Top 5 techniques to reduce IT helpdesk tickets at Public Libraries

The provision of computing devices in public libraries has paved the way for these institutes to effectively serve the changing needs of their patrons and remain relevant in today's vastly digitized world. These digital devices facilitate instant access to a pool of digital information and are used for diverse purposes by the visitors and patrons.

The default downside of this technological transformation has been the increase in IT support requests. With hundreds of users operating the computers in public libraries, it is an everyday story for IT personnel to tackle the overwhelmingly long queue of IT service tickets. Managing such a multi-user computing environment is a cumbersome duty, to say the least, especially without sophisticated tools and processes in place. That being said, there are specific measures that are effective in addressing such situations. Mentioned below are five techniques that can help in reducing IT helpdesk tickets at public libraries:

1. Empower end users: It is quite common for the IT department of a public library to receive requests for resolving the same type of issues numerous times. Instead of handling every single request of this nature themselves, IT personnel should focus on empowering users by giving them the tools to solve common problems themselves. The tools, of course, will be under IT admin’s control but will be simple enough for end users to execute and resolve system issues. This saves both time and money, and patrons do not have to deal with systems downtime.

Such a tool can be backed-up by creating a searchable knowledge base with answers to the most common IT issues. It will enable visitors to use the tool more efficiently, which will soon reflect on the reduced number of help desk tickets being raised in the library. IT personnel will also be relieved of constantly addressing system issues and will be able to devote time to resolving problems of greater concern.

2. Keep an eye on data: In order to improve the process of IT ticket management, it is necessary to have a clear visibility across the current process. To measure the effectiveness of the process and the efficiency of the IT support staff in a public library, a set of Key Performance Indicators (KPI) need to be instituted. These should include important points such as:

• Average response time

• Average time for resolving each issue

• Number of unresolved tickets raised each month (on an average)

• Average ticket close rate

Once these questions have been answered, areas for improvement can be identified and necessary steps can be taken. For example, if the response time is long or the number of unresolved tickets is high,  resource reinforcement can be resorted to for addressing the problem.

3. Categorize support tickets: In order to effectively manage the load of helpdesk tickets, categorization of the requests is crucial. Segmenting service tickets by type allows the IT team to allocate resources quickly and more constructively.

In this regard, defining the categories clearly is critical for proper segmentation of the tickets. Tickets can be grouped into one or more categories. Some useful examples of these categories would be - by nature of the issue, by device type, and by priority. This allows the support team to gauge the urgency of each request and act accordingly. Cases are allocated to the IT personnel in a more streamlined manner. As a result, specific cases that deserve prompt redressal are attended to at the earliest. It also helps in creating reports that indicate the strengths and weaknesses of the current system and infrastructure, thus outlining possibilities for improvement.

4. Have automated workflows: The significance of automatic workflow extends much beyond eliminating the hectic task of scheduling and allocating the incoming support requests. Automation enables the IT department to manage the tickets queue more efficiently by eliminating the operational lag caused due to manual handling of allocation.

Automation can take various forms. Some specific examples would be:

• Sending an alert to the helpdesk administrator when a ticket is overdue

• Notifying an IT personnel that a ticket has been raised/assigned

• Prioritizing tickets on the basis of the details specified in the request.

Helpdesk workflow automation can simplify the job of the IT department immensely. It plays a crucial role in user experience as well. For example, sending immediate notifications to library patrons acknowledging their requests for assistance and apologizing for the inconvenience.

5. Empower the support staff: Equipping the library helpdesk staff with the right tools is imperative to ensure that the overloading of support tickets is tackled with efficacy. Restorative remediation measures are immensely helpful in this regard. Reboot to Restore software, for example, is increasingly gaining popularity due to its effectiveness in managing library computers. The technology allows end users to resolve system malfunctions by simply restarting the device. As the system reboots, the technology reverts it back to the optimum configuration defined by the IT admins. Doing so allows support staff to save time and resources that would otherwise be expended on manually resolving the issue.

Certain system restore software leveraging Reboot to Restore technology also allow IT admins to deploy, execute, and control applications and system updates remotely on library computers. As a result, IT staff can manage critical maintenance tasks directly from their console. This ensures that library devices always remain updated and available in optimum condition.

While technology has aided public libraries to keep up with the changing time and patron demands, it has added another layer of expenditure related to IT support and maintenance. Helpdesk workflow automation and the right system restore tools can help the library IT team reduce the volume of service tickets, thereby optimizing expenditure and enhancing patron experience.