The benefits of TimeLog Help Desk - an interview with Support Manager Thomas Gudmandsen
To improve TimeLog's customers and users' knowledge about TimeLog Help Desk, we have asked our own support manager, Thomas Gudmandsen, about his opinion of the new feature. Thomas has beta-tested the module and is now using it on a daily basis.
1. Can you briefly describe the main functions of TimeLog Help Desk?
TimeLog Help Desk is a service and support tool used to register and manage all incoming and ongoing customer tasks. The module is a standard module that is customized to fulfil the needs of each individual company. The module reflects TimeLog's service and support area through several support types. Defining those support types enables us to categorise all incoming customer tasks, which allows us to prioritize and allocate resources more efficiently.
2. Can you mention some of the advantages you derive by using TimeLog Help Desk?
Our Help Desk Module provides an excellent picture of our ongoing tasks including important information such as case number, date of creation, deadline, owner, status, and is able to sort this information in a vast number of ways.
TimeLog Help desk is closely connected to TimeLog Project, which means that all customer data is at hand whether it is information such as contacts or incoming service agreements. A thorough search filter enables us to search in every little corner of the module's database and valuable information about previous customer tasks can help us minimize the service process on support cases.
Besides decreasing the service process the module also contains a number of useful report tools used to make reports, for instance about time expenditure per case/customer including financial reporting. The reports can also be used proactively to view workload on different service and support areas or on individual employees. Held together with the report for response quality, we are able to see the areas where we need to allocate more resources in order to live up to our high quality standards.
3. How does TimeLog Help Desk assist you in your daily work?
TimeLog Help Desk has provided me with a clear overview of all ongoing support cases and their status. It is very easy and quick to create new support cases and with the built-in notification feature all concerned employees are automatically informed about new tasks.
Additionally, I am continuously informed each time a support case changes status and afterwards the customer can be informed automatically when their support case is solved. The use of notifications reduces the time we spend on each support case, which is important if we want provide good service to our customers.
4. How does TimeLog Help Desk differ from other similar systems you know?
The greatest difference I have noticed is the report tools. Systems which I have worked with previously have not been able to create experience reports and you had to use another program in order to create the most simple reports. TimeLog Help Desk is a standard system I can adjust to fulfil the exact needs of our support department. I believe that TimeLog Help Desk is an elegant way to unite support with all other tasks in our business.
5. Does TimeLog Help Desk have any disadvantages?
No support tools are better than the data they are given, and that also accounts for TimeLog Help Desk. To gain fully from the module's numerous report capabilities it is important that all of the system's users are consistent in their data input so that all users can benefit from the vast amount of data that is generated over time. The statistics we draw from our Help Desk module are to reflect reality if we are to use them proactively to improve our products and services.
6. Can you briefly outline the system's main functions?
TimeLog Help desk has three functions assuming that the correct data is added.
1. A very clear overview of ongoing support cases.
2. A well-arranged and detailed information level on each support case.
3. Great report tools for internal analysis of time expenditure on a number of different levels.
