Help Desk Technician job description highlights the responsibilities and skills of people who provide technical support on how to use computer systems, hardware, and software. The job of the Help Desk Technician entails assisting customers by asking questions to assist in deciding how to handle their problems. The customers are assisted via phone, remotely, or in person.
Help Desk Technicians work in information technology departments, contact centres, and technical support organizations. Professional growth for a help desk technician highly depends on their special education, qualification and skills. After accumulating experience, they can advance to a system administrator or network administrator post. Some Help Desk Technicians may be self-employed, working as independent contractors for companies that require help desk service.
A good Help Desk Technician must have good technical knowledge. They must communicate effectively, comprehend the problem, and provide solutions. Help desk technicians must also be customer-oriented and patient to cope with challenging customers.
To be a successful Help Desk Technician, you must have computer system configuration, setup, and maintenance expertise. One should also have excellent communication and interpersonal abilities. They must also have experience with various communication channels and be able to interact with the customer.
Related: Job Description for Customer Service Representative
Help Desk Job description: Overall Purpose of the Job
Offers technical help to users by assisting them by answering queries, debugging problems, and providing solutions to their problems.
Help Desk Job description: Primary duties
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- Provides technical assistance to users by answering phone calls and emails from clients.
- Resolves hardware and software issues directed to the help desk by troubleshooting
- Configures computer systems for clients by installing the required software.
- Identifies and resolves network issues by diagnosing problems.
- Offers technical support for applications and software by providing solutions whenever called.
- Keeps accurate records of all help desk interactions by maintaining documentation of all received inquiries.
- Ensures optimal performance of computer systems and networks by conducting regular maintenance.
- Trains users on new hardware or software systems by developing training material suited to each user group.
- Stays up-to-date with the latest technology trends and developments by researching and attending training sessions.
- Collaborates with other IT staff to resolve complex issues by sharing solutions.
- Creates documentation for common technical issues by recording issues received and solutions for future reference.
- Resolves all help desk tickets on time by following agreed turnaround times per agreed service level agreements.
- Prepares to train users by developing training content and training manuals;
- Educates customers in operating systems and software applications by conducting training;
- Seeks assistance for unsolved cases by escalating them to the next level;
- Forwards customers' opinions and suggestions to the appropriate internal staff by recording them and emailing them to the appropriate staff.
Related: The Benefits Of Working As A Call Centre Customer Service Agent
Help Desk Job Description: Educational Qualifications
- A bachelor's degree in computer science, information technology, or a related discipline is required as it provides the much-needed foundation of knowledge in the field;
- 1 year of experience working in a help desk environment is required.
Help Desk Job description: Experience Required
- Practical experience in detecting and fixing fundamental technical problems is necessary to identify and solve similar problems;
- Experience with support desk software and remote-access technologies is required to assist customers using remote-access technologies.
Help Desk Job description: Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, and Other Characteristics (KSAO)
Knowledge
- Excellent knowledge of computer systems, mobile devices, and other technological products is required to assist customers when they come with different issues;
- Knowledge of advanced computer hardware systems is required to troubleshoot issues and develop solutions;
- Knowledge of MAC and IOS computers is required to solve an unlimited number of support incidents for hardware and software diagnosis and provide troubleshooting;
Skills
- Excellent customer service skills are required to interact with the customer in a respectful and understanding manner;
- Verbal and written communication skills are required to not only converse with customers and internal staff but to read, understand and respond to them;
- Good organization skills are required to keep Help desk tickets in order;
- Problem-solving skills are required to prepare strategies and put them in place to assist the customers;
Abilities
- The ability to work a range of shifts with short notice is required to cover shifts that will be empty;
- The ability to be detail-oriented is required to keep detailed notes on tickets;
- The ability to tolerate high-stress levels is required to function in high-stress conditions while maintaining a low-risk tolerance.
Other Characteristics
- Patience and comprehension are required to deal with difficult customers;
- Customer service orientation is essential to operate more efficiently and enhance connections with customers and colleagues;
Conclusion
The help desk Job description highlights the essential roles and responsibilities of people assisting clients with IT-related support issues. It also reveals the experience and qualifications they need to tackle the roles and responsibilities.
Natasha Chimphondah is an organizational development consultant at Industrial Psychology Consultants (Pvt) Ltd, a business management and human resources consulting firm.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natasha-chikondi-chimphondah-9b62a9159/
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Email: natasha@ipcconsultant.com
Main website: www.ipcconsultants.com
