What is a help desk? How is it helpful for the sales field?

Are you tired of drowning in a sea of customer enquiries and support requests? Not to worry, help desk software is here to save the day!

In a world where customers are the kings and queens, providing exceptional service has become the key to winning their hearts and wallets. In this context, a help desk can be a lifesaver for businesses. It can be a game changer for businesses looking to keep their customers happy, with expert staff on call to handle any enquiry or technical issue. From phone and email to live chat and self-service portals, a help desk can come in many shapes and sizes.

Lets’ begin with answering the question “What is a help desk”?

What is a help desk?

A help desk is a centralized system for managing customer enquiries and support requests. Companies that use a Help Desk system gain the ability to assign, track, and analyze every support request from their customers, resulting in higher customer satisfaction. This powerful tool keeps customers informed of every action taken on their tickets, which is critical for any business success.

What problems do Help desks solve?

When the cost of manually handling a help desk ticket is $22, why not opt for automation? When this automation can resolve 22% of total service desk tickets for next to nothing.

Some of the major issues that a help desk can handle are listed below:

• Email handling and agent assignment

With the growing population comes an increase in the number of email users, which reached 4.3 billion in the previous year. This has established a solid foundation for customers preferring email communication.

Help Desk simplifies email communication between businesses and their customers, allowing support teams to handle a high volume of inquiries. Incoming customer emails are automatically converted into support tickets and assigned to the appropriate agent or department.

When a customer sends an email to a company, Help Desk software converts it into a support ticket and assigns it to the appropriate agent based on the email’s content. Agents can then respond directly to the ticket from the software, eliminating the need to switch between email and the help desk system.

This email handling feature assists businesses in more efficiently managing support enquiries, saving time and resources while providing a better customer experience. A help desk also offers customizable email templates, which allow businesses to personalize their responses while maintaining a consistent brand voice.

• Notifying the customer

More than 2/3rd of customers want brands to interact with them through proactive customer notifications. (Microsoft Dynamics 365) Hence, keeping customers informed throughout the entire process, from ticket receipt confirmation to updates on its progress and resolution, keeps them informed about what is happening with their query.

Example –

When a customer submits a support ticket, they will receive an automatic email / SMS / Whatsapp message confirming that their enquiry has been received and is being addressed. While a ticket is being worked on, the customer can receive status updates, such as when it has been assigned to an agent or when a response has been provided.

These notifications keep customers informed and alleviate their concerns about the status of their support request. Businesses can improve customer satisfaction by providing timely and transparent updates, resulting in positive reviews and referrals.

• Mastering the art of Customer communication

With the deployment of a help desk, businesses can manage customer communication more effectively. Multiple agents can work on a support ticket at the same time, which makes it easier to resolve complex issues or escalate to higher-level support.

Furthermore, it includes an internal chat feature that allows agents to communicate with one another in real-time, making it easier to collaborate and share information on a support ticket. This feature ensures that all agents are on the same page and that customers receive consistent and correct information.

• Ticket aging

Did you know that 59% of all customers believe that the most important aspect of customer service is prompt and effective problem resolution? Customers place a premium on quick resolutions to their problems.

Aging support tickets that need attention, ensuring that all customers receive timely and satisfactory support is highlighted by the help desk. This software flags tickets that have been open for too long, allowing the support team to prioritize them. This feature also provides customizable aging reports, allowing businesses to track ticket progress and improve their customer service.

Example –

If a ticket has been open for several days without a response, the support team will be notified that it requires immediate attention. This helps to ensure that no tickets are ignored and that all customers receive prompt and satisfactory service.

• Escalation

Customizable escalation rules are part of any Help Desk, allowing businesses to define the conditions under which a ticket should be escalated. For example, if a ticket is not resolved within a certain timeframe, it can be automatically escalated to a higher level of support.




Example –

When a customer contacts a company with a technical issue that the first-level customer support team is unable to resolve. In this instance, deployment of a Help Desk escalates the ticket to a higher level of support or to the appropriate department, such as engineering or development. This ensures that the customer’s problem is quickly addressed by a team with the necessary expertise to resolve it.

