Help Choose Next LITS Help Desk Software

Tuesday, February 7, 2023, at 10:07 am

LITS is in the process of choosing new software that will help us support you even better (what? why?) and we want your input!

We’ll be hosting vendor presentations for our three finalists on February 28th, March 1st, and March 3rd from 9am to noon. Check out the schedule of topics that they’ve been invited to cover below and register by 2/23.

How to Participate in the Virtual Demos

Register

Register by 2/23 to receive the meeting link for each day. Please include any accommodation needs in your form response (the earlier we know about those the better). You’ll register once for all three presentation days, but of course just attend the bits that interest you most.

Share your feedback

Registrants will receive a feedback form. Please fill it out as soon as possible after each vendor demonstration while the experience is still fresh in your mind. Your input will shape the final decision, which will be made by mid March.

Will there be recordings?

We hope to be able to offer recordings to those who can’t make it live, but they'll be available at each vendor's discretion. Registered users will be notified about any recordings.

Schedule of topics:

Each of the three finalists will follow the schedule below when they present on 2/28, 3/1, or 3/3.

9-9:50 am: End user experience

Intended audience: All MHC community members
This will cover what it’s like for MHC community members like you to create and correspond on a support ticket, use the self-service portal, find and read knowledge articles, browse the service catalog and request a service, schedule an appointment with LITS staff, and manage any approval requests assigned to you.

10-10:50 am: Agent experience

Intended audience: LITS Staff
This will cover what it’s like for LITS staff who work directly in the tool to create and manage tickets and requests; coordinate user appointments; manage and resolve problems that multiple users are experiencing at the same time; and create, maintain, and share knowledge articles.

11-11:50 am: Asset management

Intended audience: LITS Staff
This will cover how the tool supports lifecycle management for College-owned hardware and software (ex. computers, Adobe CC) from purchase through disposal, including the ability to group assets (ex. computer labs), determine usage statistics (are we paying for more software licenses than are being used?), and create budget projections (how many computers need to be replaced this year per division?).

Afternoon: Administration & Configuration

Intended audience: LITS Staff only
There will also be another session each afternoon that will cover tool administration and configuration, including integrations and vendor connections, reporting capabilities, and options for configuring the service catalog and building service requests and automations.

Project Context

LITS is looking to replace our current service management software. Service management software facilitates the tasks and workflows associated with managing and delivering quality library and IT support services.

You interact with the software LITS currently uses when you email helpdesk@mtholyoke.edu or fill out one of our service request forms. Those actions create a “ticket” or “request” and then we can assign it to the right folks in LITS and across the College, keep track of progress using the status field, and send you updates.

Service management tools can also support lifecycle and inventory management for computers and other devices and offer self-service portals, where users can browse and request available services, read knowledge articles, and connect with support staff.

Our current software doesn’t allow us to provide you with the unified self-service experience we wish it could. This is in part due to the tool’s limited integration and reporting abilities and its lack of adherence to the College’s accessibility standards.

By getting a new tool, we aim to:

Center the end-user experience (aka your experience) by providing an accessible, responsive and helpful self-service portal that is a “one-stop shop” for all LITS services, complete with service catalog, knowledge base and incident/request status tracking and approval capability.
Improve your satisfaction with LITS services by enabling us to be more proactive and improve the service delivery, communication, and issue resolution we provide.
Streamline cross-functional work and further reduce overhead by taking advantage of integration opportunities with other campus systems.
Improve lifecycle management (from procurement through disposal) for College-owned computers and other assets so we can make sure your devices are provided and replaced on schedule.