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Unit NotesICASAS305A Provide IT Advice to Clients

Topic 1 Report client support issues

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ICASAS305A Provide IT Advice to Clients

Table of ContentsGetting Started with ICASAS305A Provide IT Advice to Clients...........................4

Introduction...............................................................................................................4

Glossary of terms......................................................................................................5

Topic 1 - Report client support issues.....................................................................6Client support roles...................................................................................................6

Responding to help desk calls..................................................................................7

Activity 1:1 Help desk call scenario..........................................................................8

Client support issues...............................................................................................10

Contacting the client...............................................................................................11

Obtaining client feedback.......................................................................................11

Activity 1:2 Listening and questioning.....................................................................12

Documenting client feedback..................................................................................13

Resolving client’s problems....................................................................................14

Activity 1:3 Help desk software...............................................................................14

Check Your Understanding.....................................................................................14

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Getting Started with ICASAS305A Provide IT Advice to ClientsIntroductionWelcome to ICASAS305A Provide IT Advice to Clients.

In this unit you’ll develop your skills for supporting and communicating with clients in order to help solve comprehensive technical problems. These unit notes have been developed to provide a learning pathway to competence in ICASAS305A Provide IT Advice to Clients. The notes contain all the skills, knowledge and learning required to achieve competence. The learning process includes:

Reading and discussing the content with your instructor

Discussing your experience with the content – you can apply the content in your work

Answering simple questions both in writing and in discussion

Performing simple learning activities – researching, reflecting, searching on the Internet, completing tasks and creating notes for your own reference

After completion of this unit you will be able to demonstrate your skills and knowledge in providing IT advice to clients in relation to the following competencies:

Report client support issues

Provide advice on software, hardware or network

Obtain client feedback

Using the Unit NotesIcons and symbols are used throughout the guide to provide quick visual references. They indicate the following:

Icon Meaning Icon MeaningACTIVITY: An activity is listed to be completed

ACTIVITY: A Learning activity requiring some physical action

WWW: A web link is listed REFLECTION: A point is to be considered and thought about more deeply

IMPORTANT: A pivotal point is detailed

SEARCH: A particular item / book etc needs to be found and applied

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Glossary of terms

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Term Definition

Client A client can be an employee, part of an internal department, an individual or an external organisation.

Advice and support

For hardware regarding -

CD or DVD drives External hard drives Laptops Printers Reconfiguration of settings

For software regarding -

Password and login procedures Use of software functions within applications such as a

database or spreadsheet

Identification of training needs; manuals; one-to-one training; client documentation; vendor documentation

Documentation Asset register Software/Hardware manuals User/Technical documentation Support solutions Additional support requirements

Software Organisation-specific software; Multimedia authoring tools (eg Adobe software) Help file creation software Commercial software applications (eg Microsoft Word)

Topic 1 - Report client support issuesProviding good IT support for clients is vital to the effective operation of most organisations, so you may find there are established procedures for determining and addressing client support issues. In this topic you will learn about these procedures, as well as the generic skills and knowledge needed to support clients with IT problems.

Client support rolesInformation technology is an integral part of the operation of modern organisations. Users of information technology need timely, high-quality support. In addition to sound technical skills, IT support staff should have a range of skills that improve their ability to successfully provide IT services to their clients.

The circumstances in which you are required to provide advice on IT problems will depend on the nature of your organisation. Small organisations often do not have IT technical staff. They may rely on local IT businesses to provide support, or take out a contract with a company, which provides IT support services. A growing area of IT is businesses specifically set up to provide IT support to organisations. These companies provide employment opportunities for individuals with the right skills and knowledge.

Many medium and large organisations provide a centralised help desk support service. Clients with IT problems report these to the help desk. Support is typically provided for areas such as hardware and software faults, networking problems (including login problems), and email and Internet problems. Help desks will often provide additional services to those listed here, depending on the needs of the organisation. They often provide training for clients as well. This can be performed in-house, or external training providers can be called in.

