PROVIDE ACCESS: Link it everywhere

In order to provide the most accessible help and support, the first part of our practice is to provide a "help" link in every course and every part of the Learning Management System (LMS). Using this link, any student or faculty member with a question or issue can click on the link to initiate the help process.

INFORM THEM: NOTIFICATIONS: One place to look for important updates

Once they have connected to the portal, they first see important system notification messages (via Twitter feed) which directly affect others in the LMS. They also see any system downtime notifications from the LMS provider (via RSS feed.) This way, they know if there are any particular issues already reported similar to their own. The Twitter feed also makes it very easy for multiple technicians to post or report issues from all types of devices. 

GIVE USERS CHOICE: How to make contact

Next, users may choose from searching the knowledgebase (a wiki) for tutorials, FAQs and self-help documentation (24/7), getting live help (app. 70 hours per week), or submitting a ticket after working hours (24/7). By providing a simple key word search through documentation tutorials, users may find their own answers at any time of the day or night. But failing that, the portal makes it easy for them to see if a technician is online and strike up an instant messaging chat (using AIM and a Wimzi widget). This makes it easy to share links between the technician and end user, as well as initiate a DimDim session for screensharing so that either person can show what is on his or her screen. Users can also make a free phone call (using a Google Voice widget), and those who wish to drop by in person can view a live Google Calendar page which is updated daily to show whether a technician is on duty or not. Finally, if it is after hours, the user can submit a ticket form, which gathers much needed information about the issue, automatically gathers browser and system information from the user's computer, and allows the uploading of screen shots and cc:ing to the instructor or others who may be affected. The form is simultaneously sent to all possible help channels for most expedient and efficient handling. 

ROUTE CALLS FOR MULTIPLE TECHNICIANS: Efficiencies

One issue we have encountered is when an end user calls or emails one person who is out of the office, ill, or on vacation. The help portal solves this issue, because all of the contact methods - instant messaging, Google Voice, and the ticket form, are created to be shared and they distribute the information to multiple parties. With instant messaging, the message always goes to whomever is on duty at the time. The Google Voice interface makes it possible to ring several phones simultaneously, so that the first, most available technician can answer the call. If voice mail is left, it also sends an audio MP3 file of the VM via email to all technicians and transcribes it into text. The help form is automatically distributed to all necessary individuals so that, in the event one is out of the office, the matter will still be known to others immediately.

TRACK PROGRESS: Ticketing

When coupled with a helpdesk ticketing system, the help portal provides more efficient means to help the end user. The portal itself helps the end user find answers or make contact. From there, a ticketing system can help track who has sent answers or made progress on the ticket, time spent, and so on.