Information Resources will host a Helpdesk Open House on Wednesday, April 2, from 3 to 5 p.m. in the Susan Colgate Cleveland Library/Learning Center. Refreshments will be served and there will be games and prizes as well. Helpdesk Coordinator Jim Hanlon explains what it's all about.
Why is Information Resources hosting an Open House?
We will be introducing Ken Kochien, our new director, and it's a way for people to put a face to whom they deal with over the phone at the Heldesk too. The Helpdesk is the primary point-of-contact for the IR department.
Why was Helpdesk needed?
The Helpdesk keeps track of service requests to help prevent things from “slipping through the cracks." If you were to call someone from IR or send them an e-mail it could get sidetracked or delayed. The person you contacted may be overloaded with request; some that may take only a short time and others that could turn into projects.
With the Helpdesk software we can allocate the request to the proper IR person who can solve the issue with the quickest response. This prevents “overloading” a certain IR person and helps us as a department generate a more favorable workflow.
The Helpdesk software can keep track of reoccurring issues and problems areas to help the IR department focus its resources.
How has the college community responded to the Helpdesk so far?
We have logged more than 2,100 service requests since we started using the helpdesk.
What would you like people to know about it?
What happens when they call the Helpdesk. The Helpdesk staff answers the phone and enters the request.They then try to resolve the issue over the phone or by using remote control software.If not resolved the request is assigned to an IR person and the priority is set.
The IR staff maintain their work queues and handle the request. The software will flash a red arrow Icon to let them know when there is something new or updated.
People can also send an email to helpdesk@colby-sawyer.edu to generate and automatic request and the software will notify the dispatcher(S) of the new request.
One other way to open a request is to connect to the Helpdesk software via a web browser on a Colby-Sawyer College computer by typing helpdesk in the address bar. They login to helpstar and can create their own request. This is also how people can check the progress and history of their service requests.
Who should come to the Open House and why?
We would like a diverse group of Colby-Sawyer people to attend, such as students, faculty and staff. We would like everyone to know where the helpdesk is located and to be familiar with the people who support them, and as mentioned above, a chance to meet Ken Kochien.
