Frequently Asked Questions

The Help Desk (sometimes called a service desk) is oftentimes confused or mistaken for a Network Operation Center (NOC). Although these two components sometimes are located in the same physical space, the help desk and NOC actually serve different functions in a service provider organization. If the NOC is the centralized area where the MSP monitors and manages objects on behalf of the customer, the help desk is also a centralized area where the MSP interacts with end-users to help them resolve issues.
Help desks can work in a variety of ways but typically MSP help desks will utilize both email and telephone mechanisms to interact with end-users. While larger MSPs may physically separate the help desk and NOC, smaller MSPs tend to have these two groups located within the same room.
Efficiency is a key element of a well run help desk, since MSPs need to deliver high quality service while at the same time maintaining efficiency in order to keep costs under control. For some MSPs, outsourcing their help desk and/or NOC to a specialist provider is desirable so the MSP can focus on selling, marketing, and performing other types of services to the customer.
While the idea of outsourcing your email and telephone support is generally desirable in smaller MSPs, as the company grows, the need to bring this function back in house becomes greater. Quality control, greater efficiencies, better integration with internal processes and technologies, and better margins are all common reasons why MSPs bring back a previously outsourced help desk function.