First level supportClients typically contact the help desk by phone or email. Help desk operators log the calls and enter them into a centralised database program. There are many commercially available programs, which have been designed specifically for IT help desk operations. In many organisations, help desk operators attempt to fix straightforward problems. This is known as first level support. In some organisations, operators simply log calls, which are then allocated to the appropriate technical staff. In the case of organisations with only a few employees, IT problems may be handled by an employee who combines support duties with other functions.

The proportion of problems that can be handled at the first point of contact will depend on the skill and training of the help desk staff. As a large proportion of calls to any help desk are trivial problems, first line support can ensure that the time of the specialists in the various skill groups is not wasted and is only used when there is a problem that requires their attention.

Can you think of some problems that could be solved directly over the phone without escalating the call to an IT specialist?

Some examples would be saving a file to a USB stick; deleting a job from a network printer.

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Think of three more issues that could be solved directly:

Issue 1:

Issue 2:

Issue 3:

Responding to help desk callsIn organisations, which make use of specialised help desk software, technical staff usually access logged calls through the centralised database. Alternatively call details can be sent to the email account of the technical staff member who will be responsible for resolving the call. Timely response to help desk calls is important, given the importance of IT to most organisations. Calls are often prioritised, according to the severity of the problem, and the impact on the normal operation of the organisation.

As well as applying a suitable priority level, escalation procedures must also be followed.

It is vital that there are adequate tracking mechanisms to make sure that the client’s problem has been resolved. Documentation of all stages is therefore very important when working in this role.

Finally, when it has been determined that the problem has been resolved, the call/request can be closed off.

Apart from dealing with these day-to-day requests, a client support officer is generally involved in analysing a range of support issues. For example, this may involve:

1 identifying potential problems that could affect users

2 working on eliminating problems before they affect users

3 identifying the root causes of recurring problems (from logged calls).

It is common for organisations to provide service level agreements to clients, which guarantee that calls will be dealt with in a specified time frame. Modern help desk software can provide managers with the tools to monitor the time taken to answer and resolve help desk calls.

Recording details of a client’s requestIf you are on the help desk and a client rings in with a request, what details do you ask them to provide? In larger organisations, there is usually specialist software in which these calls are recorded.

Following is a sample of a typical log for recording details of client requests. Use the following scenario to complete the form.

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Activity 1:1 Help desk call scenarioYou are a help desk operator working for a large engineering company – use the current date and time. Misty Juru from the Accounts department (ext 456) telephones with a hardware problem.

Her computer (id 123) is not able to access the Internet and a page keeps appearing with a message for Network Diagnostics. She is unsure what to do.

Complete the following form using the information provided.

Data required Entry

Log number: 00001456

Help Desk Operator’s name:

Date and time of client request:

Client’s name:

Section and location:

Problem:

Date and time problem occurred:

Escalate to support staff? Yes/No

Support staff request details:Date and time reported:

Name of support staff:

Are there any extra fields that you would include within this form? You may have logged a call to a help desk yourself in the past. Try to recall your experience and think about what further prompts you could include on the form.

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Checking the help desk databaseWhen a problem has been reported, it is useful to check help desk logs to see if similar problems have been reported previously. There are a number of reasons for this:

1 Many organisations have large numbers of identical computer systems. Repeated instances of hardware failure in these systems can indicate a fault which will progressively occur in many more systems. The hardware vendor can be contacted to avoid large-scale disruption to operation.

2 Repeated calls for similar problems that relate to usage, rather than hardware failure, can indicate the need for specific training. An example of this could be how to change a client password.

3 Many organisations build up a knowledge base, where solutions to previous problems are detailed. Help desk staff can check the knowledge base prior to escalating the problem. This has the potential to greatly improve the time taken to resolve common problems, and can be particularly useful for new help desk staff. As well, this ensures that knowledge built up over time is not lost as individual help desk staff move on.

4 Even if you are employed by an organisation which does not have many employees, you should develop a system for recording calls for support from clients. This will avoid issues where calls are not followed up, and will also provide an audit trail showing the nature and complexity of your workload.

