If you’re reading this then you already know that there is one simple decision that you can make that will revolutionize your customer support functionality and efficiency. And that is – choosing a helpdesk system to organize, collate and track your interactions with the people you are servicing. A good helpdesk system will allow you to quickly pick up on any areas you are failing to give the very best support in by tracking and reporting trends. The potential financial savings such information offers far outweighs the cost of such a program. Especially if that cost is far less than you might think.

Choosing a Helpdesk System

For many businesses a hosted helpdesk is ideal. But we do still find there are people who prefer having total control of their data. And the ability to tweak the code of the program to fine tune for their intended use. That's why Jitbit still offers a downloadable helpdesk. Unlike many competitors our self-hosted helpdesk still offers the massive advantage of being web-based. Which means you can access your data and offer unparallel support to your client base wherever you happen to be. It's such an important feature we couldn't simply restrict it to our hosted version of the program.

But What Else Should a Helpdesk Program Have?

Here are just a few of the key features any great helpdesk ticketing system needs...

• The ability to convert your emails into tickets. This simple but often ignored feature allows you to deal effectively with clients. However they contact you.
• It should have a good knowledge base installed and offer detailed reports.
• It should be flexible enough to integrate with any existing Active Directory user catalogues you may be using.
• It should provide C# source codes for developmental tweaks your technicians may choose to make.
• It should provide easy options for both you and your customers to transfer PDF’s, photos and files using an attachments system.
• It should offer the ability to change security features allowing you to restrict specific personnel to areas they have security clearance for. And ensure that under no circumstances can your customer’s details be compromised.
• It should use ASP.NET to offer multilingual interaction with offices and clients worldwide and come ready loaded with all the key international languages.

We strongly believe that our downloadable helpdesk system delivers in all these areas and many more and back that up by offering a free open-ended trial so you can see for yourself.

Who Needs A Help Desk Ticket System?

Who does your help desk ticketing system really help? Obviously it is a tool that your Tech staff needs to help keep your customer's problems straightened out. Recording your help desk issues will help to improve your processes and ultimately improve your product.

What those of us on the Fix-it end of the trouble call sometimes forget is what a Ticket represents to our customers. On the surface, a help desk ticket is telling the whole world that our product did not live up to expectations, that we were not able to deliver a product that took care of the customer's needs, or that there is something fundamentally wrong with the products we sell.

Seeing The Tech's View

When techs first get into the help desk game, they are tempted to think that we are marketing our products to idiots who lack the common sense to read the bloody instructions. The tech doesn't need to be in the game very long before they realize that there will be cases when the customer indeed lacks the technical savvy to make the product work without some aid. There will be some instances when there is in fact something wrong with the product that was shipped.

Most often, there will be a very human disconnect somewhere between the time that the package is opened and when the product is put into use. Once that disconnect has been remedied there is every reason to expect that the user will be delighted with the product he has chosen.

The most critical time in the help desk process is between the instant that the customer decides to seek the aid of the help desk and when the problem is brought to a successful resolution.

The biggest priority is minimizing this time,the sooner the problem is resolved the sooner the customer will be enjoying his purchase and the better your company's reputation will be. Not all problems will have an immediate solution. All help desk issues will need to be tracked by the help desk ticket system, but the consumer need only be aware of the tickets when a resolution cannot be reached in the initial help desk session.

Beyond Techs and Consumers

Your record of helpdesk tickets will be a resource to improve your product and your processes. When the ticket is given to the customer, it is giving him a written declaration that your relation with him has value after the sale, and that his issues have a priority with your company.