We’ve all faced the same problem: too many emails, too many requests for help, too many follow-ups. And, we’ve all face the same results: lost emails, slow response, failure to respond.
It’s a common problem. Whether we work solo, in a small team, or in a huge organization, we all face the same problem – how to stay on top of client emails, responses to problems, etc.
Personally, I have several “solutions” I use to try and stay on top of the never-ending onslaught of requests, complaints, emails, and more. One solution that I’ve now rolled out into several organizations I work with is the use of a “HelpDesk” / “Ticketing” application.
What exactly is a HelpDesk application? It’s a program that “intercepts” incoming emails and keeps track of them for you. Say, for example, that you run a small software firm. And, your firm has an email address for people to report any problems or troubles that they face with your software (let’s imagine that it’s help@mycompany.com). Instead of all of these emails going to one person on just one computer, a HelpDesk application would “intercept” these emails. Any time a new email comes in, the HelpDesk program grabs it and lets you (or several you’s) know about the new ticket. You or anyone in your department can then log in and respond to the ticket.
So far it sounds pretty much like a normal email program, right? Well, suppose I’m the one responding to all the emails. And, I decide to go on vacation for a week. What happens now? Who responds to clients when I’m gone? And, when I get back, how do I know what this fill in person has said in my absence? Or, suppose that the amount of emails coming in everyday is too many for one single person to answer. How does this get handled? How do two, three, or more people respond to just one email? How do we all work together? How do we know what others have said? How can we have “canned” answers to the most typical problems?
In all these situation, the answer is a good HelpDesk type of application. This app lets me respond to emails, then when I am off, someone else can pick up right where I left off.
And, when we want, we can make things even more “advanced” (or maybe complicated) by setting up several emails to be handled by the HelpDesk program. Now we can have BILLING@mycompany.com and HELP@mycompany.com and SALES@mycompany.com all go into the HelpDesk. The program is smart enough to notify the Billing Department, the Support Department, and the Sales Department ONLY of the relevant emails.
But with just the click of a mouse, a manager can easily see what each department is doing, and even transfer tickets to other departments as needed.
It’s really a great way to for a team to collaborate.
Here’s a screenshot of the IT Department at my kids school:
As you can see, recently teachers have asked for help in areas such as transferring videos, DVD players, emails, and a broken computer. While this might look similar to any standard “INBOX” – this one is different. The key difference is that more than one person can monitor it. In this case the entire IT Department can monitor all requests for help. While the IT Department is not large (3 people), they are separated onto 2 different physical locations and often work different hours.
My personal favorite HelpDesk app is OS Ticket. OS Ticket offers all the flexibility and features described above. And, the best feature is that the program is Open Source. What does this mean? The simple answer is that the program is completely free to the end user.
So, are you involved in a service business? Do you regularly interact with clients and need to keep track of incoming and outgoing communications? Do you have a team or department or even several departments that respond to “help” type of questions from clients?
If you answered YES to any of these questions, then maybe some type of a HelpDesk app would benefit you. We’d love to help get it set up and customized for your specific needs. CONTACT US and let’s start the conversation!!
We have to enter them ALL time. For every website, for our email, even at our bank. We use passwords so often, that we forget just how important they are.
Until we get “hacked”.
I got that call today. A friend’s email had been “hacked”. Someone had taken over his email account and sent a message to everyone in his address book. Just what was the message? That he was stranded in London after having been mugged. And, that he needed some cash to get home, asking all his friends to wire some money to him.
My friend found out that his email had been hacked when he started getting phone calls from his friends, checking up on him.
But, not only had this email gone out from his account. The “hackers” had also deleted his entire address book, and forwarded all his email to a new address. Now he was seriously messed up.
That’s when he called me. Asking for some help. I gave him some advice and then gave him “the talk“.
Of course, that’s the talk about the importance of strong passwords. The problem with passwords is that we have to use them so often that we forget just how important they are.
For my friend, the problem most likely came from the fact that someone “guessed” his password to his email. He wasn’t “hacked”, he didn’t have a virus, someone just got lucky and guessed his password.
So, just what is a strong password?
The answer is simple – long, complex, and hard to remember.
The problem, of course, is that if it is long, complex, and hard to remember – then we probably won’t remember it either. Sort of a bummer, huh? Well, here’s a few tips to making “good” passwords:
