Help desk vs Service Desk? Do you know the difference?
It was a few years ago when the ITIL® purist in me would have argued the difference between a help desk service desk that are two completely different entities.At this point, It is inclined to believe that the distinction is more semantic than anything else and the debate on the difference between the two. However, there are some who argue that a help desk and a service desk are not the same. In this article, I will explore the differences and similarities between these two types of desks.At the end of the day, it is up to you and your organization to decide what to call the function that provides access to your ITservices.
We will begin with a brief discussion of the most common definitions of help desks and service desks, followed by some examples and tips on how to select the right solution for your business which is a service management solution the business.
What is a help desk tool?
Ahelp desk tool is a software application that helps organizations manage customer requests and issues. It includes a ticketing system to track and resolve customer problems, as well as a knowledge base of solutions to common issues. Help desk tools also provide a way for customers to submit new requests and track the status of their existing ones.
Key features of the Help Desk include: Best practices for choosing help desk and service desk
● IThelp desk focuses and is typically considered tactical in nature, with the primary goal of assisting end users with their immediate needs and technical issues desk is “the single point reactive in nature, but is expected to be efficient and speedy. In order to improve the overall customer service of the organization, the IT help desk can
be a separate operation or part of a larger service request management.
● Providing ITsupport through a single point of contact and managing incidents and service requests.
● All incoming incidents should be tracked using a tracking solution like a typical service desk manages incidents
● Tracking, routing, and email notification of tickets automatically and handles communication with the users.
● Management of basic incident and service request management.
● The help desk provides (limited) integration with other ITSM practices, such as configuration management and knowledge management.
● There are some areas/applications that are supported by speciality groups other than the help desk
● Assisting with the provision of Levels 1 and 2 support and escalating incidents as necessary
● Providing end users with basic self-service options support for incident and service.
Who might benefit from the high-quality service of the help desk? It is likely that a help desk manages incidents and service, as well as basic change management capabilities.This is a sensible and cost-effective option for smaller, less complex organizations whereas a service desk is just the other way round from a help desk solution.
help desk as a part of small and medium scale organisations we work with are barely scratching the surface on utilizing the capabilities of the toolset they have purchased and implemented for IT service management. Rather than investing in a full-blown service desk operation solution, these businesses could have saved considerable cash and reaped the same rewards with a simple help desk solution. Integrated services of dedicated help desk help in creating ideas to help you create better customer management software.
What is service desk software?
ITservice desks are generally more strategic and cross-organizational functions. Instead of focusing solely on resolving the user's needs, the service desk considers the wider business context and needs. The service desk focuses more on strategies and business planning to deliver high-quality service to the customers.
The service desk solution defines the service desk (service operation) as the single point of contact between service providers and users. Service desks manage incidents and service requests and communicate with users. In addition to offering help desk software services with Desku, the service desk is responsible for improving IT and business processes across the organization.All ITprocesses, including the help desk, should be run as efficiently as possible by the best service desks.
Key features of the Service Desk include: Service Desk vs Help Desk
We are much clear with the difference between the service desk and help desk definition.This article is about understanding the difference between a service desk and a help desk. We all know what's the difference between a help desk and a service desk that helps in escalating the business. Some service desk approaches are:
● It integrates with another working process.
● Providing support for all IT areas, applications, and business processes
● Monitoring compliance with service level agreements (SLAs)
● Aself-service capability for incident and service requests, integrated with a service catalogue
● The service desk is built for CMDB integration and communication.
Things to consider while choosing between the help desk and the service desk are much clear as of now! The service desk might not be useful to
most of the company sectors but are useful to those who are into service delivery and are service desk help component.
Help Desk vs Service Desk: What is the difference?
● The service desk was an evolution of the help desk, born out of the ITSM best practice framework and based on the underlying concept of “managing ITas a service.”
● Help desks originated from IT-centricity (mainframe computing), while service desks emerged from ITservice-centricity (the above-mentioned ITIL-based approach to delivering IT as a service).
● Many will say that a help desk provides help, while a service desk provides service, i.e. with a service desk, there's an emphasis on providing a service to end users.
● Service desks are there to assist with not only break-fix (what ITIL calls incident management) but also service requests (requests for new services) and information requests (such as "how do I do X?"). However, there is no reason why a help desk cannot also provide these additional capabilities (aside from IT terminology trends).
● Help desks were added to existing IT activities, whereas service desks are part of a service-based IT service delivery and ITsupport ecosystem centred around the service lifecycle. That's probably why in ITILthe term service desk was used instead of the help desk.
● ITILexperts will say that a help desk is tactical, while a service desk is strategic. Organizations will, of course, differ in this regard.
● Ahelp desk might be considered as offering a subset of service desk capabilities by some, or be qualified as limited in scope by statements such as “the evolution of help desk to the service desk.”
But of course, one person's help desk is another person's service desk –organizations will call their IT support capability what they want as evidenced by the following HDI research:
41% of help desks and service desks go by another name. There is also no guarantee that the service desks and help desks reported in this HDI survey match our descriptions.
Historically, help desk and service desk were often used interchangeably throughout the 2000s, and some would argue that they aren't that different. In general, however, a "service desk" is an evolved version of a help desk created in accordance with ITILprinciples.
Best practises for choosing the right tool: Help desk or service desk
There are many passionate discussions on this topic in various groups on LinkedIn or other forums.As part of these conversations, you will often discuss the type of software that you may use in order to facilitate the work that you do at your desk. Here are the best practices for selecting the right help/service desk tools based on my experience.
Simplicity is key
It is my firm belief that the KIS principle should be followed - keep it simple. Identify the tool that will meet the needs of your organization. It is not always better to have more.
I worked with an organization that moved away from its in-house call tracking system to an ITSM solution.Asix-month project was undertaken to bring the software to life.Ayear after the project had been completed, the new toolset had been mothballed, and they had reverted to the basic call tracking they were familiar with. The new system was too complex and didn't provide all the information they needed. Service desks are constantly used in organisations and so only we know the requirements of the company
Areview of their reporting and process needs revealed that they only needed a basic help desk component to move beyond their basic system. The more the better is not always the case!
Let's begin with the basics
Invest in a toolset that will grow with you and start small. Implement the high-priority modules first, then gradually expand the capabilities as they become more valuable. By increasing your use of the toolset, you will be able to improve your practices. Use the toolset as part of a continuous improvement program. It is not possible to go from zero to hero overnight, and you should not attempt to do so.
There is no wrong answer
This article discusses how many in the ITSM world distinguish between a help desk and a service desk. However, as I stated at the outset, there is no right or wrong answer to this question. Contact between the service provider and ITSM in general provides a framework and ideas that can be adapted to meet the needs of individual organizations.
Conclusion: Service Desk and Help Desk
My recommendation is to call it what you want: service desk or help desk by knowing a significant difference. Bringing about the business outcomes that your organization needs is the only thing that matters. Choose what is right and appropriate for your business.