Chapter 6

Question 1

True or false? In a help desk that uses the multilevel support model, the goal is to handle calls at the lowest possible support level.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

In a help desk patterned on the multilevel support model, what is the common title of workers at each level?

a. level 1: assistant; level 2: product specialist; level 3: programmer; level 4: support manager
b. level 1: incident dispatcher; level 2: technical support; level 3: product specialist; level 4: support supervisor
c. level 1: incident screener; level 2: product specialist; level 3: technical support; level 4: support management
d. level 1: incident screener; level 2: product specialist; level 3: support manager; level 4: programmer

Answer 2

c. level 1: incident screener; level 2: product specialist; level 3: technical support; level 4: support management

Question 3

________ is a well defined, formal workflow that help desk staff follow to solve user problems.

Answer 3

incident management (or call management)

Question 4

True or false? Every help desk incident, no matter what kind, goes through all 12 steps of the incident management workflow described in the chapter, even if some of the steps do not apply.

Answer 4

false

Question 5

Of the sequences listed below, which shows the correct order of the steps in the incident management workflow: (1) authenticate the incident, (2) archive the incident, (3) log the incident, and (4) prioritize the problem.

a. 4,3,1,2
b. 3,1,2,4
c. 1,3,4,2
d. 1,2,3,4

Answer 5

c. 1,3,4,2

Question 6

True or false? The percentage of incidents that cannot be resolved during the incident management workflow is frequently zero.

Answer 6

false

Question 7

In which category of help desk incidents does the following statement fall? “My computer runs slowly when I connect to the web in the evenings”

a. a question
b. a problem
c. a complaint
d. a work order

Answer 7

b. a problem

Question 8

A common strategy for assigning priority to help desk calls is:

a. first in, first out (FIFO)
b. last in, first out (LIFO)
c. in random order
d. in the order the help desk prefers

Answer 8

a. first in, first out (FIFO)

Question 9

The incident management step in which a problem is transferred to a support staff member who has greater experience or resources to handle difficult questions is:

a. assignment
b. screening
c. resolution
d. escalation

Answer 9

d. escalation

Question 10

A(n) ______ is a waiting line in which incoming calls or problems incidents are places when they cannot be answered immediately.

Answer 10

queue

Question 11

True or false? An automated incident tracking application is primarily useful in a large help desk operation, but is an unnecessary expense in a small help desk operation.

Answer 11

false

Question 12

True or false? Knowledge bases that have special search tools and other help desk software features are called smart databases.

Answer 12

true

Question 13

True or false? The purpose of client feedback features in a help desk software application is to make it easier for managers to terminate support agents with poor customer service skills.

Answer 13

false

Question 14

A(n) _____ is a telephone system that can answer calls, greet callers, provide menus, and route calls.

Answer 14

automatic call distributor (ACD)

Question 15

True or false? Incident management and call management are two terms that mean the same thing.

Answer 15

false

Question 16

True or false? A priority code indicates how easy or difficult a dispatcher thinks an incident will be to resolve.

Answer 16

false

Question 17

______ is often the result of the personal characteristics of a worker not matching the requirements of a support position.

Answer 17

job stress

Question 18

A(n) _____ is a collection of interconnected computers with large, networked storage devices that hosts cloud computing services over the Internet.

Answer 18

server farm

Question 19

An increasing number of help desk incidents are handled:

a. in face-to-face situations
b. via a telephone call
c. on a support website
d. using IVR technology

Answer 19

c. on a support website

Question 20

Describe a recent trend in help desk operation, and briefly explain how it will impact help desk agents in the future.

Answer 20

changes in offshore outsourcing; employer demand for certified workers; acceptance of telecommuting work style; industry best practices; pressure to reduce support costs; web support portals, quantitative metrics; resources for security; help desk software integeration

Question 21

ITIL is:

a. a set of IT industry best practices
b. a set of IT industry standards
c. a package of software applications
d. an incident management software

Answer 21

a. a set of IT industry best practices

Question 22

True or false? Telecommuting is working for an employer full time or part time from a home office.

Answer 22

true