Help desks have moved away from just the traditional domain of the customer call center, largely due to innovations in IT and reduced costs of hardware and software. Customer services are moving in house, where they can be managed more readily given the complexity of IT services and the need to ensure that computer services are operating at maximum potential. For that to happen, however, critical systems also have to be managed in house.

Industry experts agree that the most effective way to operate a help desk involves the essential elements of advance planning, better employee training, and the best software tools available on the market. When help desks do not employ all of these elements, efficiency is reduced and companies may find that a great deal of employee time is spent simply reacting to problems as they develop rather than taking a proactive approach to resolving difficulties before they ever occur. However, one size does not fit all when it comes to managing help desk issues. Different companies have taken different approaches to resolving help desk issues and each of them has found solutions to different company-specific problems. The important issue to consider in all cases is quality of service and how best to achieve a high quality of service.

Upgrading outdated help desk software can be expensive or even impossible, if the technology is no longer supported. Sometimes the only alternative is replacement with a current software application, and many companies are finding that doing so is well worth the costs involved both in terms of functionality and return on investment. Companies have reported huge cost savings and substantially improved service levels as the result of purchasing updated help desk software packages.

The advantage of connecting end users to the help desk through a Web browser is that both employees and customers can find many of the solutions to their own problems, freeing up help desk personnel to pursue more complicated questions that really need their attention.

When a user needs help, he or she can submit a "service request" to the IT department, requesting assistance. A service request will go through various phases. As an example, we bring a possible life-cycle of a service request. Different cycles are possible, depending on the methodology used.

Good help desk software should be easy and quick to integrate. First (if using an in-house solution), the help desk software will be installed on a server in the organization's network. Some organizations will already be running databases, which the help desk software might connect to. Other organizations might use built-in databases provided by the software.

Those looking to break into the IT industry -- whether they are recent college graduates or entry-level professionals, or are transitioning from another profession -- often have the same initial question: Where do I start? The concern is legitimate. The first steps you take as you launch your career in the technology field play a role in establishing the professional path you ultimately take. It's also necessary to build a solid foundation of skills and experience early on so you can prepare yourself for additional responsibilities and advancement opportunities down the road.

Socrates died in 399 BC, of Hemlock poisoning. He drank it after being sentenced to death for the crime of corrupting the youth. Times have changed, and today he would be given his own radio show. Before his trial, Socrates was most well known for asking questions. He questioned everyone on every topic, particularly his students. He was usually surrounded by a horde of young men who sought to learn from him. Whenever they asked him about any subject -- virtue, ethics, even geometry -- he insisted the inquirers already knew the answers and would proceed to ask question after question until they arrived at the truth. Many trainers today find this approach to be a very effective method of teaching. It's much easier for students to remember what they discover than what they are told.

With the advent of Internet technology, it is now feasible to provide effective and efficient helpdesk service over the global Internet to meet customers' requirements and satisfaction. .

The help desk and user support industry has, over the last ten years, risen to prominence as one of the most important areas of the IT and customer services industry. However, it has also become clear that not all help desks have the same requirements, and help desks operating in academic environments find themselves with distinct circumstances and problems. Drawing on research published by the author, and a comprehensive review of recent literature and input from practitioners, addresses these issues which distinguish the help desk in academia.