CERN Accelerating science

Abstract

We have recently decoupled both user entry points, emphasising the role of "Helpdesk@cern.ch" as a point of first-level assistance. Offering additional justification for our motivation in doing this does not harm.

We already announced in the last CNL (CERN-CNL-2000-003, "Change in E-mail Destination for User.Support@cern.ch"), that the e-mail address User.Support@cern.ch is no longer linked to the Helpdesk. Following some demands for clarification from colleagues, we think it is useful to provide some additional background to this decision.

We are aware that it will take a while to align all the documents, pointer, links, etc., that are still referring to User.Support@cern.ch as a synonym to the point of first-level assistance to users, our present Helpdesk@cern.ch. Hopefully obsolete stuff will just die and new stuff will contain the "improved" pointers.

As what regards added value to users, we are convinced that we gain in promoting one-desk, one-address, one-number (Helpdesk, 78888). And that we have to offer users a different "window" (User.Support) where to complain when this single entry point does not perform as expected.

In what regards the future, the consolidation of this model of work in IT offers confidence that the term (and concept) for "Helpdesk" will last, regardless of how internal restructurations will affect units like "User Support".