Choosing the Right Help Desk Software for You

Help desks are a wonderful way to save money and make your company more efficient. The benefits of having an IT professional help out are great, but before you dive into the world of help desks, it is important to know a bit about help desk software. The software for a help desk comes in a few different types. Knowing these types will make your choice much easier.

Web-Based Help Desks

Web-bases help desk applications are accessed over the internet through an app or browser. There are advantages to this type of software. You do not have to worry about hosting it. It is accessible any time from anywhere. It does not take much IT knowledge to implement or run it, and the vendor supplies tech support, maintenance and upgrades. The downside to this type of software is that it takes a monthly subscription, so it is an ongoing expense. You also need a steady, reliable internet connection. If the server goes down, there is no access to the help desk. In help desk case studies, this software performs well in both large and small businesses.

Open-Source Help Desks

Open source help desks are used mainly by small businesses because they are usually free, although some larger businesses use it because it is completely customizable. The upside to this software is that you can have as many users as you want, and it does not come with a hefty price tag. The downside is that it is not as safe or secure as other help applications, so if you have sensitive information or passwords stored there, it may be subject to a data breach. This type of help desk also requires you to set the system up yourself, and you have absolutely no support what so ever.

Enterprise Help Desks

Enterprise help desks are not simply help desks. They act more as a productivity tool. The software offers a custom user experience, so your help desk will be unique rather than a cookie-cutter solution. They are excellent for larger companies that need a desk that fits within the structure of the company. These are feature-rich but also extremely expensive. You will also need IT experts to install and run this software. It can also provide customer and employee support simultaneously. This type may be housed on the provider’s servers or your server.

Self-Hosted Help Desks

These are also known as on-premise help desks. In this case, you need a server system to house the software and information. It is a closed system, so the data is relatively safe and secure. This gives the company control over the data. This type allows the company to customize the desk to their individual needs. It also is easier to integrate with other business systems. Unfortunately, this type is relatively expensive to set up and needs an entire IT department to run.

Cloud-Based Help Desks

These are very similar to web-based help desks. The two terms are often mistaken for one another. People will say it is cloud-based when it is web-based or say that it is web-based when it is cloud-based. Cloud-based applications have the same monthly pricing and issues, but there is one vital difference between the two you should know before purchasing one. Cloud-based software is accessible off-line, so if your internet is down, you still have access to the help desk. Web-based software is internet only. If your internet goes down, so does the help desk.

No matter which type of help desk you choose, you still need to try it out. An excellent way to find out how well your help system works is to ask for feedback from your employees and clients. If it does not seem to be working, change to a different type of software.