Pentasoft Technologies has developed a Help Desk application as a total solution for companies wanting to set up On-line customer support divisions. This is an application to enable text interaction between the customer and Tech-support personnel and can service customer queries effectively from anywhere in the world.

     The support personnel can send a reference HTML file in which solutions to the problem currently faced by the customer are documented.

     One main feature built-in to the system is that queries are directed to the support personnel who is least engaged at that time, to reduce waiting time for the customer.

Users:

• Customer : A User who enters the system to interact with the consultants.
• Consultant : A product specialist who is assigned to clarify queries raised by customers.
• Administrator: An Administrator is a user who administers the system remotely. The product also contains an administrator part, which can add new consultants and gives various statistical details such as the number of hits per day. The administrator provides the reports of the log in and log out times of the various consultants. The administrator can also send messages and news update to all those who have logged into the system, i.e. both the clients as well as the consultants.

    The user and the product specialist can have a textual chat on the net. The user will be provided with two windows on the screen. One to view the messages received from product specialist and the other to send messages to product specialist.

2. E-Mail Facility:

    When the product specialists are busy or are not on-line, the user has an option to mail his query to the particular consultant.

3. Document Submission:

    When the client has some doubts in his programs i.e. he is not able to compile or execute, then the client can copy the contents and paste it in the transaction area and submit it to the product specialist as a document, so that the product specialist can correct the program and send it back to the client.

4. Reference Sites:

    If in case, the solution to a certain query is in another web site then the product specialist has an option to push a URL to the client. This new web page pops up in a new browser window for the client. He can continue to chat at the same time browse the page pushed to him.

5. Comprehensive FAQ:

    The product also contains a FAQ session that consists of the Frequently Asked Questions. The questions are grouped according to the subject making access easier.

6. Quick Search:

    The product specialist has an option to view the FAQ. The product specialist can search using a keyword. With just a button click he can retrieve the answer for a particular query and send it to the client. Besides minimizing time, it also provides a faster solution.

7. Video Conferencing:

    Video conferencing has also been implemented in the product enabling the client and the consultant to see each other during the chat. This creates a friendlier atmosphere for the clients especially for those using the system in the service industry. This feature can be added or not, as per the requirements of the purchasing concern.

8.Chalk Board:

    Chalkboard has almost all the features of a drawing tool such as Free hand drawing, text, straight line, rectangle, oval, eraser etc. This has been implemented in such a way that it will enable the product specialist to diagrammatically represent his views to the client.

9. Joint Navigation:

    This feature enables the product specialist to provide help in situations where the client needs to fill up forms for submission. This feature has been implemented in such a way that the client and product specialist can have an online interaction at the same time provide help in filling up the document. This feature has been implemented in the registration part of this product but can also be customized as per the requirements of the purchasing organization.

10. Customizing Work:

    The Help Desk system can be customized as per the requirements of the organization purchasing the product. Features such as video conferencing, which comes with the product currently, can be customized as per the requirements of the concern. Also features such as FAQ, document submission, reference sites and quick search can be modified as per the requirements of the organization. The same can be done for the user interface also.

Software Requirements:

     Server - JavaWebServer2.0 or Apache or Iplanet

     Database - Oracle 7.3 or higher or SQL Server 7