Typically, the term is used for centralized help to users within an enterprise. A related term is call center, a place that customers call to place orders, track shipments, get help with products, and so forth.

Recent years show an increasing interest in building of centralized IT services. This is the main task for a wide range of companies in domain of IT independently of their size. Experience of many years had proven that use of help desk, call center and CRM solutions play an important role in communication between IT specialists and customers. Used mainly to receipt phone calls and give quick advices to help customers help desk software can also serve as a base of information and personal data of customers. List of frequently asked questions can help the organization and IT specialists develop new upgraded technologies and react fast on already existing bugs. Collected data about IT users can help organization follow the needs on market.

To remedy such problems, companies have begun purchasing microcomputer and client/server software that helps small teams of employees function as internal support centers that solve common problems. Typically, these groups are part of a corporate MIS department; additionally, they may take on noncomputer functions, such as answering questions about company policy.

The web browser access to the helpdesk means that a technician may access the call logs to update or receive new work from any where on the network. With remote dial up access or VPN access over the Internet they may also gain access when at remote sites, at home or even on the move.

A program like Outlook works great for one person, always in the same location. But what if you have more than one person handling customer emails? Maybe you as a manager want to check what your support staff wrote. Maybe you have diverse teams that share the responsibility of handling customer support.

Researching and deciding on a help desk software program can be a daunting task. You should first decide what specific issues your company needs help with and then consider what will best support your customers accordingly. If you own a small business, a free help desk software package might be a good option. Make sure you understand the limitations on users and on the number of trouble tickets available with free programs. If you have a large or expanding business, take a look at the many online help desk software reviews that are available. Reading consumer reviews of the various products can give you a better idea of whether the particular program will be a good fit with your company's and your customers' needs.

There are 2 ways of configuring Polar Help Desk to achieve functionality described in "The problem" section of this guide. First solution is to use different template for each type of question while second solution is to assign one person to be the incident dispatcher so he would receive all incident notifications and assign them to the appropriate support representatives.

Customers can either find solution to their problems on their own or submit tickets for requests that need immediate resolution. You can veiw the tickets by logging in to the system and then reply to them. In addition, you would be able to track all correspondence and action taken for the ticket so that you can use the information for future reference and analysis. Certain web-based PHP solutions provide features such as live chat and ability to customise the knowledge base or FAQ. This helps in making your helpdesk more dynamic and complimentary to your web site.

If in doubt consult a software professional for advice. Ideally create a helpdesk think tank within your organization to determine your needs. This will help ensure that the software vendor gets a clear picture of all the areas the help desk software will have to cover in your case.

In your search for freeware, keep your eye open for links that claim to be free while offering only a free trial version for a fixed time period. In addition, keep in mind the required useful features, administrator and user functions and whether you need multi-operator support. If your business does not require multiple operators, avoid going for complex software that provide features such as unlimited operators. Similarly, if your website does not support PHP, avoid selecting PHP ticket systems. Choose a web-based tool if you want your software to be accessible from any where.