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How to manage call logging

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by Member 28288467

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I am struggling with how to manage support call logging in a small support staff of two, plus myself. We get calls from one of our 60 remote offices (each office has from 2-12 employees), and we support about 60 users here at corporate. We use Track-It, which works nicely - when we use it. The two techs are usually so busy that they often skip the logging of short calls (5-10 min or less). I'd say we probably log less than 30% of our calls. I'm as guilty as any of this. I can't see manually auditing the phone call records to reconcile the difference in calls logged vs. calls rec'd, especially with two different techs. I need to hire about two more people, but I can't justify easily - because I can't show the call volume in a proposal. What does everyone else do for call logging?

6 replies

by bman

I've been where you are, tried the PC/Server/User/Call to Tech ratio. If you are looking for an automatic solution I know of nothing on the market. However it seems to me that you already have the tools in place but using them will undoubtedly cause pain. Use what you have, build on it and endure the pain if in the long run you get what you need.

-Do you have any metrics established on call priority/resolution times/method of helpdesk contact?
-Get into the habit of using Track It (we use track it 6) regardless, documenting a call usually takes less than 2 minutes, unless you are writing a book in the description/solution fields. Look into TIMONITOR (Track IT component), it will convert email sent in from end users into Track It Work Orders.
-Call/email logs, if you are not using/under utilizing Track IT need to be audited. It will be time consuming, it will be painfull. If you have a primary support line differentiating between the techs is not necessary, this should be viewed as a whole. I would not even use the info you have in Track It for this, just the call logs.

by Member 28288467

I don't have any metrics as yet - nothing useful at least. Thats what I'd like to develop with this information.

The TIMONITOR is a useful tip - I'll bet theres more useful tools built into TrackIt already that we're not utilizing. I'll have to look into a TrackIt training class for the dept.
Also - one support number would also be useful, as I could indeed audit calls as a whole, not just on a per tech basis. As it is now, calls may come directly to the tech, or through the front desk.

Good feedback, Thanks!

by youraveragemanager

Some thoughts outside the tool:

Not sure if this helps, only some thoughts. If you receive your phone billing in digital format then selecting records should provide some data for analysis.

But, where does that take you, what would the end result look like? Perhaps showing only that present staff are busy throughout the day or even for a longer period. As an engaged manager you can attest to that.

So, what about those ?busy? signals or dropped calls when encountering voice mail, focus on those support calls are turned away because they could not get through; this is where the dissatisfaction resides. For a sales driven organization receiving inbound customer calls; they would want to know how many customers are lost simply because the customer could not get through. So, I suppose for internal support the parallel question would be how is our inability to respond to profit (or loss) center support requests impacting our collective bottom line.

Perhaps a phone service study performed by your telecommunications provider that reports similar statistics would support your desire to impact the bottom line in a positive way. Perhaps this study will also provide enough information to rank the branch office locations and thus provide some root cause facts for analysis and action. Call volume of incremental periods could help determine when resources are needed.

Otherwise, there are telecommunications consultants that can cost effectively run you through the process should your platter be overflowing, as you indirectly indicate.

The best case for hiring is improving the performance of the wider organization, illustrate that connection and make your case.

Questionnaires are another method, but can end up fanning the flames based on perceptions and are not based on fact.

by ferdieb

I'm in a company with 35 technicians, 180 sites, 5000+ users to support. Can you imagine call logging auditing in this environment? Best solution for me was a system where email is converted to orders, and an additional web interface where users log the calls via a question tree. No other method of logging is accepted.
2 employees are continously responsible to follow up on call information to be captured from technician side - visible to any user on the web. Some users even took over the task of following up the technician, requesting info updates when it's slow to appear on the web.

by Member 28288467

Thanks - I'll have a look at that this weekend. I was able to find that the average user:help desk ratio seems to hover somewhere around 75:1 to 125:1. Does that sound resonable to you? I know we're at about 250:1...

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