How to Manage the IT Help Desk (2^nd Ed.)
A guide for user support and call centre managers

Are you overworked, unappreciated and under-resourced? This book understands you, and provides years and years of User Support experience packed into one volume. The 'How To' book that every IT department needs, it will help turn your helpdesk into a company asset. How to be successful at probably the most stressful job in IT This book offers tools for measuring productivity and features ten key steps for successful support, while User Support successes and failures are revealed in true life case studies.This book gives you techniques for:Justifying staff and other expenditure Gaining senior management support Getting the users on your side Running a motivated and productive team Designing and managing services and service levels The second edition of this popular book brings updates to several of the author's ideas, strategies and techniques with new material on: Customer Relationship Management - definition and the role of the helpdesk E-Support and the Internet Contrasting the Call Center and the Helpdesk first, second and third line support Operational Level Agreements Strategies for backlog management Telephone technologies in user supportIn addition there is: A new Template for a Service Level Agreement An Improved cost justification model for the Internal Helpdesk A New cost justification model for the External Helpdesk

Part 1 What is ‘support’?; Chapter 1 Defining computer user support; Chapter 2 Support as an IT function; Chapter 3 Forms of support; Chapter 4 Typical support structures; Chapter 5 Support functions; Part 2 Client management; Chapter 6 What is a ‘customer’?; Chapter 7 What do they want?; Chapter 8 Prioritizing clients; Chapter 9 Keeping in contact; Chapter 10 Customer service in IT support; Chapter 11 A view from above; Chapter 12 Marketing the support de; Part ment; Part 3 Service management; Chapter 13 Analysing service needs; Chapter 14 Putting services in place; Chapter 15 Excellence in support service; Chapter 16 Service level agreements; Chapter 17 Support from outside; Chapter 18 The international dimension; Part 4 Workload management; Chapter 19 Reactivity and proactivity; Chapter 20 Managing the queue; Chapter 21 Delegation and escalation; Chapter 22 Measurement and reporting; Chapter 23 Controlling the workflow; Part 5 Resources management; Chapter 24 Justifying user support expenditure; Chapter 25 Knowledge; Chapter 26 Equipment; Part 6 Staff management; Chapter 27 The ideal support person; Chapter 28 Motivation and productivity; Chapter 29 Staffing and structure; Chapter 30 User support management considerations;

Professional Practice & Development

Noel Bruton

Noel's passion for the industry combined with years of personal experience in the field makes him uniquely qualified to help you deliver great helpdesk customer service no matter how hopeless you think your current work environment is.'- Phil Verghis, Vice President, Service Delivery, Akamai Technologies USA and multiple award-winning author of the Internet Helpdesk FAQ'Helpdesk managers weary of industry jargon, nonsensical acronyms, and technological hype will be relieved to find a book that talks their language. Despite years of experience, Noel Bruton has managed to remain firmly rooted in reality, and is able to clearly describe the complexities involved in the helpdesk, while remembering that it is often the most basic of issues that require the most attention.'- James West, Editor,