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Training for help desk analysts

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by gkennedy1

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I manage a help desk of 18 analysts in a 24x7 call center supporting Windows XP/Office 2003 in a heavily managed/locked down environment.

I'm finding it harder and harder to hire for the help desk position - as the environment becomes more "managed" the job becomes less "techie" and more about basic troubleshooting and following the correct process. Since the techies I used to hire don't really want this type of job, I'm hiring more and more entry level analysts but then having trouble finding the resources to train them.

I'm looking for suggestions - anyone know of good CD-based or online training out there or have other ideas? One program I'm looking at is from quickcert.com.

22 replies

by morrellf

Rather than worry about where the next nerd comes from, why not try and hire some older IT people. We, over 50 techs are unable to get work because the IT industry refuses to look at us seriously.

by dharamvir

I fully support MorrellF's idea and I wish the IT industry will consider this valuable source of manpower.

Sincere Regards

by wiredlessmvp

Interested in your thoughts: How would I go about recruiting people like you that are over 50? I fight the perception that you have a "seniority" complex that implies the following: I'm old but good; I'll work hard, but it needs to be for more bucks because I have all this experience.
My company has just been awarded a helpdesk contract that with the right staffing could grow from two people to a dozen or more within a year. I'd love to hire experience...and I would definitely hire the over 50 techies...except.... along with the experience I see attitudes of entitlement, stubborness and the need for flexibility. I'm willing to hire part-time but the pay is more like entry level so I have my doubts that the IT50+ want that rookie level again. I could interview my way to the few right candidates for this position (and I'll do my share of that) but spending huge HR type hours to winnow out the learned attitudes of "I deservititus" versus hiring newbies doesn't seem a good return on the investment of my time. Can you give me reasons why I should still go down the road for hiring the speed limit and above?

by james.macaulay

"...but it needs to be for more bucks because I have all this experience."

Not much more bucks, just more than $9.00 per hour.

by danthebestman

I fight the perception that you are a typical "manager" that thinks you can hire good people and pay them crap. Or that you can hire cheap people and turn them into good techs by sitting them in front of a PC with a CDROM. You need to buy a clue.
I can close more tickets with a crew of 5 good techs than you can with a roomful of newbies.

by james.macaulay

I'm over 50, and a graduate of one of the millions of "IT Re-training" puppy mills that were set up with dollars from the Clinton adminiistration in the late nineties. With no experience, no certs and no patron, I went on the help desk along with all the other newbies,including newly minted MCSEs, A+s, Cisco and Novell certfieds, etc.
We all started at the same place for the same money.
Years later I still like the Help Desk, but I can't even get arrested now. I know for a fact that I was a better source of help that the twentysomethings who ridiculed their customers as "end-abusers", and would chuck their trouble tickets in the trash. The secretaries, administrative assistants, aides and personal assistants all worshipped me as the guy who could get things done without belittling them or patronizing them, and I back this up with documentation when trying for a job.
Comittement to customer satisfaction and superior service: It doesn't exist. That's just a a buch of horse dung.

by 50kilroy

You might want to consider the level of 'service' that you receive when talking to the 2006 era helpdesk during your own tech support requests.
These scripted children or worse yet, outsourced and overseas 'help' desk persons are completely unable to go beyond what is printed on the questionnaire.
That is the type of person that you have described here, a CD or online 'trained' helpdesk analyst with NO experience.
You need real technicians on your phone lines who will resolve more problems there and lessen the load on the deskside support personnel.
BTW, do not think that a Micro$oft toilet-paper 'engineering' certification means anything other than a 6 week bootcamp session to learn the answers to a test.

I.T. workers need a union !!!!!!!!

by jwpierce1830

I think all the "managers" of today's help desk based companies are looking for is 90% success. Many times going through the script will fix the problem. The other 10% have to fix their own problems or find another support resource.

Nice take on "certifications" also. They only prove you can pass a test but they give the "managers" this warm feeling that they can defend their choice if their hire is useless on the job.

by jwpierce1830

I think all the "managers" of today's help desk based companies are looking for is 90% success. Many times going through the script will fix the problem. The other 10% have to fix their own problems or find another support resource.

Nice take on "certifications" also. They only prove you can pass a test but they give the "managers" this warm feeling that they can defend their choice if their hire is useless on the job.

by thomasy

Hello,

So sorry to hear you are having issues. I come from a customer service and administrative background. To this I bring good tech skills but more important (and to address your need) procedure and how to skills. Currently I am working on several tech documents that I hope to put on CD's. I have 7 years Help Desk experience including two years as a Help Desk Coordinator. The papers I am working on will help train entry level analysts in the way they should support users.

