2.2 Submitting a Service Request

Basics​

Many IT Departments refer to a service request as a Help Ticket or a Trouble Ticket. Tickets are helpful documentation that serve as the backbone of the communications system within the IT Department and help it to work more efficiently.

You should know the following terms:

  • Help Ticket or Trouble Ticket
  • Information Technology Service Management (ITSM) systems
  • Knowledge Base

Tracking Service Requests

Information Technology Service Management (ITSM) systems, aka Help Ticket or Trouble Ticket systems, are most often associated with the Help Desk or Customer Service staff, but they can support much of the IT Department. The data they can track can be invaluable for making decisions to improve your department’s bottom line. The system can be a centralized location to document issues throughout the IT Department. 

There are many commercially available ITSM systems at different price points and with different features. It’s even possible to create your own using freely available software if you have someone in your department that is adept at creating and editing online forms and spreadsheets. Depending on the size of your department and the inventory of devices and products you support, there can be a return on investment that is worth purchasing a system with desired functionality that saves you time and effort.

Before purchasing or developing an ITSM system, the following points might be considered:

  • Is the system easy to access for all of your customers? For example, will some people want to submit tickets using a phone?
  • Can it support customer feedback?
  • Is the system easy to understand? Can you customize the submission form/process?
  • Does the system interface with your hardware and software inventory?
  • Is automation supported? For example, can certain types of requests be automatically assigned to a specific technician, department, or campus support personnel? 
  • Can different levels of access be provided to different types of information? For example, what information do entry-level technicians require compared to a director or supervisor?
  • Does the system interface well with or contain its own Knowledge Base (addressed later in this section)?
  • Is it easy to run reports? You may want to run reports to determine the efficiency of different products, to determine average response time, to monitor employee or department performance, to identify potential new services or discontinue others (see Service Level Agreements and Service Level Targets later).

Submitting a Request

How does your Department determine whether a service request ticket needs to be created or not? A ticket serves as a record of service needs or an issue that needs attention. General service ticketing best practices suggest that a ticket should be created if any of the following conditions exist:

  • A customer service representative or technician needs to perform a task;
  • An issue exists and a customer needs technology service or support; or
  • A record is needed to enable problem solving, analysis, and decision making.

You may not be required to submit a ticket if there is a good Knowledge Base article that addresses the request, but do consider whether creating a ticket that has been resolved through the Knowledge Base would be helpful information for making decisions about improving services.

Customers should understand they need to follow SOP and submit tickets rather than bypassing the system with emails, phone calls, or even personal visits. Sometimes you’ll need to tell them they need to submit a ticket if they haven’t already. Asking someone to submit a ticket is not disrespectful. It’s not shirking your job. It’s an important step in the overarching operations of the IT Department. IT staff should not be afraid to ask someone to submit a ticket, or help them submit a ticket, even if they know the request can be resolved relatively quickly.

Depending on the ITSM system you are using to track service requests, you should try to collect at least the following information.

  • The customer’s name and contact information;
  • A short description that summarizes the problem or service need;
  • Keywords or tags that can help categorize the request;
  • A detailed description with accurate information that describes the problem and/or service need as clearly as possible; and
  • When possible, include screenshots or additional information that might help reproduce any issue the customer is experiencing.

If staff members do have to submit a Service Request for someone else, they can keep the following tips in mind as they complete the request.

  • Provide as much accurate information as possible. They should use their knowledge of the Troubleshooting Model (addressed in another module) when gathering this information.
  • Record facts, not opinions.
  • Consider the system public. Only enter information that any customer would appreciate, as sometimes the customers may have the opportunity to read the contents of the ticket and get back in touch if they don’t like what you wrote or said.

Your Knowledge Base

In most Help Desks, Service Requests or Help Tickets are created for all requests unless there is an adequate article in a supporting Knowledge Base that can resolve the issue, and sometimes even then. A Knowledge Base is a document or series of documents that describe commonly known issues or problems with suggestions on how they can be diagnosed and resolved. 

The format of a Knowledge Base can vary as much as an ITSM system. They might be a simple document or website with a list of FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions), a searchable database, a series of documents in a folder on your network or website, or a combination of documents and other resources--some of which are provided by vendors who make the software, hardware, and networking resources your district has purchased. And “documents” can include anything from a text-based document to one that includes step-by-step directions with pictures and even videos.

A Knowledge Base can have different levels of access, to parts or the entire thing. They can be limited in access only to the IT Department; or it might be accessed publicly, perhaps by teachers, staff, and students while they’re on campus. Some might be open to the general public. One good reason for a public Knowledge Base is to help parents who want to better understand how to support their children when they are using technology resources your district provides. A public Knowledge Base with clear directions that are easy to follow can reduce the number of service requests your IT Department receives, thereby reducing costs.

In many IT Departments, members of the Help Desk team are sometimes responsible for updating or adding to the Knowledge Base. How are your IT staff supposed to report incorrect or newly discovered information about a Knowledge Base article? Do you have the level of access to actually update or create Knowledge Base articles yourself? There are new technologies and new issues that roll out almost on an ongoing basis. Staff members will periodically diagnose and resolve new issues or find improved methods for known issues. By allowing staff to update the Knowledge Base articles, the efficiency of the entire department can be improved.

If staff are allowed to update Knowledge Base articles, it should be done as accurately and in as professional a communications style as possible. Staff may require training or practice on creating or editing Knowledge Base articles. Templates can also be provided that include required information as well as optional but helpful information, including information that probably should not be included.

Here are additional resources you may find useful:

Complete the following task or self-assessment:

Find out how your department tracks service requests and answer the following:

  • How does your department currently track service requests?
  • Does your department use a home-grown ITSM system or has it purchased one?
  • Who is required to use the system, just the Help Desk staff or the entire department?
  • As you reflect on some of the questions for review, consider: does your ITSM system help staff in the IT department be as effective and efficient as possible?

The Knowledge Base is another important resource for Help Desk team members.

  • Who can access the Knowledge Base and how is it maintained?

Updating or contributing new Knowledge Base articles is a practical way to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of your IT Department, but staff have to have access and know the best strategies to do so.