Benefits of Ticketing Systems in IT Support

    In the fast-paced world of IT support, effective communication and streamlined workflows are paramount to ensuring prompt issue resolution and customer satisfaction. Many IT professionals have transitioned from managing work through scattered emails, instant messages, text messages, post-its, and voicemails to adopting ticketing systems. In this article, we'll explore the reasons why IT typically uses ticketing systems and how they improve the support process. Check out the article Understanding Technical Details in IT Replies for even more details!

First Things First: Self-resourcefulness! Our ever-growing knowledgebase can be searched, and referenced for tips, tricks, and best-practices before opening a ticket. We might already have an article that goes over your topic!

How to send a ticket: One can browse to https://it.robinson-park.com and create a free account using your work email address. This allows you to explore your history of tickets, contribute to the ticket's lifespan, and more. Most however simply send an email to [email protected] and allow email to be the requestors primary interaction with IT. To contribute to the context and lifespan of a ticket via email, always reply to that email's thread. Else, a new ticket might inadvertently be created, requiring IT to merge that new ticket with your original one.

What to include in your ticket: The 5 W's and 1 H! Who, what, where, when, why, and how. Photos, screenshots, related file attachments, and an outline of what happened before, during, and after which generated your need for help.

Example:

My internet isn't working! This gives no details, and only offers complaint.

    However, saying: My internet isn't working! I've cleared cache, cookies, history, and rebooted and still get this error when trying to go to a website! The requestor attaches a screenshot showing Yardi won't load, but other sites show up just fine when browsing. Now, we know that "the internet isn't working" wasn't the problem -- the problem, was that Yardi was experiencing an outage as the screenshot also shows they're streaming a video in another window.

Extra Example:

• Who (is impacted): Tenants, as there's no Heat or Air.
• What (is impacted): HVAC Server.
• Where (are devices): HVAC server is in the main office, plugged into a network switch.
• When (impact occurred): Two days ago.
• Why (impact happened): Whole site experienced power outage, HVAC Server did not recover.
• How: Power company experienced issues following a large storm that blew threw the area.
• Troubleshooting: We've tied unplug/replugging its power, hitting and holding the power button for > 10 seconds, swapped to a different power cord, and even tried another power outlet but still the Server is not powering on.

This encourages the requestor to be absolutely clear when communicating in their ticket with due diligence behind providing as inclusive, complete details as possible.

Benefits of Ticketing:

1. Centralized Tracking: Ticketing systems provide a centralized platform for IT teams to log, manage, and prioritize all incoming requests. Each issue or task is documented in a separate ticket, making it easy to track progress and ensure that nothing slips through the cracks. This way if your technician is delayed, another technician can continue forward knowing all the details provided within the ticket from all parties.
2. Prioritization and SLAs: With ticketing systems, IT teams can set priorities for different types of issues and adhere to Service Level Agreements (SLAs). While Robinson-Park doesn't use SLAs now, they very well may come into use in the future. This ensures that critical problems receive immediate attention, and clients are aware of expected response and resolution times.
3. Accountability, Integrity, and Ownership: Every ticket is assigned to a specific IT technician or team, fostering accountability. Having a designated owner for each ticket ensures that someone is responsible for resolving the issue, reducing confusion and delays. These traits are also extended to the requestor.
4. History and Documentation: Ticketing systems maintain a detailed history of each ticket, including all communications and actions taken to resolve the problem. This documentation is invaluable for future reference, knowledge-sharing, and troubleshooting similar issues.
5. Collaboration and Communication: Ticketing systems often feature built-in communication tools, allowing IT staff and clients to interact within the ticket itself. This centralizes communication and ensures that all updates and relevant information are recorded in one place.
6. Metrics and Reporting: Ticketing systems generate insightful metrics and reports, providing IT teams with valuable data on performance, response times, and issue resolution rates. This data-driven approach enables continuous improvement and better service delivery.
7. Integration and Automation: Many ticketing systems can integrate with other IT management tools, enabling automation and enhancing workflows. Automatic ticket assignment, notification alerts, and other integrations reduce manual effort and improve efficiency.

    Ticketing systems have become the preferred choice for IT support due to their ability to centralize tracking, prioritize tasks, ensure accountability, and provide comprehensive documentation. Leveraging these systems can significantly improve IT support operations, enhance customer experiences, and optimize team productivity.