 People working in an online learning call center must incorporate skills from both call center and helpdesk environments, and have some specialists available to deal with particularly complex issues. Usually, good skills within an environment such as this include strong communication skills, student (or customer) service experience, and an ability to adapt to new situations.
The manager of a call center can help staff answer all types of questions by ensuring that all staff are aware of any new technology being used - demonstrations on how the technology works, and time to practise and become familiar with the application are important for the staff. It is essential that a good set of “Frequently Asked Questions,” complete with step-by-step solutions, should be made available to call center staff. As with course content queries, there should also be a technical expert available for more complex issues.
It is noted that only 14% of all helpdesk calls are new problems that require serious attention, while the remaining 86% could all be resolved automatically, without human intervention, via Web-based features. If end-users are equipped with better documentation or automated self-help Web-based facilities, calls to the call center or helpdesk can be greatly reduced (Hunter, 2000; Brandt, 2002; Lawlor, 2001). Lawlor (2001) points to surveys showing that organizations that reduced the number of helpdesk/call center calls by creating self-help options had a higher level of user satisfaction.
It is also noted by Doherty (2001) help desks are typically organized in layers or tiers. Here, tiers can start at Web-based self-help which Lawlor (2001) designates as tier 0, and move up in hierarchy to the front line facilitator, tier 1; through the desktop analyst, tier 2; to the network specialist, tier 3. In education, a consolidated call center/helpdesk will likewise be layered in tiers. Web-based self-help (tier 0) should be developed, providing extensive FAQ files, bulletin boards, and conference and chat areas. The first contact with students - Call center staff - are tier 1, technical experts to whom questions are referred are tier 2, and the academics serve as tier 3.
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