Brand promises form the foundation of a company’s reputation and customer trust. These promises are typically accompanied by a Service Level Agreement (SLA), which specifies the level of service and support that customers can expect from the company.

Example –

In the Airtel Zero Complaint ad campaign, Airtel, one of leading telecommunications companies, promised to deliver zero complaints from its customers. This brand promise was based on their SLA, which included commitments to providing excellent network coverage, exceptional customer service, and quickly and efficiently resolving any issues.

Airtel was able to differentiate itself from its competitors and build a loyal customer base by making this brand promise and sticking to their SLA. This campaign not only helped them to gain new customers but also strengthened its relationship with the existing ones by emphasizing the company’s dedication to their satisfaction. Hence, building a positive reputation of the brand among its customers.

Who can use a help desk?

Let’s consider an employee who is preparing for a quarterly meeting when their system crashes, causing them to lose all of their notes and reports. In a state of panic, they wonder who they can turn to for help. Fortunately, the answer is simple: help desk!

While some people may believe that help desks are only useful for small businesses or large enterprises, this couldn’t be further from the truth. Anyone can benefit from the resources and support provided by a help desk, whether they’re an employee like the one in this example or a stay-at-home parent.

Whether someone is trying to troubleshoot a software issue on their personal computer or needs assistance with an online service they use at home, a help desk can be a valuable resource for anyone in need of technical support. It’s important not to hesitate to reach out, as the help desk is there to help navigate the complex world of technology, no matter who the person is.

Some of the prominent industries that make use of help desk are:

• Help desk for E-commerce

If a customer, who is eagerly awaiting the delivery of their latest purchase, encounters a problem while trying to track a package, it may cause them to reconsider whether to continue shopping with the brand in the future or not. However, when a chatbot offers assistance out of the blue as soon as they enter a query on the company’s website and receives a personalized response, they regain trust in that brand. It is not only limited to website and mobile app enquiries, but also to enquiries received via phone, email, and social media.

In the e-commerce industry, an example of how a company providing transportation mobility as a service uses help desk with regard to drivers and passengers is shown below:




• Help desk for Travel & Tourism

Traveling to a new destination with the confidence of having a guide available to address your every concern and question, day or night. Thanks to help desk software, tour operators and other travel-related businesses can provide just that, offering customized responses that ensure a stress-free and enjoyable travel experience for their customers. By keeping a comprehensive record of every interaction and preference, these businesses can create a personalized experience that goes above and beyond, recommending activities and accommodations that perfectly match the customer’s interests. With such exceptional service, customers are bound to rave about their experience, leading to higher levels of satisfaction, glowing reviews, and referrals, all of which contribute to the growth and expansion of the business.

The image below depicts an example of how Airbnb uses help desk to provide assistance to its valued customers:




• Help desk for IT services

Clients of a software company that provides IT solutions to businesses rely heavily on their software to ensure smooth operations. A help desk is essential for preventing downtime or technical difficulties that could result in significant financial losses for their clients.

By implementing the right help desk software, every company can offer their clients 24/7 support. Whenever a client encounters an issue with their software, they can submit a support request through a help desk platform. The company’s team can then access the request, monitor its progress, and provide updates in a timely manner until the issue is resolved. Hence, every issue is acknowledged and resolved within a few minutes through a help desk software.

• Help desk for Logistics

Help desk usage is widespread among the shipping & logistics industry. Shipping process can sometimes be stressful for customers who are eagerly waiting for their packages to arrive. This is where help desk software comes in, allowing logistics companies to offer quick and reliable support to their customers.

If a customer has questions or concerns about their shipment, they can easily get in touch with a customer support agent through any mode of communication and receive immediate assistance. For instance, the agent can provide real-time updates on the transit status, offer tracking information, or make changes to the delivery schedule.

What’s more, help desk software enables logistics companies to keep a detailed record of customer interactions and issues, giving them valuable insights into recurring problems and allowing them to take proactive measures to prevent them in the future. By using help desk software, logistics companies can provide exceptional customer service and build a reputation for reliability and efficiency in the industry.

How is help desk useful for the sales field?

