NetworkTigers on the role of a help desk support technician in network administration and management.
“Have you tried turning it off and then on again?” These are the dreaded words no one wants to hear, and a help desk support technician will be able to guide you past. When a client or customer has an IT issue, their first call or chat will be with a help desk support technician, who should be able to offer them specialized support that goes beyond a simple Google search. Help desk support technicians have a unique blend of soft skills and technical know-how, making them valuable additions to any network administrator team. What does it take to think like a help desk support technician facing a challenge? What are the strategies and mindset that a help desk support technician brings to their role?
Specialized customer service skills
Any system can have a bug, and most clients won’t know how to fix the problem when they come up against it. Therefore, help desk support technicians are first and foremost customer service representatives. Their main priority will be offering simple workarounds or straightforward explanations for problems that their clients face. A help desk support technician is not necessarily concerned with creating the patch or software fix but focuses on its day-to-day application. Help desk support technicians think on their feet and address network problems. They often have specialized customer service skills. Those who thrive on setting up older relatives’ WiFi or fixing tech problems for friends might be well-suited for a career as a help desk support technician.
What sets help desk support technicians apart from other areas of IT are these soft skills or interpersonal communication techniques. Help desk support technicians are primarily in outward-facing roles, meaning they need the ability to liaise with customers and consumers in a friendly, personable manner. They may be asked to communicate via online chat, phone, or in person. They may be tasked with using remote access technology like screen shares to solve problems or talk customers through a fix without ever seeing the issue. Because of this, they need cool tempers and a deep well of patience.
Relevant education
Help desk support requires the ability to work with customers who are not educated on the inner workings of a network and alongside Desktop Support Engineers and Network Managers. Because of this, 48% of Help Desk Specialists in the US have a bachelor’s degree, often in a relevant field like a BS in Computer Science. An additional 35% have secondary qualifications like an Associate’s Degree. Some may work remotely or freelance, while others are in-office positions.
First line of defense
Help desk support technicians have some crossover with IT support but may escalate more complicated problems to network managers or IT. A help desk support technician is the first line of defense for customer issues, not the final answer. They might address problems like:
- Forgotten passwords
- Frustrated customers
- First-level determination on software issues
- Minor hardware issues and repair
- Documenting recurring system bugs
- Linus, Windows, and macOS troubleshooting
- Cloud computing
- Network administration
- Updating service issue tickets
- Documenting fixes
Record keeping and maintenance
Keeping accurate records of service tickets is critical to thinking like a help desk support technician. Doing so ensures uniform compliance, tracks common issues, and can even catch security threats before they can worm their way further into the system. Record keeping is usually done through service tickets and maintaining client files and may involve some knowledge of company software. Knowing why and how you have solved an issue is one area of help desk support, but properly documenting the fix and flagging when and where it may come up again helps keep the entire technical support team strong.
Think like a help desk support technician: scenario
Imagine multiple customers calling to report that they received emails purporting to come from your company about a data leak. The emails all ask them to click on a link to change their passwords, but when the customers try to do so, it redirects them to a different website. They get frustrated, and thinking that their accounts have been compromised, they call your company for help.
A help desk support technician will answer these questions for customers. They will be the ones to recognize this phishing attempt and can document and provide support for affected clients. They may be able to verify clients’ identities and secure their login credentials. By keeping accurate records of similarities in a scam, they may be able to outline the scope of the attack and escalate the matter to network administrators, who can ensure that this malware is not coming from an internal address. Knowing when to escalate and what details are relevant can save the company thousands when time is of the essence from an ongoing cybersecurity threat. Managing customer experiences can help mitigate the damage and ensure the company’s reputation remains strong.
The strengths of a successful help desk support technician
Help desk support technicians are boots-on-the-ground problem solvers who ensure clients remain satisfied with the user experience. Because of this, they have to be detail-oriented network professionals while also being able to provide compassionate customer care and clear communication. Their soft skills make them valuable assets, while their company software and troubleshooting training ensures that they can save IT and network administrators time and attention for more specialized problems and threats.
Most customers will never see the entire inner workings of your system design and administration. They will likely only interact with the help desk support technician, who represents the company’s mindset and attitude while swiftly solving problems and keeping accurate records of bugs, issues, and risks. A successful help desk support technician can help build customer loyalty while suggesting possible improvements to existing systems. Strong help desk support teams are a vital part of any network infrastructure.
About NetworkTigers
NetworkTigers is the leader in the secondary market for Grade A, seller-refurbished networking equipment. Founded in January 1996 as Andover Consulting Group, which built and re-architected data centers for Fortune 500 firms, NetworkTigers provides consulting and network equipment to global governmental agencies, Fortune 2000, and healthcare companies. www.networktigers.com.
