Help Desk Consultant Responsibilities

Whenever any customer faces a problem with a particular product or a system, his/her call is first directed towards the help desk consultant. Help desk is a centralized place wherein the right solutions are delivered promptly, and if not resolved at their level, are escalated to the next higher level to ensure that it is addressed and resolved promptly. Thus, effective handling of help desk consultant responsibilities plays a vital role in ensuring the quality of services delivered to the company's potential clients.

Key Responsibilities of a Help Desk Consultant

The help desk consultant can be found in almost every type of industry and their job titles may vary depending on the type of industry he/she is functioning in. The help desk consultant responsibilities comprise listening to the client issues, resolving their issues, etc., to ensure that they remain satisfied and that their work proceeds smoothly. To get a better idea, here is some detailed information and description of key responsibilities that need to be handled by a help desk consultant:

To address all the issues of the customer by listening to them carefully, and answering them to the best of their ability by demonstrating a courteous and professional behavior.
To be able to solve all the queries of the clients promptly, and if he/she is unable to solve it, escalate them to higher supporting authority, so that they can solved on a priority basis.
To be able to handle complex situations and should be willing to learn and adapt to new changes happening in their daily work.
To grant access for various relevant documentation and should be able to reset the passwords as well as handle various records and maintain a log of the calls in the system provided.
He/she acts as the first point of contact and ensures that the queries are being responded either by phone, email, etc.
To closely monitor and track whether the escalated issues have been resolved and ensure that the issues are closed on a priority basis and communicate the solution to the end users.

The help desk consultant provides a valuable support in developing and documenting the training material by following the policies and procedures outlined by the organization. He/she is responsible for maintaining the relevant reports accurately and ensuring that they are submitted on the given time. He/she is also responsible for maintaining good relationships with the customers to ensure that they remain content with the services provided. He/she should try to get a feedback from the customers he/she is interacting with, so that the quality of services can be improved.

Essential Skills

To carry out the job of a help desk consultant effectively, the individual should have excellent communication skills and should be able to respond quickly to the customers queries and provide them with a relevant solution. Excellent organization skills with multi tasking ability will prove to be of great help. He/she should be comfortable to work in a team environment as well as should be able to function independently with minimal supervision. He/she should be courteous, polite, and willing to help the customers. Attention to detail with proficiency in computer will be an added asset. He/she should be able to communicate in a clear and concise manner and explain complex things in a way that can be easily understood by the clients. He/she should able to provide proper consultation and guidance to the clients.

Educational Background

To be a help desk consultant, one needs to have a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in the relevant field. Previous experience in handling a diverse range of customers would definitely prove to be an advantage. A master's degree or additional training and certification would play a significant role during promotion to higher posts.

Work Schedule

Wherever there is a help desk area functioning, this particular department generally works round the clock. So if an individual is planning to become a help desk consultant, he/she should be ready to work in flexible shifts which may be in the morning, evening, or even at night. Occasionally, he/she may need to work for longer hours.

Salary Details

The average salary of a help desk consultant normally ranges between $45,000 to $82,000. It will, however, vary depending on an individual's previous work experience and the relevant skills and academic background that he/she has. It will also change depending on the location of the organization, how large or small an organization is, and the type of industry he/she is employed in.

Career Prospects

If an individual is able to demonstrate his/her skills and abilities through his/her performance, then there is a huge scope for development and growth to higher positions, not only in terms of profession, but also in developing his/her personality.

Thus, you are now well equipped with knowledge on various help desk consultant responsibilities that need to be shouldered. The effective handling of these responsibilities will definitely ensure a rewarding career ahead.