fafster Posted February 26, 2008 Posted February 26, 2008 I'm having a bitch of a time getting staff to use the helpdesk system we have in place in the school. It's not complex - all they need to login is their staff email address. There are only two fields, a summary and description. What methods have you used to get people to use such a system?
WithoutMotive Posted February 26, 2008 Posted February 26, 2008 What I tend to do is make it their ONLY means of doing something. If they want to report a fault, they register the fault on the helpdesk. If they stop you in the corridor or leave you a note, direct them to the helpdesk. It's worked here with things like online room booking systems.
flashsnaps Posted February 26, 2008 Posted February 26, 2008 We use a Liberum Help Desk and it works well with the majority of staff. Then there are the special members of staff who refuse to use, so they get left til last. )))
flashsnaps Posted February 26, 2008 Posted February 26, 2008 What I tend to do is make it their ONLY means of doing something. If they want to report a fault, they register the fault on the helpdesk. If they stop you in the corridor or leave you a note, direct them to the helpdesk. It's worked here with things like online room booking systems. This as well, how ever little it maybe - just tell them to put it into helpdesk. It also builds up the work you've done - and is a good knowldge base as well.
Gatt Posted February 26, 2008 Posted February 26, 2008 We've had a bit more success with getting staff to use the online helpdesk (OneOrZero) and booking System (MBRS) as we eventually got the backing from the Head. We still get the corridor requests, but they soon get the message that it can't be done that way any longer
plexer Posted February 26, 2008 Posted February 26, 2008 Get backing from SMT/Head once you have that you can ask them to tell all staff to use the helpdesk. Don't respond to ad hoc queries direct them to the help desk. Ben
webman Posted February 26, 2008 Posted February 26, 2008 Advise them that it is in their best interests to use the helpdesk - helpdesk requests get priority, and we won't forget (whereas corridor-approach requests usually do get forgotten).
fafster Posted February 26, 2008 Author Posted February 26, 2008 Advise them that it is in their best interests to use the helpdesk - helpdesk requests get priority, and we won't forget (whereas corridor-approach requests usually do get forgotten). Well I have one teacher on board who popped in to my office this morning with a request. After a polite explanation of the system, along with good humour and my charming personality, she went back to her room and did just that. It seems a smile goes a long way.
maniac Posted February 26, 2008 Posted February 26, 2008 All requests must go through the helpdesk, no exceptions! Get your SMT to back it as well, then when they go complaining to them about 'how long it takes them' you'll be backed up by SMT. You'll be surprised how quickly people get used to it once they don't have a choise, we've been running ours about 15 months here and we've just had our 3020th ticket put in (literally this second!) Mike.
sidewinder Posted February 26, 2008 Posted February 26, 2008 Wish we could get SMT to back ours...they support us having it but refuse to back us on it being the primary means to report a problem, they say phone should be first. For urgent problems, yes but some of the stuff we get called about takes the piss to be honest, and continually disturbs us So whether its successful in your school depends a lot on SMT
plexer Posted February 26, 2008 Posted February 26, 2008 So what happend when you are not there to answer the phone? Or do you have someone sitting by the phone all day, in that case then yes that's fine as long as that person then enters the details into the helpdesk. If I had someone that was next to the phone all day thats what I'd do anyway. Ben
Geoff Posted February 26, 2008 Posted February 26, 2008 Indeed, in big companies that's how it works. You have one or more helpdesk staff to take calls and screen out the idiotic/simple questions. Anything complex/involved gets logged to the helpdesk by the helpdesk staff on behalf of the caller. Bit OTT for a school though IMHO.
russdev Posted February 26, 2008 Posted February 26, 2008 Buy an answerphone for you phone also great if internet connection goes down etc as can leave a message on the phone so people know. Russ
mrforgetful Posted February 26, 2008 Posted February 26, 2008 Last time I looked at this it just took so much time to enter details of the problem and work carried out it was a right pain for us. Prefer email.
ICT_GUY Posted February 26, 2008 Posted February 26, 2008 Staff still come to me, and I type the fault into the helpdesk for them in front of them.
mrforgetful Posted February 26, 2008 Posted February 26, 2008 I like seeing staff. I don't want to be kept hidden away.
cl0n3 Posted February 27, 2008 Posted February 27, 2008 I like seeing staff. I don't want to be kept hidden away. But having a help desk system is ideal way of correcting the few staff that think we sit on our hands all day as all the work we have on is available for them to see
mrforgetful Posted February 27, 2008 Posted February 27, 2008 Staff here may joke now and again that we do nothing, but really they understand that we are busy and appreciate everything. Obviously there are exceptions who'll never believe otherwise no matter what...
cl0n3 Posted February 27, 2008 Posted February 27, 2008 I think I just feel more at ease having a record in case the powers that be get called in with anything or using it as evidence for a raise or for more man power
strawberry Posted February 27, 2008 Posted February 27, 2008 the phones just an awful way of doing things. Its bad enough asking the users to type in an error message but how they expect you to deal with remembering all there details when your already on a job is unreal. If the school want rapid response they should commision a helpdesk sytem that will alert you in realtime with all the details of the problem. pda with gprs is ideal.
clareq Posted February 27, 2008 Posted February 27, 2008 We log everything on the helpdesk - if staff phone I just jot down details and enter it on the helpdesk when it's quiet. We produce weekly statistics that are e-mailed to all staff with details of how many calls we've had, how many we've closed and how many we still have open, as well as details of system uptime. I defy any of them to say the system doesn't work - they have the evidence. I am in the office full time - I use remote access software to view error messages and so on, and solve most calls while the staff are on the phone. We have a team of technicians who go out and do the toner replacement type of job. We are a split site school with over 2000 users and 1000+ computers. I can't see how we could do our job otherwise.
MK-2 Posted February 27, 2008 Posted February 27, 2008 We got all of ours to use it, and it lasted for one term, then after the half term, they came back, couldn't be arsed to use it anymore and no amount of bugging them will change it. No point with the 'dont fix it unless they log it'....because all staff do is moan to SMT that we are refusing work etc so it looks bad on our dept. We're only trying to get them ready for BSF!!
cl0n3 Posted February 27, 2008 Posted February 27, 2008 We're only trying to get them ready for BSF!! Very good!
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