How is your agency currently tracking issues such as a cardiac monitor not reading correctly, a leaky roof at a station, or a cracked tablet screen? Do you place a phone call, write it on a sticky note, or send an email? What happens when you lose that sticky note or the email gets lost in your inbox? Let’s face it, none of those solutions are efficient. That’s why you need a new solution – an internal ticketing system.

An internal ticketing system is an electronic help desk tool designed to convert requests and issues into tickets that can be assigned, prioritized, and tracked in a centralized location. Think of a time when you contacted a business for help from their customer service department. Many times, you received electronic email updates on what the issue was, whether the issue was resolved, and the final resolution from that business. The Operative IQ Service Desk module is a similar concept just within your own agency. It can be used in the office or out in the field from the moment the issue is captured through to resolution. The two-way communication between administrators and field personnel provides visibility and accountability into an organization’s operations, ensuring issues are addressed in a timely manner.

The key to an effective ticketing system is taking a moment to think through and organize different teams, and sometimes just one person, of the organization that may assist in handling a myriad of issues and requests. In Service Desk these are known as Departments and some examples would be Facilities, IT, Communications, etc. Once these are determined, team members handling these issues can be assigned as agents. As part of effectively managing tickets, assets, locations, and units can be set up within a department so they can be linked to the ticket, helping to assist in reporting and tracking. Instructions to field personnel can also be created to ensure proper ticket handling as well as the ability to attach files and review ticket history. The agent is responsible for closing out the ticket, ensuring all parties are updated with the ticket status.

Once the department foundation is laid and agents set up, tickets and requests can be created and managed. Service Desk tickets can be submitted by agents or field personnel in a few ways. In the Back Office, agents submit tickets via a ticket management page while those in the field can submit tickets via the Operative IQ application Front Line. With just a few setup steps, tickets can even be submitted or responded to via internal agency email programs. This flexibility allows tickets to be submitted from anywhere at any time.

Additional flexibility for field personnel exists in Front Line where two ticket types, Unit Tickets and My Tickets, can be created. Unit Tickets are tickets created by anyone logged into the unit and apply to vehicle issues or assets that might remain on the unit. My Tickets are created by anyone using Front Line and apply to items concerning that person such as an assigned personal radio, cell phone, bunker gear, or PPE. Front Line makes it easy for field personnel to search for existing tickets by ticket name and status filters in the ticket log. This centralized view allows individuals to easily stay on top of all tickets and decreases the chances of ticket duplication.

When submitting a ticket via Front Line, users assign the ticket to the appropriate department as well as give the ticket a priority level, however, agents can adjust these as needed. Assigning tickets to the right department ensures the correct team is handling the ticket, while the priority levels alert the assigned department which tickets need immediate attention thus increasing operational efficiency.

Once tickets have been assigned and managed, it’s important to take the time to review ticket submissions via the Reporting tool. Easily report on ticket history to identify trends or re-occurring problems by starting with the Report Library or creating a report from scratch. Using an internal ticketing tool and reporting on the data can help your agency stay informed of issues and their resolution while handling the requests efficiently.

Visit the Service Desk page to learn more or select the Get a Demo button to schedule a demo today.