A help desk (also written helpdesk) refers both to the software used to manage support tickets and to the team or function that handles those tickets. In software terms, a help desk ingests contacts from email, chat, phone, and social media, converts them into tickets, and provides agents with tools to respond, collaborate, and report.
Core capabilities of help-desk software typically include:
- Ticket creation, assignment, and status tracking
- Macros and canned responses for common issues
- SLA (service-level agreement) management and breach alerts
- Reporting on volume, response times, and agent performance
- A customer-facing knowledge base or self-service portal
Help desks are often the operational backbone of a support team. Choosing the right platform involves weighing the number of channels supported, integration depth with CRM (customer relationship management) and product data, automation capabilities, and total cost. Common platforms include Zendesk, Freshdesk, Intercom, and Help Scout.