Help Desk Institute to Professional Knowledge and Development - Research Paper Example

The Impact of the Help Desk Institute (HDI) on Professional Knowledge and Development An Overview of the Help Desk Institute (HDI) The Help Desk Institute, otherwise known as HDI, is an internationally recognized association for individuals in the technical service and support profession. It was founded in 1989 and is currently “the world’s largest membership, training and certification association for technical support professionals” (Migliazza, 2008, para. 2). As a technical support professional, I have chosen HDI as a model organization for discussion in this paper due to its reputation and the wide scope of skills that it supports for training and development. This paper is organized into three significant sections. The first section gives an overview of HDI --- what it does and its role in the technical support industry. The next section gives an explanation of the contributions of HDI towards increasing the professional knowledge and abilities of its members. This paper concludes with a discussion on how the knowledge and skills acquired from HDI can have significant impact in my chosen career path. At the core of HDI’s creation is the desire to help individuals in the IT service and support profession improve their practices and increase work efficiency. As expressed in its mission statement, HDI aims to “lead and promote support professionals by empowering members through access to timely and valuable industry information, encouraging member collaboration, establishing open standards, and providing globally recognized certification and training programs” (Migliazza, 2008, para. 1). HDI, therefore, provides a venue for technical support and service professionals to come together and discuss the prevalent issues and problems in the help desk, as well as share best practices in an effort to find solutions to these problems. HDI also has a wealth of information from reports, research and articles from experts that provide relevant and up-to-date data about the latest trends in help desk services, as well as benchmarking tools. Each year, HDI gathers experts and leaders in the field of technical support and service during its annual conference and expo in a spirit of learning and participation. Furthermore, HDI offers standards-based training and certification programs that are internationally recognized. As pointed out by Baschab and Piot (2007), “sponsoring help desk staff for HDI certification is a worthwhile investment in their productivity, and sends a clear message to the team about the major importance of their role in the IT department” (p. 276). These certifications are not only helpful to the individual but illustrate the company’s commitment to excellence. By setting high standards among its help desk workers, it sends out a meaningful message of quality service and commitment to its customers. The Contribution of HDI to Professional Knowledge and Abilities HDI courses may be taken in either instruction-led (classroom) or on-line settings. There are different routes to participate in training and acquire certification depending on the goals of the individual and the company’s available resources. The training programs cover topics designed for personnel, technical and management positions. The course offerings are comprehensive targeting individuals at different levels with the aim of facilitating the individual’s progression in the employment hierarchy, as well as increase job efficiency and effectiveness of the company as a whole. HDI taps exemplary help desk and network management consultants, not only for curriculum development but to administer the courses as well. Just after a year of its inception, Fortune 500 companies have been found to seek the assistance of the Help Desk Institute in “setting up efficient operations” (Brown, 1990, p. 17). Twenty years ago, when help desk was a very young profession, HDI’s basic introductory course was designed to help clients determine if help desk is necessary for their company and how it should proceed to operate. Currently, the course offerings in HDI are varied and tailored depending on specific positions such as director, manager, team leader, technical support, and customer service representatives. HDI offers training for support center directors that is aimed at developing and instituting strategic plans that will help the organization soar. The goal of the program is to bring the director to a level of awareness and reflection on how to prepare one’s organization for global demands. As a leader, it enhances the skills of the center director for maximizing investments and business goals, as well as in interpersonal skills for coaching, team building and succession planning. Another administrative level training is the Support Center Management training that is focused on improving operational procedures and service delivery. Managers deal with team leaders and are responsible for the creation of systems and procedures for efficient operations. The program offers topics that primarily deal with managing both the support center and the teams that comprise it. Another leadership role that requires certification with HDI is the support center team leader. Compared to the manager, the team leader deals with teams at the micro-level and is often interfacing regularly with personnel and staff. The course is substantiated by people management skills that include recruitment and training; communication and coaching; and teamwork and retention. Another training package is created for support analysts who have primary contact with customers. This is a highly skills-based course where participants learn about effective strategies and methods for customer interaction. In the same manner, customer service representatives and support technicians receive training that emphasizes both technical and interpersonal skills. These are individuals who deal with customers heavily on a daily basis and the quality of the service that they offer rests basically on their levels of innovation and critical analysis. To ensure that knowledge and skills acquired are sustained in the work place and to encourage the spirit of lifelong learning and continuous improvement in the help desk, HDI encourages managers to participate in the Knowledge Management Foundations Training. The program trains leaders in bridging the gap between knowledge and practice to ensure that knowledge gained from trainings are being applied at work. The most basic course offered by HDI, the foundation course gives participants a fundamental understanding about “how IT service, support, and delivery can be best organized with business needs, improve service quality, and reduce long term costs” (HDI: Learning It Service and Support, 2010, p. 16). Taken together all these programs aim to enhance the competencies of professionals in the IT support and service fields, which consequently brings considerable effects in service delivery and customer satisfaction. The Impact of Professional Knowledge and Abilities on My Career Success Technology is a dynamic and evolving industry. Whereas majority, if not all, individuals take advantage and benefit from technology, not all have the propensity to understand it and indulge in the technical implications that come with its utility. Those in the help desk profession, however, have the interest, knowledge and skills to fill in the gap between consumers and technology. As a professional in technical support and service, it is my responsibility to address the needs of my clients and to continuously update myself to be able to assist them in the most cost and time efficient manner. Doing so, will not only guarantee customer satisfaction, but also increases productivity while enhancing the reputation of my company. Trainings and certifications will propel me to advance in my career path in the technical support and service field. Of course, there is undoubtedly a wealth of insights gathered from my work experience. The theoretical knowledge will put these insights in context, strengthening its validity and allowing me to innovate as I learn more about the theory behind the practice. Trainings also prepare me to deal with multiple clients from various fields with different backgrounds, an important tool in this profession. Becoming a member of HDI membership will help me keep abreast with the latest developments in the help desk profession. Having a venue for discussion and collaboration with other professionals will allow me to contribute to the improvement of the profession. References Baschab, J. & Piot, J. (2007). The executive’s guide to information technology. Hoboken, New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Brown, J. (1990). Group provides forum for help desks that need help. Network World, 7(18), 17-18. HDI Learning IT Service and Support: HDI Course Catalog May-October 2010. (2010). Retrieved from http://www.thinkhdi.com/hdi.aspx?c=53 Miggliazza, J. (2008). About HDI. Retrieved from http://www.thinkhdi.com/about/ Read More