Both help desk software and service desk software can be interchangeable but it has distinct differences especially in their approach to business This article will help you decide which one is best for you and your business by simply providing you with the basics of both definitions.
The first thing that we’re going to talk about is elaborating on what service desk and help desk is all about. If you just want to get a software about help desk, you can skip reading and go directly to CrowdReviews.com’s online help desk software reviews to find out a software that’s right for your business.
Definition of Help Desk Software
Help desk support provides your customers with information they need from your products and services. They troubleshoot any technical problems and give assistance about technical products via various channels such as email, chat, websites or phone support.
Help desk support can be implemented in various ways, depending on a company’s needs. Their primary tasks include:
- Service level agreements or SLA
- Problem resolution
- Problem escalation processes
- Software or computer consultations
- Configuration and change management
- Tracking capabilities
- Single point of contact or SPOC for technical interruptions or maintenance
Other things that help desk support should have:
- Service directory. It should have a system directory where you can see your products and services, their description and their respective prices or rates.
- Knowledge management. It should have a system that stores all the data that could be helpful in lessening the time used to find out what was done to solve a problem or rediscover previous tickets for easier access.
- Access management. It should have a system that limits access to sensitive customer information, it should only be authorized to the customers themselves and selected employees. If a customer has forgotten their credentials, they should be able to contact you and answer several questions to make sure that they are the owner and can access their account afterwards.
- Problem management. It should have a system that collects information when an issue occurs to determine the problems that happened. It can help find out the root cause of the problem and relay the information to your knowledge base.
Help desk meets any issues a customer has with their technical issues. It also provides a link to focusing any strategic areas of a business. Again, help desk helps business reach their strategic goals. Read CrowdReviews.com’s top online help desk software to know the most popular software you can choose from for a help desk.
Definition of Service Desk Software
A service desk software is known as a Single Point of Contact (SPOC) between your customers and your employees. It has four layers. These are:
- Network Operations. This is the ability to check and monitor all of your network connections and devices even by remote access. It helps monitors and manage any technical details such as traffic performance, network reviews and technical incident reports. It also manages changes in the network and implements backup if needed. Basically, it makes sure the entire network infrastructure is used to its full potential to meet the needs of the business.
- Systems Operations. This is the ability to execute main system management responsibilities such as performance monitoring, account management and the installation of hardware and software.
- Database Operations. This is the ability to optimize and continue any database tasks such as log reviews, performance monitoring and fault monitoring.
- Security Management. This is the ability to make sure security measures are being followed. It performs any vulnerability scans, checks IPS logs and follows other security mandates. These are done by using software, hardware and other delivery processes.
All of these follow a service desk software cycle. Check the following:
- Service Strategy. This stage strategies, implements and make any new change for the current technology services your business has.
- Service Design. This stage finds and evaluates new services and initiates it to your business. It also determines if it meets your business needs for the long-term.
- Service Transition. This stage helps make sure that there is lessen or minimal service interruptions there there’s an ongoing transition.
- Service Operation. This stage makes sure you continuous meet your service delivery.
- Continuous Service. This stage determines your current opportunities and improves your IT methods.
It is quite different from an online help desk software because of the way it improves customer satisfaction. They focus more on the products and services you offer to make your customers happy and not by answering their questions, although they are still able to communicate with them frequently. They also proactive use the IT network’s best practices by resolving issues and answering queries as soon as possible and reduce any business impact due to service failures.
Major Differences
- Help desk tools focus on the end user or your customers. They make sure that the customer’s issues are resolved as soon as possible. Service desk is focused on both the customers and the inside of your business. The inside of your business includes having more efficient staff and reducing the budget.
- The goal of service desks are budget control and efficiency. The goal of help desks is to provide quality customer service.
- Online help desk software utilize their knowledge base portal and solutions to be able to answer any customer service and to provide excellent customer service. Online Service desks software utilizes their methods and software resources to reduce service interruptions.
- Strategy versus tactics. Help desks make tactics to resolve issues as they occur. Service desks are more strategic, focusing on the opportunities and improving information technology processes and analysis trends and data.
- Help desk provides great technical support. Service desks provide great incident management.
- Point of contact. Help desk have a single point of contact for your customer’s technical issues. Service desk has an IT framework for your IT processes.
- What do they define for customers? Help desk explains to your customers the ways they can resolve an issue. A service desk explains only the Service Level Agreement and OLA (Operational level agreement) to your customers.
- What they keep track of. Help desk keeps track of your IT assets in the technical network. Service desk keep track of any configuration changes and use CMDB (Configuration Management DataBase).
- Help desk IT process changes can be kept as an information process Service desk IT process changes needs to be formally defined.
Can You Use Just One or Do You Need Both?
A lot of companies have help desk but has no service desk. A lot of companies do not require any service desk because an online help desk software can also achieve the tactical needs of a business. It provides customers a place to communicate with them if they have any technical issues. With that, just a handful of companies have a service desk without a help desk. If you are a customer, you would think that help desks make sure that all your questions and concerns are answered right away but a service desk can go the extra mile for you.
It’s actually better if you have both. Your company will greatly benefit if you use both help desk and service desk services. They both have different purposes but they both enhance value to your business. Even if you do not have a technical issue, you still be able to answer your customer’s queries or concerns using the service desk, even if your employee is a skilled technical worker. You’ll have a higher customer satisfaction, increasing your customer relationship. Both your customers and employees will be up-to-date with the latest technical issues.
You’ll also be able to boost your customer’s productivity by having self-service options. You’ll be able to monitor any issues that your customer currently has and resolve them in a timely manner. You’ll have a better budget control because it makes sure that the appropriate channels for a technical question or concern is being addressed to the right department or team.
You’ll be able to monitory any technical issues and trends. If there are any issues that might become a problem, it is solved right away before it gets bigger. And the good thing about it is that the top online help desk software can integrate service desk services at the same time.
An online help desk tool is a must for businesses to offer technical resources and skill for technical problems. Service desk tools on the other hand is more proactive, even address technical issues that are not too urgent. They both share a common thing. It’s to provide your customers the greatest possible user experience when it comes to technical issues.
For further reading, it is recommended that you read ARIncManagedServices.com’s blog about the difference between service desk software or help desk software. One good thing about a help desk software is that you can transform or add a service desk software too. Have a look at CrowdReviews.com’s online help desk software reviews and see if the software is what you’re looking for.
Keith Moore
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