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Customer service software, also known as a help desk application, is a resource intended to provide customer support or to answer questions relating to the company's products or services.

Generally, help desk software automates the process of providing assistance, guiding clients to where the information they need can be found, and serves as a point of contact for users to gain assistance through other means, such as online informational pages, FAQs, instant messaging, chat, or email.

Modern help desks also serve as issue tracking systems, allowing the company to track and sort user requests, sometimes classifying issues by user, computer program, or other categories. Thus, while the immediate function of the help desk is to solve the customer's problem, either automatically or by later followup, the application also tracks the sorts of problems that users are having, aiding the company's quality control interests.

Help desks are often organized into various levels to handle different types of queries. At the first level, the help desk might refer the customer to the appropriate section in its knowledge base or FAQs. If the issue is not resolved by these means, it can be forwarded to another level with resources to handle problems that might require more than simple information, such as bug fixes or specific software needs.

Customer support automation usually involves the use of a knowledge base of known issues and their resolutions, allowing companies to offers services to their customers 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Support automation software can be integrated with customer relationship management systems and network management systems, providing reports to management on the number and type of problems that were solved automatically, as well as areas still needing improvement.

Topics relating to customer support software, or help desk applications, by whatever name, are the focus of topics in this category.

 

 

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