Help Desk Software Help Desk Basic Procedures 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which type of SLA defines the response and resolution times based on the severity or priority of an incident?
- Operational Level Agreement (OLA)
- Underpinning Contract (UC)
- Priority-based SLA (Correct answer)
- Service Catalog SLA
Correct answer: Priority-based SLA
Priority-based SLAs tie response and resolution targets directly to the impact and urgency level of each incident.
Question 2: When documenting a resolved ticket, what information is most critical to include for future reference?
- The agent's personal opinion of the user
- The exact steps taken to resolve the issue and the root cause (Correct answer)
- The user's manager's contact information
- The brand of computer the user owns
Correct answer: The exact steps taken to resolve the issue and the root cause
Documenting root cause and resolution steps enables faster resolution of similar issues in the future.
Question 3: A user submits a ticket through the self-service portal but then calls the help desk about the same issue. What should the agent do?
- Create a brand new ticket for the phone call
- Find the existing ticket and update it rather than creating a duplicate (Correct answer)
- Ignore the phone call since a ticket already exists
- Close the portal ticket and work only from the phone call
Correct answer: Find the existing ticket and update it rather than creating a duplicate
Linking or updating the existing ticket prevents duplicate records and maintains a clear history of the issue.
Question 4: What is the main difference between an 'incident' and a 'service request' in ITIL-aligned help desks?
- Incidents cost money; service requests are free
- An incident is an unplanned disruption; a service request is a formal user demand for something new (Correct answer)
- Service requests are higher priority than incidents
- Incidents are handled by Tier 1; service requests go straight to Tier 3
Correct answer: An incident is an unplanned disruption; a service request is a formal user demand for something new
ITIL defines incidents as unplanned interruptions and service requests as pre-approved user demands like password resets.
Question 5: Why should help desk agents avoid using technical jargon when communicating with end users?
- It is against company policy to use technical terms
- Jargon may confuse users and slow down troubleshooting (Correct answer)
- Technical terms are copyrighted by vendors
- Using jargon increases ticket volume
Correct answer: Jargon may confuse users and slow down troubleshooting
Plain language ensures the user understands instructions and can follow steps without confusion.
Question 6: A help desk team notices that 40% of tickets are about the same software bug. What is the most proactive response?
- Close all related tickets without responding
- Wait for users to stop reporting the issue
- Create a known error record and notify affected users proactively (Correct answer)
- Escalate each ticket individually to Tier 3
Correct answer: Create a known error record and notify affected users proactively
Creating a known error record and communicating it reduces repeat contacts and sets user expectations.
Question 7: What does 'ticket aging' refer to in help desk operations?
- The process of archiving old tickets after one year
- Tickets that have been open for longer than expected without resolution (Correct answer)
- Tickets submitted by senior employees
- The time it takes to import tickets from a legacy system
Correct answer: Tickets that have been open for longer than expected without resolution
Ticket aging refers to open tickets that are overdue, often flagged to ensure they receive attention before SLA breach.
Help Desk Software Help Desk Basic Procedures 3
Which type of SLA defines the response and resolution times based on the severity or priority of an incident?