There are many different types of PHP helpdesk software available. The most common being Web Based helpdesk software, helpdesk services and open source helpdesk software.
Most web based helpdesk software is actually web enabled. PHP helpdesk software is web based. A web based system gives you the capability to track customer service tickets from anywhere.
Determining your level of need is the first step in choosing the right PHP helpdesk software for your business or web site. Using PHP helpdesk software will allow you to handle many different inputs to your support system. The type of software you choose will help respond to your customers in an appropriate manner.
The next step in choosing your PHP helpdesk software is to determine how intricate the system needs to be. If you want to manage the customer support tickets in person, you do not need a very intricate system. There are other systems that go a long way in giving an appropriate answer without any human interaction. Many of the available helpdesk software systems will allow you to create a customizable troubleshooting procedure. This will help narrow the problem down, and may alleviate the problem all together.
Most PHP helpdesk software makes it easy for customers to track their customer support tickets. They do give you the ability to govern the customer’s access to the support tickets. You also need to determine if different login levels are needed. Some of the PHP helpdesk software does not give you this ability. Log in levels will also allow you to monitor different levels of the customer support process. This will help you improve your customer support, which in turn may keep customers.
PHP helpdesk software uses database software to track and support the customer support system. You need to determine which database system you will run. Some of the helpdesk software runs on MySQL while use more familiar databases like MSSQL. These databases are SQL compliant, and choosing between them comes down to your familiarity.
Some of the PHP helpdesk software has the option for setting priority levels of customer support tickets. Determining levels of priority and how to set those priorities is an important determining factor for choosing PHP helpdesk software. The will also give you the ability to upgrade the priority level for customer support tickets. This may be an important feature. If multiple tickets come in with the same issue, you may need to move all those tickets higher in priority.
The search-ability of the PHP helpdesk software varies from system to system. This is an important aspect for most users. The ability to search the database for certain key words can reduce the amount of time a ticket is open. This in turn can make a customer happy with your company, and lead to more sales. It will also lead to a much more automatic system.
The last major decision you have to make concerns the ability to categorize the customer support tickets. You need to decide if this is important for you to be able to do. This feature allows you to separate customer support tickets into different departments. Some can then route that ticket to the appropriate e-mail.