to provide an excellent customer service.

And reportedly, 85% of customers said they expect a company to respond within six hours.

If you are a CEO, you definitely know that this task cannot be done single handedly and this is where IT Help Desk Services enters the scene. **rock guitar music**.

But wait, the whole process of setting up an internal helpdesk support team will make you lose calories. And that’s why the true leaders prefer outsourcing IT help desk.

This article will guide you through the 5 different levels of Help Desk.

1. Level 0: Self-Help and User-Retrieved Information

Users can access FAQs, in-depth product and technical information, blog articles, manuals, and search features via web and mobile pages and apps.

Users can access service catalogs through apps, where they can order and get services without contacting the IT department.

Upper support tiers or company personnel can be contacted by email, web forms, and social media channels like Twitter, LinkedIn, etc.

Customers can crowdsource solutions on customer forums, typically without the involvement of company staff.

The Tailor-made Workforce

Technical and marketing resources are needed for Level 0 to generate, maintain, and update product information.

Website and app development are handled by a development team.

Moderators watch over customer forums.

Responding to inquiries made via email, websites, or social media is Tier 1 staff.

The Tasks That Usually Fall Into Level 0’s Lap

  • Website and/or app support information
  • FAQs and comprehensive manuals
  • Community forums
  • Social media and the internet

2. Level 1: Basic Help Desk Resolution and Service Desk Delivery

Support for fundamental customer needs includes handling service desk queries that require IT assistance and resolving usage concerns.

Level 1 workers elevate incidents to a higher tier if no solution is found.

Lower-level technical staff members who have been taught how to follow procedures to solve recognized issues and complete service requests.

An Efficient Employee at This Level Should Have,

  • Broad knowledge of Microsoft operating systems, basic networking principles, and email client requirements
  • Knowledge of integrated office suites (e.g. Word, Excel), hardware installation, troubleshooting, and repair procedures and software configurations

The Duties Delegated Would be,

  • Answer phone and email to investigate and respond to user questions and problems encountered with hardware/software.
  • Analyze and correct problems.
  • Assist users in the use of software, hardware, and network systems.
  • Provide PC software and hardware support services to users.
  • Maintain software and hardware inventory for supported users.

The Clear-Cut Tasks That Usually Fall Into Level 1’s Lap

  • Creation of tickets
  • Password changes
  • Degradation of the infrastructure
  • Performance of the network and the application
  • Hardware functionality
  • Errors in the operating system

3. Level 2: In-Depth Technical Support

For situations that tier 1 support is unable to address, skilled and knowledgeable specialists evaluate the situation and offer remedies.

Level 2 support escalates the event to level 3 if there is no solution available.

The Tailor-made Workforce

Support staff, not always the engineers or programmers who built and created the product, but who have extensive expertise in the good or service.

An Efficient Employee at This Level Should Have,

  • Ability to act strategically within the purview of one’s power; outstanding critical thinking abilities
  • The capacity to prioritize, coordinate, and schedule activities, services, timetables, or programs
  • Excellent analytical and problem-solving abilities
  • Strong laptop and computer experience with Windows
  • Networking fundamentals (TCP/IP, DNS, DHCP, etc.)

The Duties Delegated Would be,

  • Sending concerns to internal product vendors or subject matter experts
  • Identifying critical office procedures and offer ways to make them more efficient using technology.
  • Assisting with projects and efforts involving IT services
  • Providing staff and employees with training as needed

The Clear-Cut Tasks That Usually Fall Into Level 2’s Lap

  • Confirmation of higher tickets and prompt resolution of the relevant issue.
  • Complex difficulties that a level 1 professional is unable to resolve since they may be related to servers or hardware problems.
  • Back-end problems can only be resolved by someone who has a thorough understanding of how the company’s software, hardware, and network work.

4. Level 3: Expert Product and Service Support

Access to the best technical resources for solving issues or developing new features.

Of all the other levels of help desk, the level 3 technicians employ product designs, code, or standards to replicate issues and identify their root causes.

The company decides whether to develop a new fix when a cause has been found, based on the cause of the issue. For the benefit of level 1 and level 2 personnel, new fixes are documented.

The Tailor-made Workforce

Level 3 specialists of all the levels of help desk, may include the principal architects (or product specialists to be more precise), engineers, or designers of the product or service, are typically the most highly skilled product specialists.

An Efficient Employee at This Level Should Have,

  • A burning passion for learning about technology
  • IT tertiary education is ideal but not required
  • An outstanding communication and listening skills
  • A habit of paying close attention to detail and being enthusiastic about resolving client issues
  • The capacity to multitask, set priorities, and efficiently manage time

The Duties Delegated Would be,

  • Troubleshooting problems which may involve making outbound contacts with clients to get more information and to find a solution.
  • Ensuring that clients receive both written and spoken information that is clear and in-depth on the functionality of product features.
  • Presenting the viewpoint of the client to the product and development teams in order to improve or fix features.
  • The documentation of support procedures and problem fixes.

The Clear-Cut Tasks That Usually Fall Into Level 3’s Lap

  • Examining problems with sophisticated hardware, software, code, or architecture.
  • Releasing hotfixes for systems and applications to ensure their correct operation.
  • Server upkeep and handling of escalated problems by level 1 and 2 help desk staff.

5. Level 4: Outside Support for Problems Not Supported by the Organization

Outsourced services such as depot support, vendor software support, machine maintenance, and other contracted assistance for goods that the business provides but does not directly maintain.

Level 4 support, of all the other levels of help desk, is contacted with issues or requests, and the organization oversees implementation.

The Tailor-made Workforce

Preferred suppliers and business partners who offer services and support for goods that your organization sells.

The Tasks That Usually Fall Into Level 4’s Lap

  • Hardware issues brought on by other suppliers or the company’s business partners
  • Official vendors’ provision of machine maintenance and other contracted services
  • Fixes, firmware updates, and other security threats
  • Updated code and bug fixes

By and Large,

Top companies prefer to structure these levels of Help Desk because they find it highly beneficial for,

  • Taking into account customer needs strategically
  • Improving the customer experience
  • Swiftly handling minor or manageable concerns
  • Creating a schedule and procedure for situations that are more challenging to solve
  • Raising employee contentment
  • Enhancing employee retention, career advancement, and training
  • Getting opinions and ideas for product development

We know you can’t resist to take the next step of compartmentalizing the levels of help desk in your company, after all.



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