How AI can alleviate help desk workloads

The rising flood of trouble tickets is straining help desk operations. Yet many still rely on phone calls, outdated knowledge bases, and manual processes. Unsurprisingly, this is leading to staff frustration and burnout, dissatisfied end users and persistent security vulnerabilities.

As many as 56% of IT workers¹ say the help desk ticket volume is up, according to a recent survey by software vendor Ivanti. The reasons include more software deployments, network reliability problems, security incidents/outages, and a rise in remote working. 

Old solutions for new problems

Today’s burden is acute because help desks are responding to the same questions and problems in the same way. For many, the main channel of interaction with users is the telephone.

That means organizations are lacking a viable, accessible knowledge base that can be leveraged, says Alan Taylor, director of product management for Ivanti – and who managed enterprise help desks in the late 90s and early 2000s. “We end up in a cycle of constantly looking back at incomplete or poorly documented trouble tickets to find a solution.”

How AI can help

AI can improve many help desk tasks. Yet Ivanti’s Everywhere Work Report found only 40% of respondents were using AI for ticket resolution, 35% for knowledge base management, and only 31% for intelligent escalation. With AI, these activities can have a positive impact on help desk operations and end user satisfaction. Organizations don’t need to overhaul major business processes to achieve these targeted results, says Taylor.

In fact, there are a number of steps organizations can take to successfully introduce AI to alleviate staff workload.

• Start with a small pilot project. This could include automating a frequently asked question or ticket routing, to demonstrate the value of AI without overhauling processes. These pilot projects can be expanded as success is proven.
• Prioritize automation of routine tasks. “AI can have a big impact here,” Taylor says. “Use AI to drive automation for repetitive, low-complexity tasks like ticket classification, prioritization, and routing. This helps reduce manual effort and improves response times.”
• Educate and train help desk analysts. A lot of organizations talk about AI and its benefits at a high level, notes Taylor. “But that rarely filters down to the help desk analysts taking end user calls.” Equip the team with the necessary training to work with AI tools. Ensuring they understand how to use the tools effectively will alleviate concerns and boost engagement.

Prioritize high quality data

Effective AI is dependent on high quality data. “The number one help desk data issue is, without question, poorly documented resolutions,” says Taylor. “High quality documentation results in high quality data, which both human and artificial intelligence can exploit.” Upskilling help desk staff to create good documentation is a critical step in leveraging AI for improved operations.

Ivanti’s service automation offerings have incorporated AI and machine learning. These technologies handle ticket classification, improving accuracy. Accurate classifications in turn can be used by AI to route problems consistently for fast resolution. Finally, Ivanti software uses AI to see where and how incidents are clustering, exposing root causes and enabling the help desk to craft a systematic response.

The bottom line

IT leaders can start breaking the repetitive, exhausting help desk logjam. They can tactically exploit AI and machine learning in small projects that relieve the workload, improve end user satisfaction, and build trust in AI’s capabilities. High quality data is essential for effective AI.

Click here to find out more.

¹ “2024 Everywhere Work Report” an Ivanti survey of 7,700 executive leaders, IT and cybersecurity professionals‌‌, and office workers, conducted in January 2024.