5 Tips for Remote Companies to Improve Their Web Help Desks
Help desk employees troubleshoot when they are not functioning as intended or are down altogether.
However, if your remote company is fairly large the help desk team’s job is never truly done.
When there are so many people working in a remote environment, it is even more critical to improve help desk performance.
Tips for Remote Companies to Improve Their Web Help Desks
There are several ways to stay on top of all the challenges:
Having Clear Processes in Place
Your team is the first line of defense in case there are issues.
The SolarWinds WebHelpDesk team will hear all the challenges facing the team, whether it’s cybersecurity, password problems, malware, or just access issues.
If you want to be more efficient to get to all the issues, you will want to have a clear process in place.
There are a few common bottlenecks that often happen.
Having a standard operating procedure in place ahead of time allows you to quickly solve these issues as they come up.
Make them part of required training for IT employees, and consider creating a version for your end users as well.
It's often considered best practice to have how-to articles as resources for employees to turn to.
If that’s the first step end users turn to, they might be able to troubleshoot some of their own common issues.
It lets your team focus on more complicated issues.
Have Efficient Problem-Solving Skills
Part of your job is to work with users, so that requires soft skills on your team’s part.
The employees should be personable so they can successfully gather the necessary information and come up with a solution.
End users often have frustrating problems, and these often occur at the wrong time.
That means it’s easy for both parties to become frustrated, and having to communicate with the team remotely can make it harder to explain the issue.
It's a good idea to encourage your team to stay positive when handling these problems.
If they approach things from the right angle and remain calm, the situation will be more manageable.
It's also a good idea to offer the IT team training on problem-solving and people skills.
Once the team can communicate more positively, it’s easy to solve the issue by asking questions and understanding how to get to the rood of the issue.
You can have your team practice in their down time by doing role playing.
Developing a Shift to Full-Stack Employees
In the past, help desks were set up as more of a tiered system.
Complicated issues were escalated as necessary, but not before that.
However, as companies have changed and moved to more remote work, this traditional model is not working as well.
IT workers often need to address a range of responsibilities.
When doing remote work, it is more important than ever for workers to receive the right support.
For example, cybersecurity problems, like ransomware attacks, are becoming more complex.
In response, help desk workers also need to be even more on the watch, and able to deal with these issues.
When a larger company has many remote workers, it’s critical that IT staff have a wide range of skills.
That will help ensure tickets are resolved faster.
Supporting these remote workers will require problem-solving abilities, skills, and knowledge that often goes what was previously expected of a help desk.
Understanding the issues that often go alongside remote work can take time since there is more to understand.
Full-stack workers need to understand the technology and how the endpoints work.
And they will need to develop a better understanding of cybersecurity, networking, and the way they need to implement the security and privacy policies of your organization.
These things can all help you develop a stronger team who can creatively solve problems.
Comfortable Workspace for Remote Workers
Creating a comfortable workspace is essential for remote workers who spend most of their day sitting in front of a computer.
A comfortable workspace can help reduce the risk of developing musculoskeletal disorders and improve overall productivity. Remote workers should invest in ergonomic chairs, keyboards, and monitors to reduce strain on their bodies.
Additionally, keeping the workspace tidy and free of clutter can help create a distraction-free environment, allowing remote workers to focus on their tasks at hand.
By prioritizing a comfortable workspace, remote employees can improve their health and well-being, which ultimately leads to better work performance and job satisfaction.
Remote employees in remote companies have the unique advantage of being able to work from anywhere with an internet connection. With this freedom comes the responsibility of creating a comfortable and productive workspace.
Many remote workers opt for a standing desk as a way to improve their posture and alleviate the negative effects of sitting for extended periods.
By using a standing desk, remote employees can also increase physical activity levels and boost overall energy and focus throughout the day.
Overall, incorporating a standing desk into a remote employee's workspace can greatly enhance their productivity and well-being.
Make Ticketing Easier
The ticketing system can determine whether or not you are effective.
If you don’t already have a process in place, now is the time to obtain one.
And if you already have one, now is the time to start breaking it down so you can determine how to make it work better for you.
Many companies were not remote before the pandemic and only did so once COVID hit.
They were not prepared for the technical issues end users would face, and help desks were not prepared.
But having a good system in place will allow users to submit their problems on the ticket, and you can then organize them by issue.
You can automate reminders so users know what the status is, and it allows the IT staff to communicate better.
Plus, if there is a bigger problem already, you can let everyone know so you don’t receive many requests about it.
Remote working often faces communication challenges, but it is critical for your staff to have open lines of communication with end users and each other when trying to solve an issue.
A common issue is when an IT staff member tries to solve an issue on their own.
But many of these problems need to be solved as a team.
It's often too easy for IT staff members to get help when solving an issue.
You might want to set up a space for the team to communicate with each other when trying to find solutions for problems from end users.
Help Users Avoid Attacks
When someone works from home instead of an office, cybersecurity instantly becomes more important.
The methods of communication have changed, meaning it is possible for the user to be attacked by a cybercriminal.
Even phone communication or texting can be dangerous if not done correctly – these communication methods can be easy to exploit.
Your staff should be able to identify these social engineering attacks ahead of time.
If you already have a process in place for handling these issues, your end users will be better prepared to watch out for and avoid these issues.
You might prepare information on this and make it required reading for end users.
Recommended Posts
How to Write Effective B2B Sales Emails in 2023
May 12, 2023
8 Tips To Boost Your Career In 2023
May 2, 2023
