Activity 1:

Question 1 Marks: 60)

Q.1.1 Evaluate a company’s technical support services.

Visit the website of a hardware or software company that you do business with or are considering doing business with in the future. For example, you could contact the company that manufactured your computer or published a frequently used software package. Or visit one of the websites selected for the association of support professional “Ten best web support sites” award.

From the website you choose, do the following:

1. List the various options the company uses to deliver technical support. For example, does it have a support hotline or service desk where a customer can visit in person?
2. Find out what commitments, if any, the company makes about how it delivers customer support. For example, does it respond to all enquiries within a certain time? Does it make promises of how it handles telephone calls, emails, or online chat sessions? Does it promise to provide access to knowledgeable analysts?
3. Consider the company’s technical support services based on the information you found on their website to answer the following questions:
• Was it easy to locate the information about the company support services? Why?
• Do its technical support services encourage or discourage you from using the company products? Why?
(10)

Write a report that summarises your findings.

Requirement Mark

Allocation

Selecting the company /1

Determine all ways the company delivers technical support /2

Does it have a service desk? /1

Finding out the commitments. Award a maximum of six marks.
• Responding time;

• How it handles telephone calls and other communication; /6

• Access to knowledge analysts;
• Technical support services encourage or discourage you from using the company products.

TOTAL 10

Q.1.2 Many companies and learning institutions are implementing bring your own device (BYOD) policies for their employees and students. Such policies must address the associated risk and liabilities. Use the internet to search this trend and answer the following questions:

• What are the benefits of BYOD to

o Organisations;

o Technology users?

• What technologies are typically involved to connect to the organisation’s systems?
• What risk and liabilities must be considered?

• Provide at least three examples of BYOD policy requirements.

• Provide a checklist of at least five steps that organisations must take when implementing BYOD policies. (10)

Requirements Marks
Describing the benefits of BYOD to organisations and users. Award maximum of three marks for organisations and 3 marks for technology users. (6)
Technologies that are typically involved. Award maximum of 2 marks. (2) Risk and liabilities that must be considered. (4) Three examples of BYOD policies. Award 1 mark each for the policy. (3) Five steps organisations must take when implementing BYOD policies. (5) Total 20/2=10

Q.1.3 Internal and external service desks are the two primary types of service desks discussed in learning Unit 2.
Based on the two types, answer the following questions:

• What kind of service desk would you personally like to work at?

• Why? Explain the reasons for your choice.

Specifying choice of the service desk. (2) The reasons for your choice. (3) Total 5  (5)

Q.1.4 Discuss the following types of service desk operations:

• Centralised versus decentralised;

• Cost centre versus profit centre.

Prepare a list of the advantages and disadvantages that people may experience working at these different types of service desks. (10)

Q.1.5 Visit the website of a hardware or software company (HP, Dell, Lenovo, Samsung, Apple, etc.) and answer the following questions:  (10)

• What is the service desk’s mission statement?

• Describe the support services offered (for free, for a standard fee or at an optional/ premium rate)
• Does the service desk provide pre-sales support and post-sales support?

• Given what you have learned about an external service desk in the classroom, what else can you learn about this company’s service desk from its website?

Discuss the company’s mission based on the information you found by writing a report that summarises your findings.

Requirements
Service desk mission statement (1) The support services offered (1) Pre-sales support and post-sales support? (1) Opinion of what have you learned about this company’s service desk (2) Critique the company’s mission. (5)

Q.1.6 Assuming that you are in charge of staffing of the company you chose in Q.1.5, compile an advertisement that can be used to recruit level one analysts for the service desk. Your advertisement should address the following aspects:

• A name for the position being recruited for;

• The position to which the level one analyst will be reporting to;

• A general description of the position being recruited for;

• Key performance areas for the position;

• Qualifications required for the position;

• Skills needed for the position;

• Closing date for applications;

• Application process.

Part 2 — Technology and Information Component (Marks: 40)

Learning Unit 4 – 6

Activity 1:

Question 1 (Marks: 40)

Q.1.1 The staff has been hired but the technology still needs to be acquired. Assume that the service desk will start off with 25 staff members situated in an open plan office of approximately 20 m2.

Establish the technology requirements for the service desk. Then, by means of online searches, obtain free quotes from companies, vendors in shopping centres or advertisements. Quotes and prices obtained should include the hardware and software, as well as labour costs involved, in setting up the technology in such a way that the technology requirements for the service desk will be satisfied. Only obtain quotes from companies which are willing to provide a quote without needing to perform a site visit.

Once the quotes and prices have been obtained, write a proposal of the estimated cost of implementing the technology. Include the quotes and advertisements consulted in order to support your proposal.
(15)

Q.1.2 Think about the different ways you have previously used self-service technologies.

• Write a report that lists at least two self-service technologies you use and explain why you use them.
• What are the benefits?

• Describe ways you feel the self-service technologies you use could be made easier or more useful.
(10)

Self-service technologies you use (2) Explaining why you use them (2) Describing their benefits (2)
Ways you feel the self-service technologies you use could be made easier or useful (4)

Q.1.3 In terms of the four categories of data, identify examples of data items that should be maintained by an organisation’s service desk so that the service desk will be
able to track incidents and measure the team, individual and process performance, as well as perform a trend analysis. (8)

Q.1.4 A level two service provider has just informed you that because another incident they are working on takes longer than expected, they will not meet the target resolution time for an incident you own. The only other person who could work on the incident is on vacation.

• Briefly describe who you would notify.

• How would you minimise customer dissatisfaction in this situation?

• Describe how a service desk moves to a proactive state.

Describe who would you notify (1) How would you minimise customer dissatisfaction in this situation (4)
How a service desk moves to a proactive state (2)

Task 2 Activity 2 (20 Marks)

Question 2 (Marks: 20)

Q.2.1 You manage the service desk and want to use social media to communicate with customers. Search the web for information about how to create a social media policy for an IT organisation.

Prepare a presentation for the service desk team that includes the following:

• Typical responsibilities, policies, and procedures included in a social media policy.
• Key considerations for using social media at work.
• What to do when you are unsure if a post, comment, or video is acceptable.
(10)

Q.2.2 Go to the website of the incident management system or integration ITSM solution vendors mentioned in learning unit 5. Download a demonstration or trial version of the two systems. Complete the demonstration or explore the trail software by logging an incident and perform a search. N.B.: provide screenshots.

• Using what you can learn from the company’s website and their demonstration software, prepare a table that compares the features and benefits of the two products you have selected.

Answers to Above Questions on Helpdesk

Answer 1: A hardware or software company that you do business with or are considering doing business with in the future as selected is:

Get completed answers on the questions above on IT from the best IT experts of Student Life Saviour in South Africa.