Little-Miss Posted October 12, 2007 Report Posted October 12, 2007 We have a Fault log which we fill in whenever we're asked for help and another near the staff room to stop people grabbing us in the corridoor. But i think i need to do more to cover myself, after i was informed by a teacher the other day that my NM was blaming me for not having any projector bulbs in stock even though i told my NM weeks ago we didnt. But do i really have to write down every conversation i have?! How do you work?
webman Posted October 12, 2007 Report Posted October 12, 2007 Just get a diary - a day per page and just write down important things that happen. For example, people you have informed of things, major things you have done that may have impact later, things "out of the ordinary" you are asked to do and so on.
strawberry Posted October 12, 2007 Report Posted October 12, 2007 helpdesk. its the only way. If something goes wrong get it noted, then work on it. that way you get the user detailing there problem in writing which stops them changing the goalposts and forgetting what they said in the first place. it also means you can log your own tasks. in the case of ordering bulbs i'd note where they were for, which budget they were from, where they were coming from , order number, etc etc.
FN-GM Posted October 12, 2007 Report Posted October 12, 2007 We have a Fault log which we fill in whenever we're asked for help and another near the staff room to stop people grabbing us in the corridoor. But i think i need to do more to cover myself, after i was informed by a teacher the other day that my NM was blaming me for not having any projector bulbs in stock even though i told my NM weeks ago we didnt. But do i really have to write down every conversation i have?! How do you work? You should have sent your NM an e-mail so then he can't say he didn't know
Netwacky87 Posted October 12, 2007 Report Posted October 12, 2007 We have a group in AD called "help" This is linked to all our technicians and network manager when staff email "help" it sends the email to all of us, so no one can say they didnt get it!
GrumbleDook Posted October 12, 2007 Report Posted October 12, 2007 conversation get noted on small notepads and then added onto the helpdesk as tickets.
maniac Posted October 12, 2007 Report Posted October 12, 2007 We have a helpdesk system which staff can submit jobs directly to, and we add all other jobs to as well. We can see at a glance exactly what's going on. I'm extending this to include a 'diary' as well for ICT requests that are booked weeks in advance, like setting up projectors in conference rooms and the like. Any advise that's issued is always e-mailed to staff even if it was given verbally, so if a member of staff acuses us of not providing a solution, we have the proof by the e-mail. Any advice or recommendations I give to my ICT-Co-ordinator is also exchanged by e-mail at his request. All works well for us. Mike.
localzuk Posted October 12, 2007 Report Posted October 12, 2007 I use notepad's a lot, I have 2 whiteboards where people can put notes (one next to my desk and the other in the staff room), they can also email me, use the helpdesk directly, put a note in my pigeon hole or leave me a voicemail message. I am now in a state of discouraging people telling me things in person - as I have so much to remember as it is, I generally forget. I am going to also remove some of those options, such as the whiteboards and pigeon hole (as it means I have to go and check them all the time). If there is something that needs ordering due to us being low on stock I generally speak to the bursar straight away and warn them and then put an order on their desk to sign.
Little-Miss Posted October 12, 2007 Author Report Posted October 12, 2007 lol, we're in the dark ages... Email!! phah! These people send fecking memos!!! My NM leaves scraps of paper on my desk!! Have already considered buying myself a little notepad, confirmed that now. A helpdesk type system would be cool. Anyone got any recommendations?
webman Posted October 12, 2007 Report Posted October 12, 2007 There are loads of threads about helpdesk software and scripts on here but they will vary depending on your requirements. Popular ones include My Little Helpdesk, Liberum, OneOrZero and GLPI.
contink Posted October 12, 2007 Report Posted October 12, 2007 There's a book for all IT problems at each of my schools and I use MS OneNote to keep track of what needs doing where. Works well for me as it's easy to set tasks so they appear in Outlook which is my primary email client
googlemad Posted October 13, 2007 Report Posted October 13, 2007 We have a commercial help desk solution which also keeps track of software product keys etc. We then ensure a link to the helpdesk intranet page is placed on staff desktops. The problem? Well currently there is over 100 jobs on it, staff get impatient and duplicate their requests and they don't really give many clues! ('Computer not working near the window'...Might help if they at least provided a room number!!)
localzuk Posted October 13, 2007 Report Posted October 13, 2007 We have a commercial help desk solution which also keeps track of software product keys etc. We then ensure a link to the helpdesk intranet page is placed on staff desktops. The problem? Well currently there is over 100 jobs on it, staff get impatient and duplicate their requests and they don't really give many clues! ('Computer not working near the window'...Might help if they at least provided a room number!!) Thats one of the advantages of GLPI - staff are assigned their computers via it, so when they post a problem they can choose it from a simple drop down list, or if they want to report other ones as faulty they can simply search for them - or if they're lazy they just put it in the description box.
meastaugh1 Posted October 13, 2007 Report Posted October 13, 2007 The problem? Well currently there is over 100 jobs on it, staff get impatient and duplicate their requests and they don't really give many clues! ('Computer not working near the window'...Might help if they at least provided a room number!!) We ask that staff log all calls on our web based helpdesk, and most of them do. We come up against the same issues, with staff logging duplicate calls, logging for wrong rooms etc. Although their IP address is logged, it isn't always helpful. Having said that, those issues are relatively minor and the logging system works fairly well.
