WHAT DOES A DESKTOP SUPPORT ENGINEER DO?
Published: Oct 21, 2024 - The Desktop Support Engineer specializes in comprehensive IT support, handling hardware and software issues and serving as an expert on specialized legal applications. This role includes training new hires and customizing applications to meet user needs. The engineer collaborates with internal teams and clients to enhance technology solutions within the company.
A Review of Professional Skills and Functions for Desktop Support Engineer
1. Desktop Support Engineer Duties
- Customer Service: Drive customer satisfaction through efficient and professional handling of all incidents and service requests.
- Follow-Up: Proactively follow-up with end users when available to ensure successful incident resolution and request fulfillment.
- Technical Support: Perform IT support of software, hardware, and mobile devices, utilizing administrative account(s) with elevated privileges as well as specialized PC remote control tools.
- Account Management: Perform user account management/administration – add, remove, manage permissions, password/PIN reset (e.g., Active Directory, Exchange/Office 365, WebEx, Mobile Device Management system, as well as other company-specific applications/platforms).
- Provisioning: Fulfill software, hardware, and mobile device provisioning requests in accordance with the established procedures and business requirements.
- Onsite Support: Provide desk side/onsite support, including new hire equipment setup, hardware moves, break/fix activities, and general technical and desktop application support to office-based users.
- Coordination: Coordinate with third-party service providers for support.
- Escalation: Escalate incidents and requests outside of Desktop Support scope, level of access, and capabilities.
- Documentation: Ensure all end-user service interactions are properly documented in the ITSM tool.
- Leadership: Act as an escalation point for Service Desk Engineers.
- Queue Management: Assist with Desktop Support queue management and workload distribution.
- Material Development: Identify and develop IT support materials both for the Desktop Support team and end users, e.g., knowledge base articles, job aids, FAQs.
2. Desktop Support Engineer Details
- Asset Tracking: Track company assets through their lifecycle and current assignment status in a designated asset management system/database.
- Peripheral Tracking: Track hardware peripherals assignment status in an inventory database.
- Vendor Liaison: Liaise with third-party vendors on procurement and delivery of equipment to and from regionally based users.
- Asset Retrieval: Ensure company assets with proprietary data (laptops, mobile devices) are retrieved in a timely manner, following upgrade/replacement.
- Asset Management: Participate in receipt, remote delivery, and management of company assets.
- Support Scope: Support activities within Desktop Support scope, related to the IT infrastructure on Company premises.
- Troubleshooting Hardware: Troubleshoot issues with Printers, Faxes, and Multi-function Devices.
- Troubleshooting Communication: Troubleshoot issues with IP phones and conference rooms' audio and video equipment.
- Improvement Suggestions: Suggest potential improvements to the global end-user experience.
- Flexible Hours: Work off standard business hours to provide coverage as required or accommodate specific business needs.
3. Desktop Support Engineer Responsibilities
- KPI Reporting: Report on patching level through KPIs.
- Process Representation: Represent Desktop & Applications in the Vulnerability Management Process.
- Vulnerability Review: Review vulnerabilities on endpoint estate using a variety of industry tools, propose corrective actions, and then work with the relevant teams to deliver fixes.
- Standard Understanding: Understand CIS & NIST Standards for hardening of desktop build and applications.
- Communication: Communicate patching activity to end-users.
- Lifecycle Consideration: Work with project teams and assigned technical resources to ensure patching and updates are considered from day one, including for the lifecycle of the project.
- Desktop Support: Support the desktop environment and applications.
- System Maintenance: Ensure desktop systems and applications are maintained and updated.
- User Communication: Communicate regularly with business users regarding scheduled maintenance, system updates, or other changes impacting end-users.
- IT Collaboration: Work closely with IT staff to ensure end-user network and communications needs are being met.
- User Support: Provide telephone, desk-side, or online support to remediate user issues.
- Training: Provide end-user software application training.
4. Desktop Support Engineer Accountabilities
- User Support: Provides general user support (including hardware and software support) for various information technology functions.
- Expertise: Serves as subject matter expert in specialized legal applications and technology.
- Training Design: Designs and conducts new hire or roll-out IT training via classroom or distance learning for the company’s applications.
- Documentation: Drafts and prepares all documentation required for assigned projects.
- Communication: Communicates product developments and technical specifications to various audiences throughout the company environment.
- Leadership: Leads new application product and/or systems analysis/testing.
- Application Customization: Reconfigures/customizes applications as directed by management to meet user specifications.
- Collaboration: Collaborates with clients, management, and other firm specialists, to configure/support extranets and other applicable client-facing technology services.
- Performance Monitoring: Monitors Desktop Team performance using the various measuring analytic tools available.
- Team Supervision: Supervises, transfers knowledge, and mentors junior members of the Desktop Team.
- Project Support: Works alongside project/program managers to ensure successful delivery of projects/workstreams that gear towards the Group IT transformation roadmap.
- Accountability: Accountable for achieving 2nd level fix rate in accordance with departmental KPIs and SLAs.
5. Desktop Support Engineer Functions
- Global IT Support: Provide IT technical support to facilities within the region and globally.
- Incident Management: Manage the 2nd / 3rd line support of incidents within Desktop Services using the established Incident Management process.
- Onsite and Remote Support: Provide boots on the ground and remote support.
- Network Troubleshooting: Troubleshoot and assist in the remediation of wired and wireless LAN issues.
- Infrastructure Oversight: Oversee and coordinate the installation of new LAN infrastructure.
- Hardware Support: Responsible for supporting and installing, including but not limited to: PCs, thin clients, laptops, tablets, laser/multi-function printers, label printers, RF scanners, etc.
- Ticket Management: Manage assigned incident and support request tickets (ServiceNow experience preferential).
- Asset Inventory: Maintain asset inventory of all endpoints, software, and software licenses.
- Relationship Building: Develop good working relationships with onsite management to act as Business Analyst and provide feedback from the business to IT regarding technology needs.
- On-Call Support: Provide out-of-hours on-call support (rota system across the national team).
- Issue Resolution: Resolve IT issues reported by the studio for people working remotely and in the office.
- Server Management: Assist with the management of servers and network infrastructure.
- Project Work: Work on projects both individually and with other members of the team.