Is Artificial Intelligence the Future of IT Help Desk?

Let’s back up a little, are you familiar with how an IT help desk uses artificial intelligence to improve business communication?

Is Artificial Intelligence the Future of IT Help Desk?

Artificial intelligence (AI) is the technology that gives intelligent machines (be it computers, drones, robots, or whatever name called) the potential to “think” and behave in a “manner” that previously only humans could do. This means they can perform all the activities without human interference as they can make decisions from what they have learned. 

AI requires data, most of it for learning and making smart decisions. Enterprise’s main goal is to maximize their profits. The organization has become more customer-centric as they are well aware of their customer’s demands. Customer-centricity refers to the business approach that focuses on providing better customer service both at the time of sale and after the sale to achieve a competitive advantage and earn a profit. One of the most significant methods of delighting the customers is by possessing Helpdesk software, Chatbots, and Virtual support agents. 

What is a Help desk Software?

Artificial Intelligence Help-desk software is also called service-desk or customer support desk software. A service desk system helps the organizations to solve their customer queries efficiently through automation of complaint resolution procedure with ticket management. Organizations use help desk software to manage a wide array of information. The primary function of the help desk is to manage customer concerns while IT service management serves the needs of the internal operations as well. Here are the ways how artificial intelligence is helping the help desk today and shortly. 

  • IT Helpdesk Chatbot

The establishment of Chatbots in the IT service-desk system helps an organization to change its support productivity. With the help of Chatbot, the IT helpdesk can quickly answer the agent’s support queries and resolve them immediately, in most cases. It can increase the efficiency of the end-users as well as allow the IT helpdesk team to concentrate on complicated queries and other digital modifications efforts. 

Ways by which the Chatbots can enhance the productivity of IT helpdesk:


  • Quick Response Time

Chatbot for IT service desk can help enterprises to address the basic and mundane IT support queries, administer tickets, and offer self-service choice. Users can sort out their queries immediately through a chat with the virtual assistant. This minimizes the wait time for the end-users, which results in a far-fetched positive effect on their efficiency. Chatbots can help enterprises to promptly resolve troubleshooting issues, spreading awareness about basic FAQs on new technology initiatives, policies, implementation, etc.


  • Better Resource Optimization

A resilient Chatbot lowers the work-load on the IT department. The help desk team does not need to handle voluminous monotonous issues every day. The Chatbot solves the basic issues, and complex queries are directed to IT staff. This allows them to handle high-value interactions.


  • Automated Support Services

Traditionally, the end-users need to log in to the help desk ticketing system and fill a detailed form to send their queries. However, Chatbots have altered this process by introducing automation in the help desk system. These virtual agents can not only provide support for the commonly-asked issues, but they can also direct the other complicated requests to the IT support team. Having Chatbots in the IT support system results in ITSM to be more efficient and faster.

  • Reduce service and incident request prioritization and routing with AI

Service and incident request registration is a full day work for the service desk. Hence, it becomes very hectic for service desk employees to register the requests and lots of other data. Therefore, Artificial Intelligence is also operating in prioritization, automated categorization, and to select and maintain service request tickets. This helps to correctly access the information without any error, hence simplifying the registration process. AI even makes use of Machine Learning to decode the characteristics of incidents and service requests within a particular category. 

  • Knowledge curation

AI-assisted knowledge management is another new capability looming in help desk products. It includes an intelligent search function that recognizes particular keywords and is also able to acknowledge context and meaning. AI also works as an intelligent autoresponder that responds to end-user emails with the appropriate solutions. It also allows us to recognize gaps in the knowledge base. Hence, AI-driven knowledge is not only helping the end-users, but IT support agents too. 

Challenges faced by the IT Help desk

However, the expedition and efficiency of the IT service-desk are generally affected by the following factors:

  • Mundane Queries – Each day, the IT help desk is immersed with monotonous queries, and the agents must spend substantial time solving them.
  • Extended Resolution Periods – After the flooded queries in the help desk, it results in extended resolution time. It occurs due to the shortage of labor, not complexity. 
  • Delay in solving important IT problems – As the team is loaded with resolving the basic requests, all other significant IT implementations are delayed.

Conclusion

AI helps enterprises to remove their IT bottlenecks and resolve mundane issues easily. It helps in automating the IT service-desk function, lowering the burden on IT staff. As we are well aware of what exactly is help desk support software, we can embrace its advantages for not only the enterprises but for customers too.