THE HELP DESK AND THE NOC: WHAT MSPS NEED AND WHY - Bitpipe

THE HELP DESK AND THE NOC:WHAT MSPS NEED AND WHY

THE HELP DESK AND THE NOC:WHAT MSPS NEED AND WHYCritical to the success of virtually every high growthmanaged service provider (MSP) are network operationscenters (NOCs) and help desks. MSPs with highperforming NOCs and help desks can find these servicesare a vital underpinning to their successful operations.This whitepaper discusses NOCs and help desks, andwhat factors MSPs should consider when settingthem up.The NOCThe NOC is the nerve center of your MSP monitoringoperation. Typically, the NOC will perform monitoringand proactive maintenance for your customers, usingyour RMM solution and any other applications required.Typical tasks handled in the NOC include: Performance monitoring Preventive maintenance including patch management,AV updates and backup tasks Software distributionThe Help DeskHelp desks handle trouble tickets, routing andescalation. They troubleshoot problems (such as aforgotten password) and provide solutions. Help deskstypically provide one-on-one interactions with end users.The Ideal Help DeskFrom an end user’s perspective, the help desk shouldsolve their problem immediately. For techs, the helpdesk software should offer the tools to efficiently deliverthat outcome. To this end – there are several things toconsider when choosing help desk software.Help Customers Help ThemselvesWhen customers contact the help desk for an answer– they generally do not care how they get their answer,as long as it is fast. Self service capabilities are vital toimproving the customer experience. Not only does selfservice provide immediate solutions - it also does sowithout tech involvement – which is a boon to yourbottom line.THE HELP DESK VERSUS NOCThough some use “help desk” and “NOC”interchangeably, they are in fact different services: The NOC usually operates 24/7/365, while the helpdesk typically operates during extended businesshours but not around the clock. The NOC is inward facing within the organization:end users typically do not interact with the NOC.The help desk is outward facing, and is the point ofcontact with end users. The NOC handles monitoring and proactive maintenance, which is usually not true of the help desk.The help desk is reactive.2

Self service can take many forms:THE OUTSOURCING QUESTION Self-service technology/portals – These systems allowOutsource the NOC?customers to perform common tasks on their own likepassword reset or updating profile information. Suggested answers – When users enter the help deskinterface, they are presented with “suggested FAQs”triggered off key words or topic areas. Knowledgebase – A robust, easily searchableknowledgebase will often provide DIY answers. TheFor many MSPs, delivering round-the-clock monitoringand management can be a challenge. The demands ofsuch service can stretch an MSP’s resources and distractfrom other tasks. Such service may also prove disruptive,since many calls come in during non-business hours. Inthese cases, outsourcing the NOC – either totally oroutside business hours – could be a viable option.addition of videos also helps with knowledge transfer.It is important to have a simple process to add newKBs as issues arise – so answers to previously askedquestions are available the next time they are asked.Know Your DataWhatever software you choose, it needs to support yourbusiness processes and goals. Drill down dashboardsand comprehensive reports should let you track keyperformance indicators (KPIs), so you know how yourhelp desk is performing. Tracking key metrics will giveyou visibility into common call drivers, trending issues,techs who need more training, which customers areprofitable (or not), and more.Automation is ImperativeLike your RMM system, the help desk also benefits fromautomation such as workflows. For example, the “newemployee” workflow would generate a number of helpdesk tickets at the click of a button. These tickets wouldcover tasks ranging from issuing a laptop to creating anetwork account to assigning a desk – and all thosetickets would be created, assigned, timed, and escalatedso that the new employee has everything they need ontheir first day. Similar workflows for other common tasksensure multi-step procedures are complete and timely.HOW THE HELP DESK HELPSTHE MSP’S BUSINESSFor many end customers, the help desk is the mostcommon touch point with the MSP’s services.As such, it helps: Make a good impression Resolve problems quickly Minimize the impact of issues Spot trends Present a good interaction point forexpanding the MSP-customer relationshipBy having the day-to-day demands of the NOC handledby a third party, the MSP can focus on building thebusiness. In addition, techs are freed up to providehigher margin services. MSPs can also scale up andscale down to meet changing market demand easilyand quickly.For MSPs who can handle the demands of 24/7/365service, keeping the NOC in-house is a good option. Anin-house NOC provides the MSP with complete controlover all aspects of customer management and keeps allof the customer data in house. Its quality and efficiencyare dependent on the MSP, not on an outside company.3

