What is Help desk in Facility Management Software?

A Help desk is a component of facility management software that provides assistance and support for users who have queries related to a product or service.

Help desk is the central point of contact for logging calls and complaints, creating work orders, setting work priorities, assigning assignments, tracking work progress, and is responsible for organizing and resolving issues to support requests such as maintenance, repairs, cleaning, etc.

Help desk helps to manage work requests from submission to resolution easily. 

Some of the benefits of using Help desk are:

•  It improves the effectiveness and quality of FM service delivery by reducing response time and functional costs.
•  It enhances the client experience and satisfaction by furnishing timely, substantiated, and professional support.
•  It increases the translucency and responsibility of FM performance by tracking and reporting crucial criteria and pointers.
•  It supports the nonstop enhancement and invention of FM processes and practices by furnishing data- driven perceptivity and feedback.

Features of Help desk in FM Software

Ticket management:

• One of the core features of a Help desk software for FM is ticket operation, which allows users to create, update, and close tickets. A ticket is a record of a specific FM problem or need, such as a broken window, a dense gate, or a dirty carpet. A Help desk software can capture tickets from sources, similar as dispatch, phone, web, or mobile app, and automatically classify them based on their type, urgency, position, and other criteria.
• A Help desk software can also assign tickets to the applicable staff or contractor, based on their vacancy, chops, and workload. A Help desk software can track the status and progress of each ticket and send announcements and monuments to the involved parties. 
• A Help desk software can also enable guests to view and rate the resolution of their tickets and give feedback and suggestions for enhancement.  
• Help desk also allocates, escalates and postpones tickets. 
  • Allocation is when a particular task or ticket is assigned to a specific employee. It is crucial to workflow management.
  • Escalation is the process in which tickets are moved or reassigned to a different employee, mostly of better experience and expertise, for faster resolution of issues. If the ticket is not resolved within the set target time, a notification is automatically sent to the admin.
  • Postponement is when there is a delay or rescheduling of the resolution of a ticket due to reasons like lack of resources or unforeseen circumstances.  It notifies the person who raised the ticket through E-mail about the delay. 

Communication and collaboration:

• Another crucial point of a Help desk software is communication and collaboration, which enables users to communicate and unite effectively and efficiently. 
• A Help desk software can grease internal communication and collaboration among users, by furnishing tools similar as converse, videotape call, train sharing, and document editing.   
• A Help desk software can also grease external communication and collaboration with guests, by furnishing tools similar as dispatch, SMS, voice call, and social media. 

Knowledge base and FAQ:

• A third point of a Help desk software is knowledge base and FAQ, which provides access to applicable information and coffers for users.
• A knowledge base is a depository of papers, attendants, primers, vids, and other accoutrements that explain how to perform tasks and procedures, such as how to fix a light bulb, how to clean a carpet, or how to use a security system.  
• A Help desk software can produce and modernize a knowledge base and a FAQ grounded on the collected tickets, feedback, and analytics. A Help desk software can also make the knowledge base and the FAQ hunt accessible for FM users, by using features like keywords, markers, orders, and pollutants.

Reporting and analytics:

• A fourth point of a Help desk software for FM is reporting and analytics, which generates and displays data and perceptivity on FM performance and client satisfaction.
• A Help desk software can collect and dissect data from sources, similar as tickets, feedback, checks, etc., and produce reports and dashboards that show crucial criteria and pointers, similar as response time, resolution time, service quality, client standing, and cost.
• A Help desk software can also give perceptivity and recommendations for perfecting FM processes and practices, by using features similar to trends, patterns, marks, and prognostications.
• A Help desk software can also customize and partake the reports and analytics with different stakeholders, similar as FM directors, staff, contractors, and guests, by furnishing features similar as pollutants, maps, graphs, and cautions.

Other features of Help desk are: 

• Service Level Assignment: Service level assignment is the process assigning the types and standards of services that are offered. Service level assignment helps settings clear expectations for the Help desk team. It also helps to track and improve Help desk performance and quality of service.
• Email Services: Email services convert any email, chat, phone call or SMS into tickets for the ticketing systems. It can also send automated responses, set due dates and categorize tickets.
• Security: Security protects the Help desk and its customers from cyber-attacks, unauthorized access, data breaches, and other threats. Security also involves measures such as authentication, authorization, encryption, firewalls, antivirus, backup, and recovery. 
• Multilingual Adaptation: Help desk provides support in different languages to accommodate the preferences and needs of the client. Multilingual adaptation can involve techniques such as translation, localization and interpretation.
• Customer Reports: These are reports that the Help desk generates to provide insights into various aspects like customer feedback, satisfaction, loyalty, retention, complaints, and referrals.
• Distribution Report: This is a report that the Help desk uses to record and manage the transactions and expenses involved in delivering the products or services to the customers. Distribution reports can include information such as order details, delivery status, inventory levels, shipping costs, and distribution channels.
• Performance Report: This is a report that the Help desk uses to present and analyze its work performance data, such as key performance indicators (KPIs), metrics, goals, objectives, and progress.
• Custom Roles: This feature allows the assignment of different permissions for technicians, supervisors, managers, and administrators, this ensures that only authorized agents can view, edit, delete, approve or close tickets.

Help desk is a module that is available on Facility management software like Spectra Desk