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Help Desk Defined: A Complete Guide

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Help Desk FAQs

A help desk ticket is a recorded request for support that tracks an issue from the moment it is submitted until it is resolved. Tickets can be generated by employees or customers and typically include:

  • A description of the issue.
  • The priority level of the request.
  • The assigned support agent or team.
  • Updates on progress and resolution.

A help desk technician is responsible for providing support, troubleshooting technical issues, and ensuring users receive timely assistance. Their key responsibilities include:

  • Diagnosing and resolving hardware, software, and network-related issues.
  • Managing and updating help desk tickets in the system.
  • Providing step-by-step guidance to users for troubleshooting.
  • Escalating complex issues to higher-level IT support or specialized teams.
  • Maintaining knowledge bases and documentation for common problems.

No, a help desk and a call center serve different functions:

  • A help desk provides technical support and IT assistance, helping customers or employees with troubleshooting, ticket management, and system issues.
  • A call center focuses on handling general customer inquiries, such as billing questions, product support, and service complaints.

While both involve customer service, help desks are more specialized in technical problem-solving, whereas call centers handle a broader range of customer interactions.

A common example of a help desk is an IT help desk within a company that supports employees with technical issues. For instance:

  • An employee experiences difficulties accessing their work email.
  • They submit a help desk ticket describing the issue.