Interscale Content Hub – The requirements are the foundation of any software development project. And help desk ticketing system requirements are no different.
They set out what the system can do, what features it has, and what we expect it to be able to do.
If you don’t have clear requirements, the development process can get out of control, leading to delays, cost overruns, and a system that doesn’t meet user needs.
Requirements can be broken down into different categories, like functional, technical, integration, security and compliance, user and role management, and reporting and analytics.
Now, let’s look at the different types of requirements that are essential for a robust help desk ticketing system.
Functional Requirements for a Help Desk Ticketing System
The backbone of any help desk ticketing system is the functional requirements, which define the essential operations needed to support customer service.
From the CIT 352 Project Final Report by Andre Hebert, Evan Sprague, and Kyle Thompson, we learned that a solid help desk ticketing system has to have a few key features.
First and foremost, ticket creation and management are essential. Users should be able to create and manage tickets with ease.
Good ticket management also needs a dashboard where agents can see, sort, and update ticket statuses in real-time.
Another important feature is automated ticket routing. The system should have automated workflows that route tickets to the right department or person based on predefined rules.
For example, if a customer reports a technical issue, it should go to the IT support team, not the general customer service team.
So the system has to let you prioritize tickets based on how important they are and give you ways to get unresolved issues to the right people for help.
Integrating with a knowledge base is a win-win for users and support agents. For users, it’s great if they can find solutions to common problems without having to contact support.
For agents, it’s a handy place to look for information that can help them resolve tickets faster and more accurately.
Then, consider user notifications and alerts to keep everyone in the loop about the status of tickets.
Automated notifications can let users know how their ticket is doing, what they need to do, and when it’ll be resolved.
Just so we’re all on the same page, the first reference is “How to Use Help Desk Ticketing System: Guide to Boosting Satisfaction.”
Technical Requirements for Help Desk Ticketing Systems
Hebert, Sprague, and Thompson really drill down on a few key technical points in their report.
Scalability is a big technical requirement. The system has to be able to handle more users and tickets without slowing down.
For instance, when a product is first launched, the help desk system should be able to handle the surge in support requests without any hiccups.
Performance metrics are really important for keeping the system running smoothly. The system should be designed to handle the busiest times and respond quickly to tickets.
Then, we need to think about how easy it is to make the system do what we want it to do.
This means you can customize fields, workflows, and user interfaces to match the organization’s processes and requirements.
For instance, a company might need to create custom ticket categories or specific workflow rules that align with their internal procedures.
Also, think about whether the API is available for integration with other systems and applications. By offering APIs, the help desk system can work with other tools, like CRM systems, to give users a smooth experience.
Another thing to think about is whether you want to go with a cloud-based or on-premises deployment.
It all depends on what the business needs and what the IT department can handle.
Integration Requirements
Integration requirements are all about making the help desk ticketing system connect with other tools and platforms. This helps it work better and gives users a better experience.
CRM integration is key to giving you a single, unified view of all your customer interactions.
By linking the help desk system with CRM tools, your company can make sure that support agents have access to all the info they need about customers, including past interactions, purchase history, and preferences.
Then, it’s important to integrate with email and communication tools like Slack or Microsoft Teams to make communication seamless.
This means you can create and update tickets directly from email or chat messages.
It’s becoming more and more important to integrate with social media because customers often reach out for support through these platforms.
The help desk system should let users submit tickets via platforms like Facebook and Twitter and track these interactions within the system.
Integrating with IT Service Management (ITSM) tools can help improve IT support and service management.
Connecting the help desk system with ITSM tools lets businesses streamline their IT support processes, improve incident management, and make sure IT and support teams are on the same page.
Security and Compliance Requirements
All data inside the system—whether it’s being sent or stored—has to be encrypted to keep it safe from unauthorized access and to make sure it’s always there when you need it.
Encryption protocols like AES-256 for data at rest and TLS for data in transit are often used to keep sensitive information safe.
Also, Role-Based Access Controls (RBAC) are a great way to restrict access to sensitive data and system functionalities based on the user’s role within the organization.
This helps to keep data safe by making sure that only the right people can access it and do certain things with it.
Audit logs are really important for keeping security and compliance in check. The system should keep a record of everything users do, including when tickets are created, updated, or deleted.
For instance, if there’s a security breach, the audit logs can help figure out what happened.
Another important thing to consider is compliance with regulatory standards, such as GDPR, HIPAA, and other industry-specific regulations.
The help desk ticketing system should be designed to meet these regulations, which often include data protection measures, user consent mechanisms, and specific data handling procedures.
In this article, you’ll find a list of free help desk ticketing systems; “Guide to Help Desk Ticketing System Free from Customer Support Chaos.”
User and Role Management Requirements
The CIT 352 Project Final Report highlights a few key things about managing users and roles.
As we mentioned before, role-based access control (RBAC) is a must-have. For instance, a support agent might be able to see ticket info but not system configuration settings.
By defining roles and assigning permissions based on these roles, the system makes sure everyone has access to the right information and functionality for their job.
It’s also helpful to have processes in place for user provisioning and deprovisioning. This process helps keep things secure and running smoothly.
Automated tools can help you integrate with HR systems to make sure that user access is updated automatically based on their employment status.
Multi-factor authentication (MFA) is a great way to enhance security because it requires multiple forms of verification for user access. This adds another layer of protection on top of just usernames and passwords.
Reporting and Analytics Requirements
One of the best features is the ability to customize dashboards. These dashboards let users see the key metrics and performance indicators that are relevant to their roles.
For instance, a support manager might have a dashboard showing ticket volume, average response times, and resolution rates, giving them a complete picture of how the team is doing.
Real-time reporting is really key to tracking the status of tickets and spotting issues as they come up.
The system should give you up-to-date reports on things like ticket status, response times, and resolution times.
Looking at historical data helps us spot trends and patterns over time. By looking at past data, companies can figure out what’s causing problems, when they’re most busy, and what’s going on over time.
For instance, if historical data shows a spike in support requests during certain times of the year, you can add more resources to handle the increased demand.
If you integrate the reporting and analytics capabilities with other systems, like CRM or business intelligence tools, you can really make them work harder.
This integration lets you do a more in-depth analysis of customer interactions and support performance, so you can get more useful insights and make better-informed decisions.
How Interscale Can Be Your Supporting System in Helpdesk
At Interscale, we’ve got a help desk system that’s all yours, designed to fit your business needs and get the job done.
Our experts will ensure your help desk system meets all your requirements, gets customer support as efficiently as possible, and helps your organization manage support tasks seamlessly.
Interscale’s platform works with many different tools, so you—and your support staff—get a unified experience.
Find out more about how Interscale can take your help desk ticketing system to the next level by checking out our Interscale Helpdesk Support page.
Take a look at our solutions today and see how we can help you make a difference in your help desk operations.
Conclusion
A solid help desk ticketing system can really help improve customer support and make operations run more smoothly.
To make this happen, organizations need to think carefully about what they need.
These include the system’s main functions, the tech it uses, how it works with other tools, and the security measures it has in place.
You’ve also got to think about managing user roles and generating useful reports.
If your company addresses these help desk ticketing system requirements in a comprehensive way, you will have a robust and effective system that meets your company’s needs and those of their customers.