When thinking about outsourcing the NOC,some considerations are: The requirements and demands of your SLAs The billable hours - would your engineers be moreproductive dealing with NOC issues or on other tasks? Your in-house staff - do you have the personnelneeded to adequately staff, manage and maintain themonitoring and management levels your customersneed around the clock? The number of clients you have and are likely to havein the future - do you have the flexibility to scale asneeded?And What about the Help Desk?Unlike the NOC, the help desk usually has well definedhours, which tend to fall more in line with traditionalbusiness hours. This makes an in-house help deskconsiderably more feasible for many MSPs that anin-house NOC.The help desk is, as noted, outward facing, which isanother reason to have it in-house. It provides animportant contact point with customers, and having suchan important touch point in the hands of a third partycan be a concern.However, the MSP that lacks the in-house expertise andheadcount required to adequately staff a help desk, mayfind outsourcing to be a viable option. Whatever yourchoice, remember that help desk staff are representingyour company directly to your customers at animportant customer touch point. Quality is important.Help Desk Manager by SolarWinds N-ableHelp Desk Manager by SolarWinds N-able allows you toenhance customer service and end-user satisfaction withstreamlined ticketing and help desk functionality. HelpDesk Manager delivers robust functionality includingemail to ticket support, rich self-help features, andcustomer portals. Help Desk Manager can beimplemented standalone or integrated with SolarWindsN-able’s Remote Monitoring and Management platformfor a full end-to-end solution.N-central by SolarWinds N-ableN-central delivers world-class remote monitoring andmanagement right out of the box. With flexible pricingand a freemium/a-la-carte pricing model, N-central isdesigned for MSPs of all sizes. N-central offers optionalmodules for Patch, Backup, AV, Audit, and more.N-central’s NOC view provides a customized all-in-onemonitoring view designed for on-screen or large-scaleviewing.A central NOC view4

Learn more or start a free trial of the entire N-central product suite at www.n-able.com.ABOUT SOLARWINDS N-ABLESolarWinds N-able is the global leading provider of complete IT management,Automation, and MSP business transformation solutions. N-able’s awardwinning N-central is the industry’s #1 RMM and MSP Service AutomationPlatform. N-able has a proven track record of helping MSPs standardizeand automate the setup and delivery of IT services in order to achievetrue scalability. N-central is backed by the most comprehensive businessenablement support services available today and the industry’s onlyFreemium licensing model. Thousands of MSPs use N-able solutions todeliver scalable, flexible, profitable managed services to over 100,000 SMBsworldwide. With offices in North America, the Netherlands and Australia,N-able is 100% channel-friendly and maintains strategic partnerships withMicrosoft , Intel , IBM , CA , and Cisco among others.Corporate HeadquartersSolarWinds N-able450 March Road, 4th FloorOttawa, OntarioK2K 3K2 CanadaTel: 1 (613) 592-6676Toll Free: 1-877-655-4689Fax: 1 (613) 592-224AustraliaLevel 915 Blue StreetNorth SydneySydney, New South Wales2060 AustraliaTel: 61 (0) 2 8412 4905The NetherlandsKoningin Wilhelminalaan 3527 LA, UtrechtTel: 31 (0) 30 298 5285Copyright 2015 N-able Technologies Inc. All rights reserved. This document contains information intended for theexclusive use of N-able Technologies’ personnel, partners and potential partners.The information herein is restricted in use and is strictly confidential and subject to change without notice. No part of this document may be altered, reproduced, or transmitted in any form or by any means,electronic or mechanical, for any purpose, without the express written permission of N-able Technologies.Copyright protection includes, but is not limited to, program code, program documentation, andmaterial generated from the software product displayed on the screen, such as graphics, icons, screen displays, screen layouts, and buttons. N-able Technologies, N-central and Monitor Manage Optimizeare trademarks or registered trademarks of N-able Technologies International Inc., licensed for use by N-able Technologies, Inc. All other names and trademarks are the property of their respective holders.5

The help desk is outward facing, and is the point of contact with end users. The NOC handles monitoring and proactive main-tenance, which is usually not true of the help desk. The help desk is reactive. The Help Desk Help desks handle trouble tickets, routing and escalation. They troubleshoot problems (such as a