If you love interacting with a diverse range of people and are eager to go ahead and help them in sorting out their problems, then you can definitely take up a career as a help desk agent. Help desk agents are found in a variety of industries and departments like finance, human resources, information technology and are most commonly found in the BPO industry. Help desk agent responsibilities play a vital role in ensuring that all the clients' problems are being addressed appropriately and that the relevant solutions have been provided for the same. Thus, it helps an organization to get a constructive feedback of the customers' issues and requirements as well.
Key Responsibilities of a Help Desk Agent
The help desk agent is responsible for providing help desk support services and ensuring high level of customer satisfaction. He/she tries to investigate the reason behind the issues and troubleshoots the technical problems and resolves the relevant issues. He/she analyzes the problems and makes a record of the issues addressed and the relevant resolutions provided for it. He/she interacts with the clients, listens to their queries patiently, and then provides with the relevant information to ensure that the customer remains content. To get a more clear picture on what are the key responsibilities that need to be handled by a help desk agent in various fields, here are some points for your reference:
Essential Skills
The help desk agent working in any kind of industry should have a friendly presence with excellent interpersonal communication skills combined with a helpful attitude. Good telephonic and analytical skills, problem solving skills, with multitasking ability during pressure situations will surely prove to be an advantage. He/she should be able to work independently with or without any supervision and should be conversant with various software applications. He/she should be flexible, adaptable, and should be able to demonstrate enthusiasm with high levels of patience.
Educational Requirements
The educational requirements will differ according to the type of industry he/she is going to apply to. A high school diploma is the minimum requirement, while a bachelor's degree from a college or university would be preferred. A good combination of the relevant education and previous customer service experience would definitely prove to be beneficial.
Work Schedule
The help desk agent should be ready to work in fast paced work environment and should be ready to work all round the clock. He/she should be ready to make himself/herself available whenever there is a call. Thus, his/her work schedule is quite hectic and needs to work under stressful work conditions.
Salary Details
The individuals who have just finished their education can get a minimum remuneration of $19,000 to $21,000. The more experienced candidates can get a salary package ranging from $36,000 to $39,000. It differs depending on the geographical location of the organization, type of industry, and size of the company.
Career Prospects
Though there are ample opportunities available for the help desk agent, there is a stiff competition to acquire the right job. If you are able to showcase your talent, then there is no stopping back, and the career advancement in this industry is much faster than the rest of the fields. You can be easily promoted to the higher supervisory or management positions.
Thus, to become a complete professional, the help desk agent responsibilities must be carried out effectively and efficiently.