Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
The Air Force Enterprise Service Desk is going digital. Hurlburt Field, Florida and Cannon Air Force Base users will see the Virtual Enterprise Service Desk application beginning Dec. 8.
Have you ever needed assistance getting personal Air Force computers working again after encountering an unexpected error? If so, you likely had to wait in a queue, along with the other 250,000 callers each month, to reach the Air Force Enterprise Service Desk for assistance. The strain on the help desk system resulted in long wait times with many callers hanging up in frustration prior to receiving service.
Recognizing technology could help relieve the backlog on the system Lt. Col. Mark Reith, 690th Network Support Squadron commander, directed the development of automated tools that will empower individuals to resolve the most common issues experienced by Air Force network users.
According to Reith, these tools are projected to automate 70 to 80 percent of user help requests and are in the process of rolling out across the Air Force. Initial results indicate dramatic improvements; the average call wait time has been reduced from more than 20 minutes to less than 5. Additionally, a backlog of nearly 13,000 help desk tickets was virtually eliminated, allowing technicians to focus on current issues. As automated capabilities are proven and continue to grow, the system will become even more responsive.
There are two automated tools assisting with the transformation: Information Assurance Officer Express and the Virtual Enterprise Service Desk. The IAO Express manages account maintenance, including adding, deleting, moving user and organizational accounts, unlocking accounts, adding users to network shared drives and SharePoint sites. IAO Express is fielded and handling over 14,000 requests per week. It became fully operational Nov. 1 and is used exclusively by unit IAOs.
The vESD will now be located on each computer user’s standard desktop screen and will be the starting point for users to resolve common computing issues. These common issues include e-mail, desktop, laptop, mobile devices, network, software, hardware and other user account capabilities. The tool is designed to be easy-to-use and intuitive for all levels of users. If the vESD cannot resolve an issue, it will automatically generate a help desk ticket and submit it to the local communications focal point for further troubleshooting. The application tracks help desk tickets and permits status checks of any current incident requests, solicits user feedback and provides contact information for more help.
“Using automated tools to resolve common issues follows industry best practices and provides superior service to our Air Force users,” said Reith. “Our goal is to help ensure daily disruptions due to routine computing issues are limited to the max extent possible.”
As Brig. Gen. Kevin Wooton, Principal Deputy Director, Integrated Operations at Air Force Space Command, noted, “The vESD tool will have a phased release in the near future, so we can monitor, test and evaluate the results, and modify if and when necessary.”
The Air Force is working to provide the capabilities airmen need while becoming smaller. This means the workforce and installations of the future will learn to operate differently and more efficiently. The vESD transformation is one step toward reducing overhead costs and increasing efficiencies, while improving service and effectiveness for all Air Force personnel.
