Husco’s Service Desk
The terms "help desk" and "service desk" are often (and incorrectly) used interchangeably, but there are differences in their scope and responsibilities. We are a service desk.
Service Desk
A service desk encompasses a broader range of responsibilities beyond just technical support. It focuses on managing and coordinating IT services within an organization, ensuring all IT-related processes run smoothly and efficiently. In addition to addressing user issues, service desks may handle service requests, service catalog management, change management, and more.
Key characteristics of a service desk include:
-
Proactive Support: Service desks take a proactive approach by monitoring and managing IT services to prevent issues before they occur. They may use monitoring tools to identify potential problems and initiate proactive measures.
-
Service Management: Service desks are responsible for managing service requests, tracking service-level agreements (SLAs), handling change management, and maintaining the service catalog. They work to align IT services with business objectives.
-
Collaboration: Service desks often collaborate with various IT teams, such as infrastructure, applications, and security, to ensure seamless service delivery. They act as a central point of contact for coordinating IT activities and communicating with stakeholders.
Help Desk
A help desk primarily provides technical support and assistance to end-users or customers. Its main objective is to resolve specific issues, troubleshoot problems, and answer questions related to a product, service, or technology. The help desk team typically serves as the first point of contact for users seeking assistance.
Key characteristics of a help desk include:
-
Reactive Support: Help desks primarily respond to user-initiated requests for assistance, such as when users encounter technical issues or need guidance.
-
Issue Resolution: Help desk teams are responsible for resolving incidents or problems reported by users. They may provide step-by-step instructions, offer remote assistance, or escalate issues to higher-level support teams if necessary.
-
Incident Management: Help desks often employ incident tracking systems to log and manage user-reported issues. They aim to restore normal operations as quickly as possible.