Thanks
Yasmin Thomas
thomasy@kennedykrieger.org (work)
aaronyasminthomas@msn.com (personal)

by wiredlessmvp

makes sense James. I just posted job openings for help desk and PC support, paying between $15 - $19 hr. plus benefits. Would that be a reasonable rate for what you bring to the table?

by wiredlessmvp

Your last sentence " I can close more tickets with a crew of 5 good techs..." goes to my point about who to hire. We'll pay more for good help. We'll sacrifice profit to give good customer service - you can ask our employees if you want on that one - and I'm not arguing for hiring newbies. I'm actually wanting to better understand how to hire the 'over 50' experts when help desk contracts bring in minimal profit for the company. You can't really say - get more money for the contract - the competitors who turn out the newbie factories WILL destroy the customer service. I was told last week by the decision maker that this was a tough decision precisely because the dollar difference between the newbie factory and our offer was big enough to make them consider the low value product. I don't want that; our company will go down the drain fighting it because we won't lower the price if the quality is there. So how do we go about making sure that the 'over 50' talent continues to find good paying jobs from companies like ours. My question is still about finding the right mix (beyond the dollars, though we're willing to pay what I consider reasonable rates ($38K - $43K before benefits which include healthcare, vacation and flex funds). Is it about healthcare? Is it about training? Is it about respect? I know that each play a part in every hiring scenario but if people like one of the other guys on this thread state that they can't find jobs at all, how does the job seeker and the potential employer unlock the value so that more contracts can sustain their employment? It seems like a two way street and I want to better understand that street. Thanks.

by morrellf

I am still over 50 and still a suburban tech trying to make a living unsuccessfully. When companies like HP refuse to fix a troubled system, they just ship it out and replace the unit. This sets the ground work for through away PCs, servers, printers, etc. We then don't need techs, just couriers.

This attitude removes the need for a help desk, "system down? new at your front door in the morning. Please place the one you have now into the carto for shipping."

I need to make more money and I hate the idea that I am too old to be employable.

I do not know what the answer is to this problem. Seems it is common in Australia and well as U.S.A..

by danthebestman

You really punched my button with the way you asked the question.
IT has just gone through one of its periodic bouts with the bean counters. They've flushed even more techs out of the system and now want to know why they can't find quality people to staff their helpdesk. Like it or not, IT has the deserved reputation of not being a good field to work in. Some of us love it and so stick with it through the bad times. Others just find better things to do.
So, the answer to your question is , I don't know. The problem is systemic. Management just does not see IT as anything other than a cost center to be cut first during a down time. Employees pick up on this attitude and behave accordingly. It all depends on whether your company takes a long term or short term view. Most American companies (for a lot of reasons) take the short term view.
Hiring older workers is a very good idea though. Don't dismiss them because they demand good treatment. They are actually worth it.

by morrellf

Simply tell client to insert install CD for windows,open command window, type sfc /scannow will fix most OS problems.
Insert Office CD, open an Office Application, select Help, Detect and Repair.
If you teach your clients to do that, you can sack most support staff.

by jimboogle

Have client goto Start, Run, type cmd. At dos prompt type chkdsk /f, "y" at the question they see, and reboot. Best fixALL fix MS included in all thier whole OS.

by mstorozum

Thats all that you have in your shop? 2CDS. no wonder techs get bad publicity. Do you even have a network or a firewall over there?

by jwpierce1830

The people you hire for the help desk will need to learn the software that you use to document your calls. If the company that produces the software offers training that would be a place to start. If they don't then that training would need to come from someone that knows your systems. After that the people you hire should go through some training scenarios that are not with real customers. If after that you believe they can handle real customers they should be allowed to take live calls with supervision. That is about all you can do. Some people will never be able to understand enough about computer problems to go beyond the script. If you find that type then they should be let go or remain in the first level help desk. The ones that show more talent for quickly understanding the root cause of the problems should be made a higher level of support. If you have an organization near you that offers certifications then you could make future pay raises require getting some of the certifications that you think helps your call center work better. Who pays for the certification would be your call.

by stuart.rose

the problem is with good techs, helpdesk is pretty boring, especially when 50% of calls are involving password reset that unfortunately for security purposes helpdesk staff can't resolve. Personally when the majority of 95% of non password related calls are how do i type issues on something which to be honest is fairly straightforward I'd rather find people with good customer and phone skills a willingness to learn and teach them about the product they support. and whilst experienced it technicians would probably solve the 5% of problems that currently come to me or our server consultants they are just not interested in ?12000 pa wages, and too be jhonest i cant blame 'em.

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