Escalating a callA call remains open until the client is completely satisfied that the problem has been solved.

If a help desk operator cannot immediately solve a problem, it will be passed to a member of the technical support staff. For example, you may receive requests from clients that:

are too complex or outside your expertise

require a software upgrade to be done by a support officer

require a system modification that would need to be done by an analyst/programmer

require a change to the database requiring the skills of the database administrator.

In such cases, the help desk staff will:

apply a priority rating to the call

escalate the call to an appropriate support person

provide the client with a reference number for the job, and an idea of when the problem will be solved, based on the initial priority

record the referral details.

All open calls must be monitored and reviewed until they are closed. Often the initial priority rating has to be revised.

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Call escalation proceduresCall escalation procedures are defined by each company depending on such things as size and organisational guidelines, but for call escalation to be effective, you will need well-trained and adequate support staff who:

respond quickly to calls

know when to escalate a call to an IT specialist

know which IT specialist to escalate the call to

Client support issuesYou need to be aware of important issues that might arise from individual help desk calls.

Priority of callsSome calls will be allocated a high priority, as they involve critical IT functions which cannot be carried out until the problem is resolved. Extra resources may have to be allocated to high priority calls, and the progress of these call needs to be closely monitored.

WarrantiesHardware equipment will often be covered by a warranty. In this case the vendor responsible for the warranty repairs can be contacted. In the case of failed hardware, it is important for you to find out the timeframe for repairs. This is particularly important when hardware needs to be ordered from a vendor and delays may occur. It may be necessary to consider temporary measures so that clients affected can perform their required tasks. In the case of software that has to be ordered, the time frame involved also needs to be ascertained.

TrainingIf training is needed, you will need to determine when can it be arranged. Some training is straightforward and can be provided in the short term, if suitable people are available to deliver the training. If more complex training is needed, delays may occur. Many organisations now make use of online learning. You will need to familiarise yourself with any online learning products available in your organisation.

DocumentationIt is important to document the issues you have found relating to the support issues raised by the client. You may be part of a large team, any of who may have to deal with the problem at some stage. It is unprofessional and a source of embarrassment when team members cannot easily inform the client of the status of their calls. Even if you are solely responsible for client support, documentation is superior to relying on your memory for details of client problems.

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Contacting the clientIf you are the support person who has been contacted by the help desk, You’ll need to contact the client soon after receiving their request from the help desk. You’ll also need to investigate and document the issues raised by the client.

The contact with the client may be just letting the client know that you’re on the way to see them at their workstation. As mentioned previously, non-complex client problems can be resolved quickly. The solution may be as simple as providing a short set of instructions, which the client can follow to fix their problem.

At other times, you may need to contact the client for other reasons, including the following situations:

If the problem is more complex, and likely to take time to resolve, the client needs to be informed of this.

You want to clarify with the client exactly what their needs are. To do that effectively, you’ll need good communication skills, including skills in active listening and reflective questioning.

You cannot meet the initial target completion date because of other competing deadlines and you want to re-negotiate the priority (or the completion date) with the client. Successful changes to completion dates come about through successful negotiations. This is the result of building up good client relations.

It is important for you to keep the client informed about the progress of their call. Frustration over delays in solving IT problems can be a major cause of concern to people. This frustration can be made worse by poor communication from IT support staff. As a result of your investigations, you should be able to inform the client about the nature of the solution. You should also be able to tell the client how long it will take to resolve the problem.

Clients can often make requests which they perceive as simple, but which are not easily carried out by IT support staff, as they involve excessive cost, or will result in a breach of organisational guidelines. In these circumstances, you will need to be able to explain to the client why it is not possible to carry out their requests. You should be able to suggest alternative actions, which will allow the client to perform the same tasks.

Obtaining client feedbackThere are a number of reasons why it is important for you to obtain client feedback. Is the solution you are proposing workable? Clients may be aware of issues which you have not considered, which may mean that your suggested solution will not be practical. These can be many and varied, but could include budgetary constraints, specific needs of clients such as clients with a disability, disruption of client access to IT systems, or loss of client data.

