CSC
Help Desk: In Users' Eyes
By
K.Y. Lam
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A
survey was conducted in December 1999 to find out how Help Desk
users think of our
service during the year, and any recommendations for improvement.
Thirty questionnaires were sent to a mixture of academic, administrative
and clerical staff who frequently called the Help Desk for assistance.
Findings
19 out of
30 questionnaires were returned. The response rate was 63%.
Rating
scales:
1 = never true; 2 = seldom true; 3 = true half of the time; 4
= usually true; 5 = always true
I Statements and questions used in this survey were selected from
Barbara Czegel, Running an Effective Help Desk,
Chap. 7, 1994
As can be
seen from the above chart, the consensus was that the staff of
the Help Desk were very helpful and professional. Many of their
computer-related problems were handled in a timely fashion. Although
the lines were sometimes busy, they found the Help Desk service
quick, direct and convenient. The fact that some general but urgent
computer problems could be resolved immediately over the phone
had made them more productive in their daily tasks. One particular
user even claimed that the Help Desk had greatly reduced his department's
maintenance cost.
Conclusion
Although in
general the users' feedback was positive, there are still areas
that need to be improved. This may include extending service hours,
adding more phone lines, increasing manpower and enhancing internal
communication. The latter is particularly important especially
when new services are launched. In order to succeed, Help Desk
staff must have first-hand information about the new services
before anyone else. Instruction has already been made by senior
management that before releasing network messages to users about
a new service launch, the colleagues-in-charge have to brief the
Help Desk with details on the matter. Furthermore, to ensure effective
communication with users, Help Desk staff have also been instructed
to avoid technical terms when diagnosing problems over the phone.
In this survey,
respondents have kindly given us valuable comments and suggestions.
User perspectives prompted the Help Desk to make improvement;
and more importantly, the positive feedback had boosted the morale
among the Help Desk staff because they have been trusted and respected
by the users.