I remember asking the IT staffer who fixed the computer and network issues at the company where I once worked how he kept track of issues and requests. He pointed to the row of sticky notes dangling from the bottom of his computer monitor.
Back then, only big corporations had the money and the skilled personnel required to have computer-based help desk ticketing system. Today, even a one-person operation can have a tracking system like the one I created using Jitbit.
Jitbit’s help desk software is available as a stand-alone package to install on your server or you can use the company’s cloud-based SaaS version. I chose the latter option and had my system up and running in about 10 minutes.
The first step was incredibly easy. All I did was enter the subdomain that I wanted to use and the email address that I wanted to use as the system administrator. I chose gizmoeditor.jitbit.com. The server version uses your existing domain. Fitbit also offers an API to integrate your help desk with your existing website.
Once you’re login in, the Jitbit dashboard arrives populated with a few sample tickets to lead you through the next steps. For example, you can invite your team members to log in, connect to your mailbox and customize the look of your help desk pages.
I tested the system by sending a request from a personal mailbox. In a few seconds, the request appeared at the top of my ticket list with an assigned ticket number, citing to be assigned to a service technician. I also got an immediate return email letting me know that my request had been received and noting the ticket number. That’s something I never got from the guy with the sticky notes.
Back at the dashboard, I explored the display options. I sorted tickets by priority, status, due date and by the tech who had been assigned the issue. Jitbit also supports tagging and categories.
To track the progress on an issue, admins can view the full communication thread between the tech and the user and add to the conversation. Both clients and agents can attach files such as documents or screen shots. Closed tickets are are easily accessible and Jitbit will create a knowledge base, two elements that can be a big help in dealing with repeat issues.
Pricing for Jitbit starts at $29 a month for a single agent. A package for a small company with up to four agents is $69 a month. The service also comes with free help desk apps for iOS and Android devices that are optimized for both smartphones and tablets.
Jitbit’s help desk app is hosted at Amazon datacenters where the data is encrypted and backed up daily. Check out the walk-thru video below and get more details -- and access to the free test version that I used -- at the Jitbit website.
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Written by Ric Manning
Follow me on Twitter @ricmanning and read my technology columns at My Well Being.
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