What is a service desk?
A service desk is a communications epicenter that makes available a single point of contact (SPOC) between an organization and its employees, customers, business partners and related stakeholders. The duty of a service desk is to make sure that users receive the right help in a well-timed manner.
Service desks are designed to take care of both incidents and service requests. In this context, an incident is an occurrence that results in a disruption in service disposal or quality. A service request seeks help with an unchanging task, such as assisting a user change a password or helping a new user set up in work systems. Other services delivered may include change management, release management and tasks related to configuration.
The service desk is one of three main preferences for the customer and/or user support. The other two SPOC bodies are help desks and call centers. There has often been a misperception about the difference between service desks and help desks. ITIL v2 defines service desk as just another term for help desk. Conversely, ITIL v3 distinguishes between the two, saying that service desks deliver wide-ranging service capabilities, resolve more difficulties in fewer steps and qualify integration of business processes into the service management infrastructure.
The Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL) describes the service desk as an important information technology service management (ITSM) tool. ITIL is an internationally recognized collection of best practices for IT service management.
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Who is a service desk analyst?
The definite job description for a service desk analyst differs a bit among employers, but there are some fundamentals that they all have in common. Service desk analysts work for almost every type of industry; from healthcare to education, and from automobile to finance. When you employ a service desk analyst, you’re hiring someone to be responsible for hardware and software support for your business.
A service desk analyst will have to ensure that software licenses are up to date, keep track of your IT portfolio, and research and troubleshoot hardware and software glitches for users in the rest of the organization. Every so often, a service desk analyst maintains, manages, and modernizes a company’s knowledge database. When new hardware arrives, the service desk analyst will set it up and test it and load the required software onto the hardware. A service desk analyst will have to cater to numerous incoming requests by comprehending end-user needs.
One of the large benefits of having a service desk analyst is that organizations no longer find the need to play “catch-up” with inventory. When the service desk analyst makes use of a ticketing system, problems are pinpointed, and end-users can hold the service desk analyst liable for not fixing an issue for which a ticket was submitted. Good service desk software helps with usage and problem patterns and can support the business with its long term IT strategy. With good service desk software and a good service desk analyst, businesses can track assets better, implement efficient solutions to end-user problems, and build a healthier IT ecosystem.
What does a service desk analyst do?
The primary role of a service desk analyst is that of delivering first level support through taking calls and managing the resulting Incidents or Service Requests, using the incident management and request fulfillment procedures, in line with service desk objectives.
Essential duties, roles and responsibilities of a service desk analyst include, but are not limited to:
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Timely response to requests for technical assistance electronically, in person, or via phone
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Identify and resolve technical hardware and software concerns assigned to them
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Research solutions using the presented information resources
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Advice users on appropriate action, sometimes tutoring of a user might be required
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Adhere to standard service desk procedures
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Log all service desk communications and document issue resolution using an ITSM system
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Keep an accurate inventory of all hardware and software resources and fragments
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Administer ITSM software
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Identify and meritoriously prioritize situations that require urgent attention
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Track and route problems or requests, and document resolutions
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Stay up-to-date with system information, changes and updates
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Maintain exceptional communication with all end users and other related members in the technology department
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Work with outside vendors if needed
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Install and support user applications
In small service desks, it is possible that a Senior Service Desk Analyst will also act as a supervisor – but in larger service desks, it is probable that a committed Service Desk Supervisor/Senior Service Desk Analyst role will be required. Where shift hours dictate, there may be two or more Senior Service Desk Analysts who fulfill the role, typically on an intersecting basis. The Supervisor/Senior Service Desk Analyst role typically includes:
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Guaranteeing that staffing and skill levels are continued throughout operational hours by handling shift staffing schedules, etc.
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Undertaking HR activities as needed
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Acting as an escalation point where challenging or divisive calls are received
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Generating statistics and management reports
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Representing the Service Desk at meetings
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Organizing staff training and awareness sessions
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Interacting with senior management
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Act as a go-between with change management
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Carrying out briefings to Service Desk Analysts on changes or dispositions that may affect volumes at the Service Desk
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Helping Service Desk Analysts in delivering first line support when workloads are high, or where supplementary experience is essential.