Our approach to support
We have a multifaceted approach to support at ICTS, with our goal being to offer you support in all the aspects of your working life where information (data) and communications (networking, telephones) technology are concerned. We don’t just want to resolve your problem calls, we want to enable you to find your own solutions to your issues as they arise. We have a wealth of information both on this website and in the knowledge base in the Service Portal, which will assist you in solving your issues and using the systems and services on campus.
Our team of subject matter experts has a proactive approach to new developments and we test, engage with and raise awareness of advancements in technology and software. We have a flexible approach to support and will attempt to engage with any ICT challenge you bring to us as long as it is supported by our infrastructure capacity. You can bring us your phones, tablets and laptops and we will offer you best effort support in helping you get your device set up on the UCT network, linking you to the UCT systems and making sure you are set up to receive security updates and patches.
How the IT Service Desk is structured
The service desk (previously known as the IT Helpdesk ) is divided into several teams who all serve vital roles in the process of support and facilitation of technology and communications needs on campus. Consultants employed in the service desk rotate through the various teams to gain exposure and skills in different support areas.
Support and response teams:
- Inbound: Consultants answer incoming x4500 helpdesk calls and attempt to assist you over the phone. There is often a waiting period for new callers as the inbound consultants offer assistance and troubleshooting while simultaneously logging the call in our service management tool. They may remotely access your machine in order to help you. While this may benefit the person having their problem resolved immediately, it does have the adverse effect of keeping others waiting in the call queue.
- Callbacks: Calls that could not be resolved on first contact or calls that were logged via email or online are assigned to consultants who attempt to assist you telephonically. They may also remotely access your machine in order to help you.
- Onsite: If an incident cannot be resolved over the phone, the call moves to the Onsite team, where it is assigned to a consultant who will visit your office. Typically these calls involve major software issues or minor hardware repairs. If the consultant is unable to resolve the issue, your machine may need to be booked into the workshop for further investigation. Standard re-installations are also done onsite.
- Workshop and installations: This team is responsible for repairs to machines that are sent in by the onsite team. The machine will be removed from your office and delivered back to you once repairs are complete. The team also prepares new machines for delivery and installation.
- Research and development: All new operating systems, application and software updates are tested before being rolled out to ensure that they are compatible with the core systems and services in use at UCT. Software is thoroughly tested against all the possible applications in use at the university to ensure smooth and problem-free running once it is released. Communications about new software releases are regularly sent out to campus by the R&D team, and test matrices detailing the progress of testing are published.
- The Front Office: A walk-in helpdesk for all staff and students is situated in the Computer Science building on upper campus, where consultants perform basic troubleshooting and provide best-effort support. It is also a drop-off point for faulty UCT-owned hardware.
- The Walk-in Centre: based in Mowbray for those who are further away from campus, this office offers the same support as the Front Office.
- The UCT Switchboard: Knowledgeable switchboard operators answer and route all inbound calls to the University of Cape Town.