R.M.B Posted October 13, 2007 Report Posted October 13, 2007 Rather a lot of staff have got used to me saying 'I hope to move us into the 20th century very soon - the 21st will arrive as soon as possible thereafter...' Having had over 30 years in system support (mostly in business) the one thing that I am still having a little difficulty in having accepted is that 'Insufficient Information' is a very suitable closure to a problem description - whether submitted verbally, by memo, or electronically. If a teacher cannot be bothered to tell me on which machine(s) in a classroom they saw the problem, then I why should I be bothered to check all of them! The next closure to remember is 'Close Related xxx' - just to keep the number of open calls down. Keep the original call open, repeats get closed immediately. When in business, I had fewer (newer) machines to support, more competent users (and I am considering the teachers, not the pupils), and more and better formally trained staff. I am sure that this is not abnormal. Given the situation, be brave - tell everyone (as I do) that we are proud of the quality of support provided by the support team, and that if only the teaching staff could do their bit by accurately reporting the problems they encounter, then everyone would benefit. We use Liberum - after a year, we finally receive as many reports electronically as we do on paper. I make it clear that we log every support issue in this system - if the user does not enter it, then we will do it on their behalf. If this slows our fixing the problem, so be it -they can help by entering it themselves rather than expecting us to do it. If it is not in the system, then it does not exist, if users want to ensure that problems are fixed, they must ensure that it is actually in the system! (Not on a scrap on paper somewhere) In September I ensured we had e-mail for all staff (over 50% had not) - now we have to persuade them to actually use it! Sorry if this sems like a rant, but procedures MUST be established and followed - otherwise all sorts of claims and counter-claims can ensue.
tech_guy Posted October 13, 2007 Report Posted October 13, 2007 In September I ensured we had e-mail for all staff (over 50% had not) - now we have to persuade them to actually use it! That's exactly the problem we have - now they've blinkin' got it after whingin' they hadn't got it - they aint using it! Drives me mad when they answer, "what email?"........or..."oh, I only check it once a week"
localzuk Posted October 13, 2007 Report Posted October 13, 2007 I send out regular bulk emails to all staff - telling them of things like downtime, things that have gone missing and of common problems people are having. I would say once a week is the average check time. All I ever hear is 'we don't have time to check email'. But they do have time to search the school for me and tell me their problem, or to come and find me during my lunch time and start their sentence 'I know its your lunch but'... One day they will realise that these systems do actually make things easier. It means they can simply use their computer, which they are in the same room as for 90% of the day, to inform us of problems. One day.
tech_guy Posted October 13, 2007 Report Posted October 13, 2007 I send out regular bulk emails to all staff - telling them of things like downtime, things that have gone missing and of common problems people are having. I would say once a week is the average check time. All I ever hear is 'we don't have time to check email'. But they do have time to search the school for me and tell me their problem, or to come and find me during my lunch time and start their sentence 'I know its your lunch but'... One day they will realise that these systems do actually make things easier. It means they can simply use their computer, which they are in the same room as for 90% of the day, to inform us of problems. One day. Yes, it's amazing isn't it - there isn't enough time to check email but there seems to be plenty of time to surf the net, buy stuff on eBay, book holidays and update their profiles on faceshag or whatever it's called....
Lithium Posted October 13, 2007 Report Posted October 13, 2007 I use Vista's Notes widget on the sidebar Even if you manage to get what you want... Teachers will always complain they're too busy. I still think they're overpaid :/
tech_guy Posted October 13, 2007 Report Posted October 13, 2007 Watch out - they'll be waiting outside the server room on Monday with torches and pitchforks ready to drag you outside and burn you for such heresy!
R.M.B Posted October 13, 2007 Report Posted October 13, 2007 That's exactly the problem we have - now they've blinkin' got it after whingin' they hadn't got it - they aint using it! Drives me mad when they answer, "what email?"........or..."oh, I only check it once a week" Its a long battle,but.. We are trying to enforce the use of e-mail (and the VLE) by ensuring that all information that THEY WANT is only available by these methods... If someone wants a specific question answered, then I reply by e-mail. If the information is something I think others may be interested in, then I e-mail that the information is in our 'How to' area in the VLE (if necessary writing it before replying!). If it is a one-off, then I reply by e-mail. When someone complains about no answer, I say 'but I sent you a reply days ago by e-mail' Now, if I want something... might have to play safe and use the dredded memo Maybe one day the Head will actually tell staff that they MUST use e-mail (and even log into the VLE) Sorry but the local squadrons of pigs fly without lights - so I cannot report that one is passing over at this time.
tech_guy Posted October 13, 2007 Report Posted October 13, 2007 Oh, we regularly see pink pigs flying past the server room window all the time .......
webman Posted October 13, 2007 Report Posted October 13, 2007 We actually have flying pigs in our office
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