How do you prioritize and manage multiple hardware troubleshooting requests or tickets?
As a computer hardware troubleshooter, you may face multiple requests or tickets from different clients or users who need your help to fix their devices. How do you prioritize and manage these tasks effectively and efficiently, without compromising quality or customer satisfaction? In this article, we will share some tips and best practices to help you handle multiple hardware troubleshooting requests or tickets.
The first step to prioritize and manage multiple hardware troubleshooting requests or tickets is to assess the urgency and impact of each issue. Urgency refers to how quickly the issue needs to be resolved, while impact refers to how much the issue affects the client or user's work or productivity. You can use a simple matrix to categorize the requests or tickets into four quadrants: high urgency and high impact, high urgency and low impact, low urgency and high impact, and low urgency and low impact. Generally, you should focus on the high urgency and high impact requests or tickets first, followed by the high urgency and low impact ones, then the low urgency and high impact ones, and finally the low urgency and low impact ones.
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Connor Weiss, MBA
IT Manager | College Professor | Doctoral Student
I think this works for a system that does not a priority matrix already established through the ticketing system. As ticketing systems have evolved so has the workflow that assigns a priority level to the tickets and adjusts according to new tickets being generated. As my team works off of meeting the Service Level Agreement for the type of ticket a break/fix ticket will automatically have a higher priority than a request ticket as usually we have days to complete a request for something that isn’t impacting the customer compared to hours to resolve the break/fix issue. Following the processes already established within your help desk center ensures you won’t miss deadlines or focus on the wrong ticket for too long.
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Sarrmaladewi Packiry
ITManager, WorkPlace(All about Cloud) EUC|Azure|SCCM|M365|VDI|MDM|ITSM|JIRA|
The first step to prioritize and manage multiple hardware troubleshooting requests or tickets is to assess the urgency and impact of each issue. Urgency refers to how quickly the issue needs to be resolved, while impact refers to how much the issue affects the client or user's work or productivity. Each time you solve a problem, you increase your troubleshooting skills by gaining more experience. You learn how and when to combine steps, or skip steps, to reach a solution quickly. This section presents an approach to problem solving that you can apply to both hardware and software.
The second step to prioritize and manage multiple hardware troubleshooting requests or tickets is to communicate clearly and politely with the clients or users who submitted them. You should acknowledge the receipt of each request or ticket, inform them of your estimated response time and resolution time, and update them on the progress and status of the issue. You should also explain the reason for any delays or changes in the priority, and apologize for any inconvenience caused. You should use a professional and courteous tone, and avoid using jargon or technical terms that may confuse or frustrate the clients or users.
The third step to prioritize and manage multiple hardware troubleshooting requests or tickets is to follow a standard procedure for each issue. You should use a systematic and logical approach to identify the root cause, test the possible solutions, and implement the best one. You should document each step and outcome, and report the results and feedback to the clients or users. You should also close the request or ticket once the issue is resolved, and ask for a confirmation and a rating from the clients or users. You should follow the guidelines and policies of your organization or service provider, and adhere to the best practices and standards of your industry.
The fourth step to prioritize and manage multiple hardware troubleshooting requests or tickets is to use the right tools and resources to help you perform your tasks. You should have access to the necessary hardware and software tools, such as diagnostic tools, repair tools, backup tools, remote access tools, etc. You should also have access to the relevant information and knowledge resources, such as manuals, guides, tutorials, forums, blogs, etc. You should leverage these tools and resources to speed up your work, improve your accuracy, and enhance your skills.
The fifth step to prioritize and manage multiple hardware troubleshooting requests or tickets is to manage your time and workload effectively. You should plan your schedule and allocate your time according to the priority and complexity of each request or ticket. You should also set realistic and achievable goals, and track your performance and productivity. You should avoid multitasking, procrastination, and distractions, and focus on one task at a time. You should also balance your work and rest, and take breaks and recharge when needed. You should seek help or support from your colleagues, managers, or mentors if you encounter any difficulties or challenges.
The sixth step to prioritize and manage multiple hardware troubleshooting requests or tickets is to learn from your experience and improve your skills. You should review your work and evaluate your results and feedback. You should identify your strengths and weaknesses, and recognize your achievements and mistakes. You should also seek feedback and suggestions from your clients, users, colleagues, managers, or mentors, and listen to their opinions and advice. You should apply what you learned to your future tasks, and seek opportunities to update your knowledge and skills.
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Connor Weiss, MBA
IT Manager | College Professor | Doctoral Student
This step seems to either be lost, forgotten or ignored because as a leader, I am always encouraging my team to learn from tickets they have closed. Many times they will let me know of a ticket they have and what their thought process is on something I have seen a hundred times before. I always let them tell me what they are thinking because it’s a great exercise to see what new techs are coming up with in terms of solving problems. I ask them to consider something that will help guide them down that correct path that I know will resolve the issue and they usually appreciate the back and forth. Many times techs will become so fixated on that next ticket coming in they won’t remember the lesson they learned on previous tickets.
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