Let us get the importance of help desk through an example. Consider a product-based company, which has a dedicated sales team responsible for bringing in new customers.

But, as the customer base grows, so do the enquiries and support requests flooding your inbox.

What should a business do?

Enter the service desk!

A support team can improve customer satisfaction by efficiently managing incoming requests and prioritizing urgent issues. Furthermore, with useful insights and analytics, can make data-driven decisions to improve the overall customer experience. So, if a company wants to provide excellent customer service while increasing sales, a help desk system is the way to go!

• Enhancing customer experience

Businesses need to keep up with the customer expectation for their sustainability where everything has an alternative. Every customer is looking for a quick fix. And a helpdesk is the ideal tool for meeting their needs. When businesses prioritize prompt and effective problem resolution, the overall customer experience improves significantly. This translates to greater satisfaction and loyalty, both of which are major elements of any successful business.

A help desk is more than just a tool for solving customer issues – it’s a valuable source of insights into their behavior and preferences. By analyzing the data gathered from help desk interactions, businesses can uncover hidden patterns and trends that can improve the overall customer experience. By identifying the common issues that customers face, businesses can take proactive measures to prevent those issues from happening again. This not only saves time and resources, but it also shows customers that their needs are being prioritized.

With a help desk in place, businesses can stay ahead of the competition and keep their customers happy and loyal by leveraging data to make informed decisions.

• Improving customer retention

To keep customers, businesses must provide excellent customer service that exceeds their expectations. This includes being responsive, resolving issues quickly, and being accessible via various communication channels. Businesses must rely on effective help desk tools to achieve this. Remember that providing excellent customer service is critical to keeping customers happy and loyal, and having the right tools can make all the difference.

• Increasing sales opportunities

Let’s understand this with an example. When a customer browses a website and encounters a problem. The first option he seeks is “Contact Us,” which he selects. He will undoubtedly look forward to doing business with the website that quickly resolves his problem. Businesses can increase customer satisfaction, repeat business, and positive referrals by providing exceptional customer service. As a result, deploying a help desk is a win-win situation for both business and the customer.

• Streamlining sales process

Consider a sales process that is as smooth, seamless, and efficient as a river. That’s where a help desk comes in, acting as a powerful tool to help businesses streamline their sales processes.

A help desk can assist businesses in accomplishing this by centralizing customer interaction, allowing sales teams to access relevant customer data, such as contact information and purchase history, in one location. This saves time and effort, allowing sales teams to focus on closing deals rather than scouring multiple platforms for information.

Routine tasks such as lead capture, qualification, and routing can even be automated, allowing the sales team to focus on higher-priority tasks that require human interaction. As a result, productivity increases with minimal response time, resulting in a better customer experience and, ultimately, more sales.

Let’s say a company that provides brand management services to it’s clients, implements a help desk system. The system can be set up to automatically respond to frequently asked questions, such as pricing, package details, or support hours. This relieves support staff to focus on more difficult tasks, such as settling technical issues or providing strategic advice to clients.

• Boosting customer satisfaction

When it comes to providing exceptional customer service, consistency is essential, and a help desk can help businesses achieve just that. Businesses can ensure that all customer enquiries are handled professionally by using templates and workflows, resulting in a better and more reliable customer experience. This consistency not only increases customer satisfaction, but it also fosters brand trust and loyalty.

Help desk- the catalyst that eases every sales person’s job!

In conclusion, a help desk is an indispensable ally for sales teams looking to stand out in their field. By offering speedy and efficient support, a help desk can assist sales reps in closing deals and keeping clients happy to make a repeat purchase with you. A help desk’s valuable customer insights can also assist sales teams in better understanding their audience, identifying their needs, and refining their sales approach accordingly.

What’s more, the user-friendly interface of a help desk can save sales reps precious time and energy that they can spend on selling. By simplifying the support process, a help desk can streamline the sales pipeline, leading to more efficient procedures and higher success rates. When businesses go the extra mile to pamper their customers, they build an unbreakable bond that lasts a lifetime. Ultimately, a help desk can be the secret formula that simplifies the job of salespeople, making their work a breeze and driving success for the team.