End User Support: Guide

Posted by Unknown / at 17:25 / / 0 comments

Video Tutorial

Check list:

• Plan (L02.1), Install (L02.2) and configure (L02.3) at least one of the virtualization software tools of your choice and provide evidence of it.

• With the software installed in the previous step, plan (L03.2), create and configure (L03.3) at least two virtual machines (VM).  Select the different hardware components and justify (L03.1) your selection. Install and setup a guest operating system of your choice in every one of them (L02.2). Configure a small private network (L03.3) and provide IP connectivity from and to the VMs (L02.1) (L02.2) (L02.3).

• Install and/or configure a remote support software tool of your choice and provide evidence of your ability to provide remote support on those VMs (L02.1) (L02.2) (L02.3).

• Research, select and install an Incidence recording software tool of your choice in one of the VMs (L02.1) (L02.2). Simulate a couple of requests and record the incidents issuing a ticket (L01.3).

Proactive and Reactive approach

Posted by Unknown / at 16:09 / / 0 comments

Proactive approach

Proactive approach is the most effective way to eliminate or minimize end user problems. It is more about anticipating common end user issue and categorizing them in order to provide effective support to users by informing them beforehand.

The most common example of this is the log-in credentials. More than 60% of a common technical support desks have to deal with this issue, hence they introduced automated account (login credential) recovery systems.

Nevertheless, no matter how effective the automated system is, some users prefer human interaction to seek solution for their problems. This is one of the main reasons that reactive approach should not be neglected even if you are proactive about a problem also known as planning for the worse.

Reactive approach

This is the typical end user support practice. As the name explains, this practice is about responding to the user’s queries to solve it. For example, A customer calls the help desk to solve his issue with printing an excel worksheet. To this query the help desk personnel will respond with a set of questions to isolate the problem to one source. i. e software related problem/hardware (printer) related problem. Then the help desk staff proceeds with the appropriate solution.

My opinion

Even though most of the people prefer to be Proactive, in most of the scenarios it won’t be contributing in solving the user’s problem. On the other hand, Reactive approach seems to solve most of the problems; it is not an efficient method. i. e, users have to wait on the calling queue to speak to a support staff and the time of service delivery is not quite predictable. As of my opinion, a successful help desk should embrace the mixture of both proactive and reactive approach of customer support principles.