Listening to the clientWhat sort of questions will you ask your client?

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Activity 1:2 Listening and questioningLet’s say you are contacting a client for the first time as a support person. You have exchanged some initial polite conversation. What are some of the general types of questions that you would ask the client when trying to work out the source of a problem?

When you’re dealing with clients and colleagues, it’s vital that you listen carefully and respond appropriately. To do this, people often use the active listening technique.

Active listening occurs when you focus on the message you’re receiving from the other person, without thinking about what you want to say next. Your response to the sender is one that paraphrases what you’ve heard. That is, you summarise what you’ve heard, and say it back to the sender in your words. This ensures that you have understood the idea the sender wants to give you.

You can often tell if someone is really listening to you, if they are:

smiling

nodding

staying silent

making eye contact

using a friendly and interested tone of voice

encouraging you to continue

asking open questions

reflecting how you (the speaker) are feeling.

leaning towards you (the speaker).

Asking reflective questionsAs well as using active listening, you should be using reflective questioning. Here is an example:

Sally: I came back from holidays two days ago and just haven’t been able to send or receive messages. I know I typed in my correct password.Fiona: So you have not been able to use your email for two days now?

A reflective question allows the other person to correct and clarify any misunderstandings you may have about what is being said. If you echo back what a

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client has told you, the client then has a chance to either agree with you, or point out things you have left out or misunderstood.

Documenting client feedbackThe Help Desk Operator has given you a client’s request to attend to. The Help Desk Operator has filled in a few general details about the client request. It wasn’t possible to resolve the problem by telephone, so you need to investigate the problem further and record more details. You’ll need to contact the client to find out more.

You’ve seen an example of the initial details recorded at the help desk. The following is a sample of a form that a support person might use to record further information.

Client request

Data required: Entry

Name of support person:

Date and time client was contacted:

Alternate arrangements for client while problem is being solved:

Problem details (incl. nature and degree):

Date and time investigation of problem commenced:

Date and time overall system down:

Support required for resolution of problem:

Can problem be resolved by support person? (Provide details.)

External service required? (Provide details if ‘yes’.)

Purchase of parts required? (Provide details if ‘yes’.)

Date and time parts or service person arrived:

Date and time problem was solved:

Date and time of commencement of recovery action/configuring:

Date and time recovery action/configuring completed:

Date and time of restoration of normal service:

Name of staff who closed the incident:

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Resolving client’s problemsWhere possible, client’s problems should be resolved with minimum disruption to their work.

The time taken to resolve the problem may mean that IT functions which are important to the organisation will not be able to be carried out if equipment is not operational. In this case, some alternatives need to be considered, to allow the affected client to carry out their tasks.

Many organisations provide support remotely. Software can be installed by support staff using the organisation’s network. You may need to organise a suitable time for this to happen, to minimise disruption to the client.

If warranty repairs are to be performed a staff member may have to be present to provide access to the IT equipment to be repaired. You will have to make sure that someone will be available at this time. This will avoid delays and extra charges from vendors.

If training is to be provided, you will need to organise a suitable time. This is particularly important when clients need to attend group training sessions, which involve taking them away from their normal duties for extended periods of time.

Activity 1:3 Help desk softwareDownload the following help desk software, take some time to look at the features.

ACANOTION help desk software is a Microsoft Windows desktop software package. Download and install the demonstration version from the following link. You will be required to fill in your name and contact details. The download link will then be sent to your email address.

http://www.helpdesksoftware.com.au

The software allows you to log support calls and jobs for anything ranging from help desks to problem tracking with products and services.

Alternatively you can download a free demonstration of your choice of help desk software or investigate helpdesk software that be may used in your place of work, or any other application that is used for logging and tracking helpdesk calls.

Check Your UnderstandingI have learnt how to:

check for new problems logged by a client check previous logs for similar problems or requests from a client investigate and document the support issues affecting a client notify the client of the results of investigation and provide advice and

support on the findings obtain client feedback and make changes

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http://www.helpdesksoftware.com.au/

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