When To Start Considering A Help Desk

by | Jan 13, 2020 | Help Desk

Windows 11 upgrade

When considering a help desk purchase, it is not as straightforward as it appears. Do you buy or embark on an in-house development? There is much to consider before purchasing help desk software. Questions include:

  1. How will it scale?
  2. How expensive is it per user?
  3. What standard features are included?
  4. Is there local support?
  5. How frequently are upgrades released?
  6. Is it a cloud offering or on-premises?

What will it do for me?

Help Desk software can solve many common problems of using basic email for customer support. These include:

1. Improve poor ticket management

Help desk software can help your support team be more organized by:

  • Assigning and distributing tickets to agents who may leave comments and share relevant information with other customer support agents.
  • They allow you to manage all support tickets from email, phone, and social media in one organized place.

2. Improve low customer satisfaction

Help desk software is an awesome tool for streamlining customer support. It allows your support staff to work more productively with features like ticket management, community forums, live chat, phone support, analytics, etc.

In a nutshell, this speedier and more efficient customer support will improve your customer satisfaction.

3. Quickly address repetitive questions

Help desk software allows you to create knowledge bases. With resources like video tutorials or an FAQ section, you can provide answers to repeated questions in your knowledge base so your customers will have support anytime they need it.

When to start considering a help desk

Let’s look at three instances when you must consider investing in Help Desk software.

1. When you launch your company

For some companies, this is a no-brainer. However, customer support may not be the highest priority after launching their product. If you’re in this situation, you may decide to delay the implementation of a help desk – but with many free starter help desk options, you should start using a help desk to organise support immediately.

Using a help desk allows you to be more organized when you first launch your product. Features for creating FAQs and other self-service support options also help you avoid a bigger customer support workload in the future.

2. When your developers are stretched out too thin

Your developers can answer customer support emails, but this will quickly crash and burn when more customers come in. Developers can’t afford to balance customer support work and developing their products simultaneously. Not only will your customer support suffer, but so will your overall product.

3. Customers start asking the same questions over and over

In the customer support industry, one of the most frustrating things about the job is answering a question only to get the same question two minutes later. Not only is this distracting, but it’s also very inefficient.

Track-It!

Most used help desk features

FAQs are one of the best customer support resources, and investing in a knowledge base to make your customers’ lives easier is one of the best things you can do for your business. FAQs also allow your customers to have customer support anytime they need it.

Consider Security Issues

Data security against cyber attacks is receiving a lot of attention. You must ensure adequate protection measures are in place to secure your data.

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Time to decide!

It is not easy to decide when to start considering a help desk. Whether now or later, a help desk is always a good way to increase productivity in your company and keep the customer support clutter at bay.

Windows 11 Upgrade - Will it work on your lapop?

So, you’re wondering about Windows 11, the latest version of Microsoft’s operating system. It looks snazzy and has some neat features. But can your current laptop actually run it? Don’t worry, you don’t need a degree in IT to figure this out! We at abacon IT in Cape Town are here to help you understand the basics.

Upgrading your laptop to Windows 11 can give it a new lease on life. However, Windows 11 has certain system requirements. These are the minimum specifications your laptop needs to have to run the software smoothly. Think of it like needing the right ingredients for a recipe – without them, it just won’t work properly.

One of the most important parts is your laptop’s processor, often called the CPU (Central Processing Unit). This is the “brain” of your computer. Windows 11 needs a fairly recent and capable CPU to function well.

Which Processors Work with Windows 11?

Here’s a simplified look at the processors that are generally compatible:

Intel Processors:

  • Generally, Windows 11 requires an 8th-generation Intel Core processor or newer. You might see names like “Intel Core i5-8xxx” or “Intel Core i7-11xxx.” The first number after the “i” (or “i3”) usually indicates the generation. So, an “i5-8250u” is an 8th-generation processor.
  • Intel also has its Pentium and Celeron processors. For Windows 11, only certain newer models are compatible.

AMD Processors:

  • For AMD, Windows 11 requires Ryzen 2000 Series and newer. You’ll see names like “AMD Ryzen 5 2xxx” or “AMD Ryzen 7 5xxx”. Again, the first number after “Ryzen” indicates the series.
  • AMD also has Athlon processors. Similar to Intel’s Pentium and Celeron, only specific newer Athlon models will work with Windows 11.

Important Note: This is a general guideline. There can be exceptions, so it’s always best to double-check your specific processor.

How to Find Out Which Processor Your Laptop Has

Don’t fret, Windows makes it pretty easy to see what CPU is inside your laptop:

  1. Right-click the Start Button: This is the Windows logo (usually in the bottom-left corner of your screen).
  2. Select “System”: A new window will pop up with information about your computer.
  3. Look for “Processor”: You’ll find this listed under the “Device specifications” section. It will tell you the name of your processor, including the manufacturer (Intel or AMD) and the model number, which usually indicates the generation or series.

Once you have this information, you can compare it to the general lists above.

Other Important Bits for Windows 11

Besides the processor, there are a few other things Windows 11 needs:

  • RAM (Random Access Memory): Consider this your laptop’s short-term memory. Windows 11 requires at least 4 gigabytes (GB) of RAM. More is always better for smoother performance. Instead, consider 16 gigabytes (GB).

  • Storage: To install Windows 11, you’ll need at least 64 GB of free space on your hard drive or SSD (Solid-State Drive). An SSD generally makes your computer much faster.
  • TPM 2.0 (Trusted Platform Module): This is a security feature. Most modern laptops have this, but it’s worth checking. You can usually find information on how to check for TPM 2.0 in your laptop’s BIOS settings (you might need to consult your laptop manufacturer’s website for instructions on accessing this).
  • Graphics Card: Your graphics card needs to be compatible with DirectX 12 or later with a WDDM 2.0 driver. Most reasonably recent graphics cards will meet this requirement.
  • Display: You’ll need a screen with a resolution of at least 720p (HD).

Still Not Sure? We Can Help!

Figuring out all these technical details can be daunting. If you’re still unsure whether your laptop is ready for Windows 11, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us at abacon IT in Cape Town.

Our friendly team can quickly assess your system and give you straightforward advice. We’re here to help your SME thrive with reliable IT solutions! Contact us at 072-601-2858 or email info@abacon.co.za, and we will call you back.

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