Self-Help web Interface

It is often cost effective and expedient to provide some form of automated ‘Self-Help’ functionality, so users can seek and obtain assistance which will enable them to resolve their own difficulties. Ideally this should be via a 24/7 web interface that is driven by menu selection and might include, as appropriate:

• Frequently asked questions (FAQs) and solutions.
• ‘How to do’ search capabilities –to guide users through a context-sensitive list of tasks or activities.
• A bulletin-type service containing details of outstanding service issues/problems together with anticipated restoration times.
• Password change capabilities – using secure password protection software to check identities, perform authorization and change passwords without the need for Service Desk intervention.
• Software fix downloads (patches, service packs, bug fixes etc. where it is determined that the user has the wrong version or a fix is needed) – tools are available to automate the checking process, to compare the actual desktop image with the agreed ‘standard’ builds and to allow upgrades to be offered and accepted where necessary.
• Software repairs – where it is detected that a corruption may have occurred, to allow software fixes, removal and/or re-installation.
• Software removal requests – automatically completed with any licence being returned to the pool.
• Downloads of additional software packages – tools are available to check a pre-defined software policy and to allow the download of additional software packages, if covered by the policy. This can include automated software licence checks and financial approvals as well as CMS updating.
• Advanced notice of any planned downtime or services outages or degradations.

The self-help solution should include the capability for users to log incidents themselves, which can be used during periods that the Service Desk is closed (if not operating 24/7) and attended to by Service Desk staff at the start of the next shift.

Some care has to be exercised to ensure that the Self-Help activities selected for inclusion are not too advanced for the average user, and that safeguards are included to prevent a ‘little knowledge being a dangerous thing’! It may be possible to offer slightly more advanced Self-Help facilities to ‘Super Users’ who have had extra training. It is also necessary to be very careful about assumptions made when staffing a Service Desk about the amount of use that users will make of Self-Help facilities.

Note: As already covered in the list above, it is possible to combine some simpler Request Fulfilment activities as part of an overall Self-Help system – which can also be of significant benefit in reducing calls to the Service Desk (see paragraph 7.1.1 for further details).

Date: 2014-12-29; view: 941