WHAT DOES A DESKTOP SUPPORT TECHNICIAN DO?
Updated: Mai 21, 2025 - The Desktop Support Technician manages the reception and categorization of returned IT equipment, determining items for reloading and reuse or secure destruction as guided by IT leadership, alongside maintaining necessary shipping supplies. This position engages with end users to update ticket statuses and resolutions, handling 80%-90% of support requests through a common ticketing system, and developing self-help resources to reduce recurring issues. This role assists in high-priority executive support, participates in IT projects, tests new applications, and provides critical feedback to enhance organizational workflows and IT system efficiencies.
A Review of Professional Skills and Functions for Desktop Support Technician
1. Desktop Support Technician Duties
- Installation and Configuration: Configures and installs personal computers/mobile devices, peripherals, such as printers, scanners, label printers, and uninterruptible power supplies, and personal computer applications within the Medical Center.
- Troubleshooting: Troubleshoots and diagnoses problems for personal computers/mobile devices, peripherals, such as printers, scanners, label printers, and uninterruptible power supplies, and personal computer applications within the Medical Center.
- Repair: Repairs personal computers/mobile devices, peripherals, such as printers, scanners, label printers, and uninterruptible power supplies, and personal computer applications within the Medical Center.
- Preventive Maintenance: Performs preventive maintenance and upgrades of computer/mobile device-based software and hardware, peripherals, and other related equipment.
- Documentation: Documents procedures for the configuration and installation of computer/mobile device-based software and hardware, peripherals, and other related equipment.
- Helpdesk Management: Documents and updates the Helpdesk ticket database as directed.
- Communication: Communicates with customers throughout service requests and with management for all service or project-related changes that may impact customers (internal or external).
- Training: Provides informal training of computer/mobile devices to end users and technical training and knowledge transfer to departmental personnel.
- Inventory Management: Asset tags and places into inventory computer/mobile device-based software and hardware, peripherals, and other related equipment as directed.
- Cyclic Inventory: Performs cyclic inventories.
- Parts and Equipment Management: Maintains working inventory of parts and equipment needed for service and repair.
- Research and Advice: Provides advice and research information regarding technology, supply chains, vendors, service options, etc.
- Vendor Coordination: Acts as a liaison with outside vendors to coordinate repairs and services.
- Equipment Retirement: Recommends retirement of obsolete or non-cost-effective equipment as appropriate.
2. Desktop Support Technician Details
- IT Technical Support: Provide day-to-day IT technical support for an accelerated Sales, Service Center, and Office environment.
- End-User Support: Technical support for end-users of desktop applications, VOIP telephones, smartphones, tablets, printers, computer hardware, and other hardware that comes your way.
- Remote Communications Support: Provide support for sales, service, and office personnel with remote communications and connectivity.
- Hardware Installation: Install, patch/upgrade, replace, and remediate all IT hardware along supported sites.
- Machine Retirement Coordination: Reach out to internal clients to schedule times to retire and replace machines.
- Old Machine Collection: Coordinate with client end-users to collect old machines.
- Machine Configuration: Install, configure, and test end-user machines and related hardware and software to deliver required desktop service levels.
- Virtual Desktop Support: Support desktops in a virtual environment (VM products).
- Incident Response: Receive and respond to incoming calls, pages, and/or emails regarding desktop incidents and requests.
- Software Installation Support: Support software and license installation.
- Desktop Deployment: Configure, deploy, and troubleshoot a combination of Mac and Windows-based desktops and laptops.
- Peripheral Configuration: Configure printers, phones, wireless devices, tablets, etc.
- IT Security Investigation: Investigate and resolve desktop-related IT security incidents.
- Issue Documentation: Document the root causes of issues and suggest changes to prevent future outages.
- Judgment and Compliance: Exercise independent judgment consistent with department guidelines and standards.
3. Desktop Support Technician Responsibilities
- iOS Support: iOS support, hardware repair, and software installation/upgrades.
- Technical Problem Resolution: Support on a variety of computer hardware and software issues by identifying, researching, and resolving technical problems.
- Issue Rectification: Rectify computer problems and suggest appropriate action/solutions.
- System Maintenance: Maintain, analyze, and fix computer systems, hardware, printers, and computer peripherals.
- Desktop Support: Deliver computer desktop support in accordance with established policies and procedures.
- User Interface: Interface regularly and effectively with ticket submitters.
- Communication Records Management: Support records of daily data communication transactions, issues, and remedial actions taken or installation activities.
- Vendor Coordination: Organize hardware repairs with the appropriate vendors.
- Inventory Management: Receiving, unboxing, and tracking hardware inventory.
- Device Imaging: Imaging desktops, laptops, and tablets.
- Shipping Coordination: Boxing and shipping hardware to home-based users.
- User Coordination: Contacting users to schedule/coordinate migrations and shipments of hardware.
- Database Management: Working in ServiceNow to update hardware database information.
- Project Collaboration: Collaborating with project managers/project coordinators to provide timely updates on migration activities.
- Post-Migration Support: Assist users with operating system, desktop software/application, or network issues post-migration.
4. Desktop Support Technician Job Summary
- Item Processing: Receive returned items, identify which items are to be reloaded and reissued and which should be securely destroyed as per parameters set by IT Manager/Director.
- Device Reloading: Reload and prepare reusable devices for shipment.
- Shipping Supplies Management: Maintain shipping supplies for recovery.
- Ticket Status Follow-Up: Follow up with end users on ticket status, next steps, progress, and resolution.
- Support Ticket Management: Handled 80%-90% of support request tickets submitted through a common ticketing product.
- Application Installation Assistance: Assisted with the installation of various applications.
- Account Management: Reset passwords and unlocked accounts.
- On-Call Support: Provided weekly rotating on-call support.
- Executive Support: Assist with on-site executive “white glove” support.
- Knowledge Documentation: Recognized recurring tickets and built knowledge documents/training videos to assist end users with self-resolution capabilities.
- Proactive Monitoring: Monitored Google Chat rooms and proactively assisted with issues before users even reported them.
- Image Creation: Learned how to create images from scratch and prep such images (Windows).
- White-Glove Service: Providing white-glove service to executive staff.
- IT Project Assistance: Assisted with other IT-related projects.
- Workflow Streamlining: Helped teams identify solutions to assist with streamlining workflows.
- Application Testing and Feedback: Tested new potential applications/platforms and provided feedback to the IT Manager.
5. Desktop Support Technician Accountabilities
- Desktop Setup and Troubleshooting: Set up, deploy, and troubleshoot Windows and Mac desktops and laptops (imaging).
- Mobile Device Management: Set up, deploy, and troubleshoot mobile devices, including both iOS and Android.
- Application Support: Learn, set up, and troubleshoot league-based applications.
- Support Request Management: Respond to support requests with the ability to prioritize multiple requests.
- User Training: Answer user inquiries and provide training when applicable.
- Software Upgrade Recommendations: Suggest upgrades/replacements of software where appropriate.
- Hardware and Software Maintenance: Maintain and support hardware and software throughout the organization.
- Audio/Visual Support Knowledge: This position will require strong audio/visual support knowledge.
- Event Support: Support meeting events, training classes, and presentations.
- Incident Management: Complete assigned requests and incidents based on the ServiceNow ticketing system.
- Asset Management: Follow IT Asset Management procedures for tracking, transporting, receiving, and disposing of company technology assets.
- Issue Escalation: Serve as an escalation point for issues arising from the L1 Service Desk, communicate outages, and manage problems.
- Workflow Organization: Organize and prioritize workflow to meet established timeframes.