Although computers have helped businesses improve their efficiency and delivery in many ways, there can be problems when they malfunction or when software programs have bugs. Most businesses have a dedicated team of IT support personnel who are solely responsible for resolving computer issues. Help desk analysts is a term used to describe these people. An analyst’s primary responsibility is to respond to employees’ technology-related questions and to strategize favorable outcomes. He or she can work for or for a company, and whenever computers or technology are involved, this person is usually on hand to assist in the repair of any issues that arise.
The majority of help desk responsibilities entail resolving technological issues. The majority of the time, an analyst diagnoses problems over the phone, and employees frequently have access to a special telephone hotline to contact the department. The analyst will usually ask the employee to try executing certain commands to resolve the problem after listening to the employee’s description of the problem. Depending on the setup, this person may also be able to remotely access the employee’s computer to gain a better understanding of the problem.
If at all possible, the help desk analyst will resolve the issue while the employee is still on the line. However, if the problem is complicated, he or she may need to personally visit the employee’s workstation to gain a better understanding of what went wrong. These individuals must have a thorough understanding of all of the company’s computer programs and hardware in order to do their jobs effectively. The analyst must also be a good communicator and able to manage employees who are frustrated or upset by their broken equipment.
The job description for a help desk analyst is highly dependent on the environment. Some work with customers directly, while others work with employees. People who work for Internet service providers or computer manufacturers, for example, are frequently called by customers who are located far away but are having trouble getting things to work properly. If the analyst is unable to resolve the customer’s issue over the phone, he or she will usually schedule an in-house service call or provide instructions for hardware repair.
To work as a help desk support analyst, a person must have a thorough understanding of computers and technology, as well as the ability to obtain and maintain certification. For people who work in this field, there are several leading industry certification programs available, ranging from technical competency on specific platforms to broad customer service training. The type of certification required to be a help desk support analyst, as well as the contours of any required training, are set by the individual company.