The heart of any helpdesk software is the Call Logging screen - this is where your support personnel usually spend the greatest amount of their time. FireSTARTER!'s Call Logging Screen is designed to be as straightforward and easy to use as possible - requiring little or no training so you can be up and running in minutes.   The Call Logging screen has also been designed for completely mouse-free operation - keyboard shortcuts can be used instead of clicking individual buttons making life easier for people accustomed to fast data entry.

Designed with analysis in mind

FireSTARTER!'s Call database has been designed to help you analyse trends and by providing additional fields to aid reporting and analysis:

Optionally record the Cost and Duration for each Call

 
   
The person who originally logged the call is distinguished from the person that the call was forwarded to  
   
The 'Resolved at entry' checkbox lets your frontline helpdesk personnel mark calls they closed during the initial client call. At a later stage, this simple statistic will enable you to find out who your top Helpdesk closers are.
  
Calls types are classified into Major/Minor types, for example Hardware/Screen, Hardware/Keyboard, etc. This simple two-tier breakdown lets you analyse calls by problem area using FireSTARTER!'s comprehensive reporting facilities.  

A Helpdesk for both Internal AND External use

Most helpdesk software is designed for either supporting internal customers (e.g. an IT Helpdesk) or external customers. FireSTARTER! can be used for both scenarios. The Client Company, Client Department and Client Contact is stored for each call. If you run an internal support operation, FireSTARTER! can hide the company field and have it default automatically to your company for every new call opened.

Backup Information always to hand

When a helpdesk operator is logging a call, he or she can easily call up the following background information from the Call entry window:

Client History Window

The Helpdesk operator can invoke a window of the Client's previous calls, or calls relating to the same type of problem that the client is currently reporting. This simple tool can let relatively inexperienced helpdesk personnel instantly tap into all the previous experience of the helpdesk and potentially close client problems when they are reported.

Client Information

The Client Information window shows client contact information and optionally, the Client Importance Rating (CIR). The Client Importance Rating is a statistic that can be set by the Sales Department along with a short explanatory description.

KnowledgeBase

FireSTARTER! comes complete with its own straightforward and easy to use KnowledgeBase. The KnowledgeBase lets you enter Standard Problems and Standard Resolutions, and match them together along with a confidence rating. You can even enter unmatched Standard Procedures to document routine tasks. When the KnowledgeBase browser is called from the Call Logging window, it only shows problems and resolutions relative to the type of call that the user is currently entering.

Inventory Software

FireSTARTER! integrates with Veritias Software's WinLAND Workstation inventory tool. Data collected by WinLAND about a client's workstation can be automatically displayed to a Helpdesk user when they are entering a call for that client.

Remote Control Software Integration

FireSTARTER! will also let you integrate with your own choice of Remote Control software- PC/Anywhere, ReachOut, etc. FireSTARTER! records the connection parameter information for each client contact and lets a Helpdesk operator automatically establish a connection to the client's PC by just pressing a button on the Call Entry Window.

Applicable SLAs

When a user is entering a call, FireSTARTER! will display any SLA obligations for the client, and the timeframes in which the call must be resolved, if any. The Helpdesk operator can also mark the SLA as covering the call for auditing purposes, e.g. if the SLA has been set to expire after a maximum number of incidents.

 

 

Some client problems are more complex than others and can require many steps to resolve, with the client wondering what is being done to resolve their call. FireSTARTER! Helpdesk lets your support personnel log an unlimited number of action items against a call.

These action items can automatically trigger an email to the client to let them know that the problem is being actively worked on.

     

 

One Call, Many Links

FireSTARTER! Helpdesk will also let you associate external files with individual calls. This can be an extremely useful feature when a user includes a screen-shot showing their problem, or a member of the support team wants to link the call to an FAQ file or similar technical document. FireSTARTER!'s Email agent takes any file attachments from incoming client messages that automatically generate calls and links them to the calls it creates.

One Call, Many Resources

As well as associating an unlimited amount of actions and files against a call, you can also associate any amount of resources from FireSTARTER!'s resource database against a call. FireSTARTER!'s resource database lets you record and track your assets. When a call involves a faulty piece of equipment, the resource record for the equipment is flagged with the call. This makes it easy to spot troublesome pieces of equipment that otherwise go unnoticed in the day-to-day bustle of a busy support operation.

     

 

Forwarding Calls

When frontline Helpdesk Personnel forward calls, the Forward Call window lets them see key workload and skill information for each member of the support team. This information includes:

Current Number of Open Calls

 
The user's skill rating in the area of the call to be forwarded (optional!)  
Current Number of Open Calls of the same type of the call that is being forwarded
  
The comment for the user's skill rating (optional!)  
Whether the user is currently logged in or not
  
     
Each user can be associated with certain major and minor call types. The Forward Call window can be optionally set to only display users that have been associated with the call type that is to be forwarded.