Do you publish your Winuser console to all users to view their Helpdesk Tickets? Do you worry that they have access to 'Create a new incident' and 'Request access to a resource'? Have you wondered how you can change that without disrupting your current Helpdesk users and consoles, as well as countless hours of changing and testing security settings? Here's how, in a few easy steps, to modify this worrisome page.

For all of those mangers who want to know...this report will help give an overview of incidents for your different queues. It will return information that will allow management to review individual users who work within a specific queue (global parameter) over a period of time (global date parameters). I created this previously to allow management to review incidents completed over a date range for review/bonus purposes.

Those executives and directors have worked hard their whole life to reach the upper echelons of management. Isn't it only fair we reward them with the promptest of Helpdesk service? Most certainly it is!

Helpdesk Solution can be configured to capture reported issues electronically through e-mail or through special Web-based screens designed for end users to log an incident as well as to receive updates on all problems that they have reported. Once an issue is reported, it can be prioritized and routed to the right people who can solve the problem and report the success back to the users and management.

A frequent challenge of internal IT help desks is the customer who bypasses procedures and the tech support agent who allows it.Even in organizations where Service Level Agreements (SLAs) have been negotiated, customer expectations rarely conform to the SLAs. When an end user has a problem, they want it fixed, and fixed NOW! They don't think about SLAs.

The key is control. When help desk agents are able to guide the conversation and redirect customer frustration, the agent experiences less stress and more mastery over the call, call time is typically shorter and the customer experiences a higher level of satisfaction. In addition, customers can be more easily coached in using self help to resolve future issues.

Managing stress is an essential job skill for the successful help desk professional. Typically help desk agents experience burnout from two sources: 1) repetitive routine requests, and 2) frustrated customers. The combination can lead to stress, unless the help desk personnel manage their responses well. The following are stress-busting ideas to help keep calm and maintain perspective.

The temptation in scheduling training for help desks, especially technical help desks, is to place all emphasis on technical skills and either ignore training in customer contact skills, or delay it until we have a budget for it.

The technical support desk faces special challenges that differ from other customer service functions. From hiring, finding the right help desk training, to organizational challenges, the tech support manager has special concerns.