It can certainly be frustrating to submit a helpdesk ticket and wait, for what feels like an eternity, for a resolution. You may wonder, “Why am I not getting a response? What is taking so long?” You may also be asking yourself, “Did I provide enough information?”
Here are some tips on submitting a helpdesk ticket so that the Customer Service Representative (CSR) can more quickly troubleshoot your issue:
- Can I reproduce the issue? Most software providers allow users access to a training environment. This training environment allows users to simulate real world transactions without creating data in the production environment. Being able to determine if the issue has only occurred once or can be recreated can be a very important piece of information when trying to resolve your issue.
- Did I provide step by step instructions of what I was doing when the issue occurred? Providing as much information as possible of the options used or parameters selected leading up to the issue is critical in troubleshooting the issue. Many software providers have tools that allow a user to record a screencast which is like creating a video of what you were doing in the system when the issue occurred. Screen shots can also be a valuable tool in illustrating what steps the user has taken when the issue occurred. The bottom line is CSR’s like pictures!
- Have I provided enough detailed information? If you have an issue with the posting of a batch, specifying the Batch # allows a CSR to begin their research quickly. When balancing a sub ledger to a General Ledger account, providing copies of reports and explaining what report parameters you used to generate the report are important pieces of information for a CSR to know where to look. Providing Batch #’s, Invoice #’s, Contract #’s for the affected transaction when the issue is initially submitted can dramatically increase the resolution time.
Providing as much information as you can will reduce the time it takes in resolving the issue by cutting down on the CSR waiting for a response for additional information allowing you to take more vacation days.
Written by Jenn Willson, Project Manager, Wynne Systems
