Though it is not always immediately apparent to the Simmons College community, Technology is constantly searching for new ways to improve our existing support structure and looking for new opportunities to expand the range of services we offer.
With this in mind, we would like to share some of our recent changes with you and let you know how they help make technology work better for you.
Service Desk
In order to improve access to support, we have completely redesigned the Simmons Technology website and created a new Service Desk website with you in mind. The new Simmons Technology site serves as an introduction to Technology and provides an overview of our services. The Service Desk website is your one-stop location for support. From this site, you can get contact info for Technology, create a request for general support, media event support, and Datatel/Colleague support, access our FAQ knowledge base, and find links to other services.
TechKnow
When you access the FAQ on the Service Desk site, you are actually seeing the result of a powerful new knowledge base tool we call TechKnow. This system serves as a repository for both self-service information and Technology department knowledge that can easily be shared among our technicians when answering your questions. Collecting, organizing, and sharing knowledge about our services leads to better and faster support for you.
New Support Software
Before the start of the semester, Technology also updated the software we use to handle your requests. The new system allows us to share information internally so we can quickly route your request to the first available technician and it also allows us to communicate with you and keep you informed about its status. We don’t close your request until you have verified that we have given you the support you need. If your problem isn’t fixed, we’ll keep working on it until you let us know that it is. Our support software is already paying dividends. In September, we resolved 2,500 incidents, 41% of which were closed in less than one day.
Remote Support
In the past, if you needed a technician to look at your computer, you would have to set up an appointment and wait for them to come to you. Now, many requests can be handled via remote assistance using a tool called Bomgar. This utility allows a technician to temporarily connect to your computer so they can see exactly what you see and you can follow along as they work through a solution to your problem.
Best of all, Bomgar is secure, works on most platforms (Windows, Mac, Linux, and more), and doesn’t require you to install any software. When speaking to a technician, they will direct you to a dedicated Simmons website where you can initiate a remote support session. Remote support allows us to help you from anywhere you can connect to the Internet and helps us to answer your questions more quickly and accurately.
In September alone, there were 270 remote assistance sessions. Of these sessions, more than 92% of customers have rated the service a 4 or 5 out of 5. Here are a few comments from customers we’ve assisted recently:
“Very helpful. We resolved my issue immediately.”
“Douglas was a great help and so PATIENT!”
“Jessica was very helpful multiple times today. Thank you!”
“Jared was very patient and easy to talk with. Walked me through everything point by point. I know a lot more than when we started. Thanks!”
These represent just a few of the changes taking place in Technology. We will continue to roll out new services that improve your access to technology and the ways we support you. For information on new initiatives, be sure to check servicedesk.simmons.edu and future issues of the Technology Newsletter.