Help Desk Manager
Job Overview
The Help Desk Manager oversees a team of helpdesk technicians across multiple sites, supporting employees from all business functions. In addition to acting as an escalation resource, the Help Desk Manager ensures that the Help Desk runs smoothly, and that employees experience minimal disruption. System monitoring, real-time and off-hour troubleshooting, and system maintenance and upgrades are ongoing responsibilities. This position oversees policies and procedures, and training and support of the Help Desk team, and tracking KPIs and related reporting.
Organizational Impact
The Help Desk Manager plays a critical role in ensuring that an organization's IT infrastructure runs smoothly. The impact of this job on an organization can be significant, including:
- Improved productivity: The Help Desk Manager ensures that employees have access to the technology they need to do their jobs. By resolving technical issues quickly and efficiently, the Help Desk Manager can help employees stay productive and focused on their work.
- Enhanced customer satisfaction: The Help Desk Manager is often the first point of contact for customers who have technical issues. By providing excellent customer service and resolving issues quickly, the Help Desk Manager can help improve customer satisfaction and loyalty.
- Reduced downtime: Technical issues can cause significant downtime for an organization, which can be costly in terms of lost productivity and revenue. The Help Desk Manager plays a critical role in minimizing downtime by quickly resolving technical issues and implementing preventative measures to avoid future problems.
- Improved security: The Help Desk Manager is responsible for ensuring that an organization's IT infrastructure is secure. By implementing security protocols and educating employees on best practices, the Help Desk Manager can help prevent data breaches and other security incidents.
- Cost savings: By efficiently managing the help desk function, the Help Desk Manager can help an organization save money on IT support costs. This can be achieved through effective resource allocation, streamlined processes, and proactive problem-solving.
Key Systems
- Help desk software (e.g. Zendesk, Freshdesk, ServiceNow)
- Customer relationship management (CRM) software (e.g. Salesforce, HubSpot)
- Project management software (e.g. Asana, Trello, Jira)
- Communication tools (e.g. email, chat, video conferencing)
- Reporting and analytics tools (e.g. Excel, Google Analytics)
Inputs
- User requests and inquiries
- Technical issues and incidents
- Service level agreements and performance metrics
- Knowledge base and documentation
- Team communication and collaboration
Outputs
- Efficient and effective resolution of technical issues reported by end-users
- Timely and accurate documentation of reported issues and their resolutions
- Coordination and supervision of Help Desk staff to ensure smooth operations
- Regular reporting and analysis of Help Desk performance metrics to identify areas for improvement
- Development and implementation of policies and procedures to enhance Help Desk operations and customer satisfaction.
Activities
-Manage the help desk staff (employees and external contractors) and evaluate performance -Triage incoming support requests and assign to appropriate team members
-Oversee the onboarding and initial technology training of new employees
-Ensure customer service is timely and accurate
-Analyze and perform advanced maintenance and repairs of personal computer hardware, software, and peripherals for enterprise customers, including remote users and sites
-Recruit, train and support help desk representatives and technicians
-Oversee the PC life cycle – forecasting, purchasing, imaging, deploying, migrating, and retiring
-Maintain current knowledge of Windows 10, MacOS, and Office 365
-Experience with EDR tools such as Microsoft Defender for Endpoints (MDE) and/or Carbon Black
-Support and troubleshoot video conferencing issues (Teams, Zoom, etc.) on PCs and in conference room environments
-Active Directory administration of individual and group accounts
-Maintaining accurate and up-to-date equipment inventory and configuration details
-Support software asset management including license compliance and configuration management, packaging and imaging by leveraging tools such as Microsoft SCCM and Intune.
-Tracks all software licensing and responds to audit inquiries regarding software licensing
Recommended Items
- Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for Help Desk operations
- Incident Management and Request Fulfillment processes
- Knowledge Management system for capturing and sharing technical solutions
- Performance metrics and reporting templates for Help Desk team
- Training materials and resources for Help Desk staff development
Content Examples
- User manuals for software and hardware systems
- Troubleshooting guides for common issues
- Knowledge base articles for frequently asked questions
- Training materials for new help desk staff
- Reports on help desk performance and ticket resolution times
Sample Event-Driven Tasks
- Respond to customer inquiries and complaints via phone, email, or chat
- Assign tickets to appropriate team members based on skillset and workload
- Monitor ticket queue and ensure timely resolution of issues
- Conduct regular performance evaluations and provide feedback to team members
- Collaborate with other departments to identify and resolve recurring issues
Sample Scheduled Tasks
- Review and update help desk policies and procedures on a quarterly basis
- Conduct weekly team meetings to discuss ongoing issues and upcoming projects
- Monitor and analyze help desk metrics to identify areas for improvement and report findings to upper management on a monthly basis
- Schedule and conduct regular training sessions for help desk staff to ensure they are up-to-date on new technologies and best practices
- Coordinate with other departments to ensure timely resolution of escalated issues and maintain positive working relationships with stakeholders.
Sample Infill Tasks
- Monitor and analyze help desk performance metrics to identify areas for improvement
- Develop and implement training programs for help desk staff to improve customer service skills and technical knowledge
- Collaborate with other departments to ensure timely resolution of complex technical issues
- Manage the escalation process for high-priority or sensitive customer issues
- Conduct regular performance evaluations and provide feedback to help desk staff to improve their performance and productivity