Does a small business need a help desk?
The honest answer is: not always. Here is how to tell which side of the line you are on.
When the mailbox is still fine
One person answering, fewer than a handful of requests a day, and nothing that has to be proven afterwards. That is a mailbox, and adding software to it is a cost with no return.
Anyone who tells you otherwise is selling something.
The three signals that it is not
- Two people answered the same customer. Once is a story; twice is a system problem.
- Something important was read and not answered. Read is not a status, and a mailbox cannot tell the difference.
- Somebody asked what was agreed in March and finding out took twenty minutes.
What it actually costs
Per seat, per month, and for two or three people that is a small line item. The real cost is not the licence – it is the two weeks before the team stops thinking about it, described in introducing a help desk.
Free options exist and have real trade-offs; they are covered in free help desk software.
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Start free nowCommon questions
We are two people. Is that enough to justify it?
Two is often exactly the threshold – one person cannot collide with themselves.
Is it a lot of work to set up?
Connecting a mailbox is minutes. Deciding on statuses and ownership is an afternoon.
Can we go back if it does not suit us?
Yes, as long as you can export everything. Check that before you start, not after.
Do we need training?
A well-designed help desk should not need any. If a demo suggests a course is required, that is information about the product.
Read on
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