Getting your help desk features list right can be overwhelming. There are a lot of tools and features to consider when it comes to help desk software. It is exciting to imagine how all the features will help you deliver the best customer experience.
However, the more the IT help desk features, the more complex it is. It is, therefore, better to sit down with your support agents and come up with an exact help desk features list you need. Brainstorm a list of all possible features, then prioritize each feature into a list of essentials.
To help you through this process, consider this essential help desk features list, to assist you know exactly what you need.
5 Must-have Features in a Help Desk Features List
Irrespective of your industry, there are a number of key features that every help desk software should have. This help desk features list contains the absolute features that your help desk software must-have.
It is essential to ensure that the help desk is easy for both your support agents and customers before you commit to it. A brand new IT help desk software will require adjustments, and moving the entire team is not always easy.
Customers can be impatient in navigating through help desk software. It is vital that they have access to a software that is convenient with an easy-to-use interface. A user-friendly interface is pleasant to use, efficient and speeds up adaptation.
As you make your final decision, consider the following:- Is the interface simple to use and intuitive?
- Can you easily find the options that your support agents will frequently use?
- Can you make changes quickly without contacting the administrator?
- Does the system load quickly?
Your help desk software will have a lot of confidential customer information and a lot of people accessing it. Compliance and security should therefore be a priority in your help desk features list.
Ensure that the software has role-based permissions that limit access to only those who need it. Encourage strong passwords for all users and two-factor authentication to prevent unauthorized access.
3.Efficient Ticket Managing and TrackingEfficiency is the foundation of every help desk software. The system should effectively monitor and organize active workloads, thus reducing resolution time and increasing your team's efficiency.
In analyzing the efficiency of your help desk, consider the following:
- How does the system present your active workload? Are the requests ordered logically, putting into consideration their priority? Is this information available at a glance?
- Are requests that need your approval, reassignment, or direct attention logically grouped for ease management? Do you need to dig through multiple screens to find this information?
- Can you easily reassign or escalate requests? Can you group requests with a common cause and maintain end-users in a single loop of the resolution process?
In a help desk software, so many requests and issues will be reappearing, again and again, most of which have been resolved before. A good help desk software should allow your team to share collective knowledge through a knowledge base. Such a knowledge base will significantly reduce resolution time and workload.
It should be easy to maintain, create articles, and search for relevant information. The information should also be easy to retrieve, either when a customer raises a request or an agent responds to the request.
5.Ease of Implementation and Quick SupportAn easy-to-implement help desk means that your team will spend less effort and time making the software work. The team will be focused on reaching your return on investment goals and maximizing adopting rate.
Most SMEs should be able to install, test, train staff, and go live within four weeks. If the time required is more, then you should think twice about your choice of help desk software.
Your help desk is the primary device for customer requests. Keeping your help desk running and ready to respond to customer requests quickly is critical. Bugs and downtimes will hurt, lead to low adoption rates and reduce the effectiveness of the system. Support should therefore be able to offer quick action when called upon.
Conclusion
You should ensure that your help desk features list contains all the must-haves so that it serves its purpose effectively. Once you have narrowed it down to a few options, it is best that you have a trial version or demo for your top few options. Your ideal option should be frictionless, leaving more effort and time to serving your customers.