A help desk may mean a lot of different things. Basically, it is a source of technical support for hardware or software which is generally staffed by people who can either directly solve the problem or direct the problem to the appropriate department for action. In some instances, a help desk is a call center that is tasked to handle questions about products and services.
A single point of entry is what often characterizes a help desk. A voice automated help desk telephone system is usually used to allow users to navigate themselves to reach the correct department. Most help desks are external but some large companies are able to maintain their own internal help desk functions.
An outsource agency is best considered for a company when it experiences sharp peaks in call volumes throughout the day or there is no existing suitable staff to handle the current call volumes. Another reason to do so is when certain support activities require expertise or knowledge in an area not frequently used by the company. Experiences of periods of high activity such as during the introduction of a new product or a product maintenance release may be an appropriate time to make use of...