WHAT DOES A DESKTOP SUPPORT SPECIALIST DO?
Updated: Mai 25, 2025 - The Desktop Support Specialist plays a critical role in ensuring efficient operation and support of client systems within the organization. Responsibilities include preparing and configuring systems for installation, installing necessary software, and providing both on-site and remote support for reported issues. Additionally, the specialist coordinates spare equipment maintenance, assists with equipment relocation, and creates knowledgebase documentation to enhance the support team's effectiveness.
A Review of Professional Skills and Functions for Desktop Support Specialist
1. Desktop Support Specialist Duties
- IT Support: Initial point of contact for all IT support, including but not limited to hardware, software, mobile devices, printers, UPS, WiFi access points, switches, modern firewalls, and cabling infrastructure in the office and laboratory.
- Cloud Management: Manages, administers, and troubleshoots cloud-based applications including Microsoft 365, Exchange, Teams, Azure, and Adobe.
- Troubleshooting: Troubleshoots, repairs, and/or proposes solutions for hardware and software issues.
- Backup Administration: Administers and oversees onsite and cloud-based server backups.
- Asset Management: Assists in asset management, IT equipment, and software inventory.
- Facilities Support: Provides facilities support for IT and office equipment/furniture moves and installs.
- Help Desk Management: Manages the queue of help desk tickets.
- Team Collaboration: Takes direction and collaborates with peers on the IT Team.
- User Onboarding: New user resource allocation and setup.
- Account Management: Supports and maintains user account information including rights, security, and access groups.
- Knowledge Management: Maintains and updates the help desk knowledge base, how-to documentation and troubleshooting guides, user onboarding/offboarding processes, and documentation.
- Policy Compliance: Adheres to corporate IT policies and procedures.
2. Desktop Support Specialist Details
- Service Management: Manage, maintain, and develop/enhance services relative to the following technologies and services.
- System Design: Designing and deployment of client systems images.
- Urgent Support: Provide immediate support for urgent matters in multiple time zones.
- Issue Resolution: Participate in the ongoing process of investigating, troubleshooting, and providing resolution to technical issues in a 24x7x365 environment.
- Service Continuity: Ensure service continuity, availability, and capacity as it pertains to client services delivery.
- Procurement: Purchase and procurement of client systems, software, and licenses.
- Account Management: Manage accounts that are used by company employees, contractors, and partners to access corporate systems, services, and networks.
- Policy Improvement: Adhere to and assist in the continual improvement of IT Operations policies, practices, and standards.
- Access Management: Manage, maintain, and define access roles and standards for all clients and systems accessed by clients.
- Diagnostics: Perform first and second-level diagnostics and device troubleshooting.
- Team Communication: Frequently communicate with team members regarding incidents affecting multiple clients and/or sites, recurring incidents, procedural gaps, and training requirements to improve the quality of technology service delivery.
- Documentation: Enter accurate and current case documentation for all assigned incidents and requests.
- Asset Documentation: Develop and maintain documentation pertaining to corporate technology assets, standard operating procedures, and access request forms.
- Research and Recommendations: Research and provide recommendations on methods and technology to improve client services.
- Professionalism: Demonstrate professionalism, maintain confidentiality, and exercise discretion when dealing with sensitive issues.
- Training Documentation: Develop and maintain client training documentation.
3. Desktop Support Specialist Responsibilities
- Infrastructure Management: Maintain, monitor, and troubleshoot virtual server infrastructure and storage devices.
- Printer Management: Maintain, monitor, and troubleshoot network printers.
- Network Management: Maintain, monitor, and troubleshoot network switches and firewalls.
- Desktop Support: Provide Tier 2 desktop support, such as basic support and triaging.
- User Account Management: Manage user accounts, permissions, and access rights.
- System Upgrades: Perform system upgrades following new releases and implement new technologies.
- Data Backup: Perform Veeam data backups and recoveries.
- Inventory Management: Inventory and document assigned systems and relevant procedures.
- On-Call Support: Provide occasional on-call support via remote connection.
- Customer Service: Provide high-level customer service and technical support in a fast-paced environment.
- Team Collaboration: Actively collaborate with team members to resolve complex issues.
4. Desktop Support Specialist Accountabilities
- System Preparation: Prepare and configure client systems for install and delivery.
- Software Installation: Install appropriate software on systems.
- Technical Support: Provide on-site and remote support for reported client system problems.
- Equipment Coordination: Coordinate and maintain available spare equipment at all times.
- Equipment Movement: Assist with equipment moves from different areas of the organization.
- After-Hours Support: Support after-hours efforts to assist users via projects or regular shifts.
- User Administration: Administer user settings, remote client security configurations, or specialized software needs.
- Knowledge Management: Create knowledgebase documentation for the benefit of support team members.
- Audio/Video Support: Provide support for audio/video equipment located onsite.
- Vendor Assistance: Assist vendors in supporting imaging devices such as copiers, scanners, and printers.
- Equipment Staging: Stage equipment for pickup by courier for delivery to branch and field support.
- Vendor Management: Manage vendor-provided support for localized equipment.
- Inventory Management: Add model and serial number information to SECU inventory records
5. Desktop Support Specialist Functions
- User Administration: Administer and maintain user accounts in Office 365/Azure AD environment.
- Group Management: Manage user security and distribution groups and set up access rights in all the listed systems.
- Image Creation: Create images for Windows client machines, setting up desktops and laptops for staff.
- End User Support: Provide end-user support for Windows clients, Office 365, and the organization’s custom applications.
- User Training: Provide end-user training, maintain, and verify backup systems.
- Asset Management: Perform hardware and software asset management and document technical specifications information.
- Documentation: Create documentation of important troubleshooting procedures.
- Network Monitoring: Monitor network performance and provide network performance statistics and reports.
- Security Management: Manage client security solutions, including firewall, anti-virus, intrusion detection, and anti-malware systems.
- Process Improvement: Identify, highlight, and work to fix process gaps.
- Initiative Implementation: Identify and implement process improvement initiatives while maintaining a high level of user experience.
- Process Adherence: Ensure timely completion of all trainings, timesheets, and reports.