By Jo Blitz Escotal
CEO
Escotal.com
- Communication: The ability to have excellent verbal communication skills so you can make your customers understand what you are providing in helping them solve their problems. Avoid jargon and slang and tell them what is going on in terms they can understand.
- Customer Service: Have a passion and desire to really help people solve their problems. Integrate technologies such as an automated ticketing system or even an AI chatbox that can help you streamline your services better while improving and focusing on problem-solving.
- Learning: The ability to know your product and service that you are providing service for so that when your customers call you, you can be quickly solved their issues and provide answers to their questions. The never-ending process of always learning is what really motivates me to be the best help desk person I can become. Also, there are some of the Best online courses available on platforms such as Skillshare, which seems helpful for people like me who wish to acquire the necessary skills for a help desk position.
- Troubleshooting: The ability to troubleshoot, problem solve, and conflict resolution. Remember you are being called because there is a problem and it is your job to fix that problem. If you can’t, then it might end up in a negative review for your company. Thankfully, there are online reputation management companies these days that could help manage your brand’s image. However, it’s best if it doesn’t have to get to that point.
- Handle Pressure: The ability to work well under pressure. Customers are freaking out, and the world is coming to the end, it is your job to be calm and keep your customers at ease so that things will work out regarding their problems. Most of the employers may ensure that you have such skills before hiring, along with perhaps asking for a police clearance certificate to check if you have past records of harassment or verbal abuse. This helps them decide if you are a perfect fit for a help desk job since you need to be a cool-minded person to do this job effectively.
- Teamwork: The ability to work on teams is very important! You might be a level 1 help desk and you are dealing with incidents, however, when it becomes a problem you must escalate and must give detailed analysis so your team member can fix the problem quickly. You are the bridge between fixing things ASAP and escalating if root cause analysis is needed. Being part of a team is a great feeling because you will support each other.
- Be Positive: You must be positive and have a great attitude, be able to adapt quickly and make sure you instill confidence when your customers call you. If your panicking there panicking if your calm they will become calm. If you answer with a bad attitude even if you are on the phone your customers will feel it.
- Integrity: It always great to be honest and not mislead your clients. If the job is going to take 2 hours let them know. I am always up front with my clients. I will always them the most realistic scenario to fix their issues. What customers do not like is when you flat out lie so that you can get them off the phone this drives customers mad. Do the right thing and everything will fall into place.
- Listening: Listening skills are one of the most important skills in the help desk. Customers will lie or not understand that a key detail might be missing when there calling you up. I once told a customer to press any key and they answered me back with where is the any key button? Do not laugh, it is your job to fix their problems and there is no such thing as a stupid question. The key here is the ability to listen so you can fix there problems.
- Have a sense of Urgency: You must be quick and have the ability to solve issues quickly and correctly. Your customers will appreciate it and when it comes to KPI key performance indicators your customer satisfaction rating will go up. I prefer right over speed but if you can do both it will be to your advantage.
Use a KISS method “Keep it short and simple” approach in help desk troubleshooting.
Super Important “Never take things personally you’re the 1st line of defense this is very important! You set the tone or perception how your organization will be viewed.
First when you get the call be calm, listen and analyze what issues your customers are calling you about.
Second eliminate the user as the problem
Third eliminate the hardware as the issue
Fourth eliminate the software as the issue
Fifth document everything and cover your behind make sure you have the ticket number and enough documentation notes to solve what your customer is calling you about. The best feeling is when I tell my customers is there anything else have I solve your issues and they take time out to give you the best review which will help your KPI and help your organization run efficient!