Helpdesk administrators assist employees with computer problems, requiring technical knowledge, troubleshooting skills, and customer service abilities. They may work in-house or be outsourced, and their tasks vary depending on the organization’s size and technology.
The main task of the helpdesk administrator is to help employees solve computer problems. Administrators typically have access to all of a company’s servers and shared drives and are experts in troubleshooting and customer service. When employees have technology problems, the first step is to call tech support, where an administrator is expected to listen to the problem and find a solution, either over the phone or in person.
Almost every organization with a computer mainframe has a helpdesk. Almost all computers malfunction at some point, and the chances of them malfunctioning tend to increase when computers are plugged in and asked to run multiple programs at the same time. Most companies employ teams of technical support staff to be regularly available to deal with technology issues. Smaller companies can outsource technical support administrator jobs, often by subscribing to services offered by their Internet service provider or account operator.
Key requirements for this job are a working understanding of how computer networks work, an ability to quickly troubleshoot problems, and excellent customer service skills. When employees call tech support, they are often frustrated. An administrator needs to be able to handle the employee politely while correcting the problem.
Sometimes the job is as easy as helping an employee reset a password or restoring web settings after a hard drive or web browser crash. Other orders can be incredibly complicated, however, and often involve in-person visits. Collaboration with other technical support personnel may be required to find a solution.
In traditional settings, a help desk administrator works as a member of the company’s help desk team. Administrators are generally responsible for answering help desk phone calls and taking proactive steps to ensure network integrity and security. Non-troubleshooting tasks often include installing security patches, updating spam filters and antivirus software, and monitoring for suspicious Internet activity.
The specifics of what is involved in this work can vary greatly depending on the supporting organization. The day-to-day aspects of work are often very different in a large company than in a small one, and the nature and age of the internal mainframes also necessarily influence the nature of the work. In almost all cases, these administrators are technically savvy support professionals, without whom corporate life in today’s connected world can slow down dramatically.
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