Starting my Placement 

When I began working at ProspectSoft, we started our month’s training where we were had exposure to the software and all aspects of the company. This comprehensive training has proven to be particularly useful on the Service Desk, as I’ll often get questions about other areas of the business that the training has covered, or I know who to liaise with in the business to get the right answer. 

Once the training finished, I immediately started in the Service Desk and began working through support tickets. From the get-go, my confidence and knowledge grew – I had to learn fast and felt ready to do the job less than one month in thanks to the training and on-the-job support. This year, placements have returned to working in the office - having the other members of the support team nearby has proven imperative. Being able to quickly get pointers on where to look next to resolve an issue or promptly mute myself on calls so I can get the right answers for customers, quickly and professionally, has been great.  

Working in the Support Team 

So far working on the Service Desk, I’ve learnt a huge amount about the software as it’s essential for being able to carry out my job role effectively. My skillset is broader now too, as I’m constantly looking into and resolving different types of issues. On the Service Desk, adaptability is key – no matter what’s happening in a given moment, you need to be able to juggle different tasks. Whilst working on one ticket, you can get a separate phone call come in, meaning you have to sometimes switch tracks to help the customer on the phone before getting back to the original task.  

My favourite part of this placement so far is how every day brings something different. I’m always looking into new issues which I can either resolve quickly and independently or pass to our second line support team, allowing me to look get on with the next ticket in the pool. Being able to work on new things and not getting bogged down on a larger task means the role is varied and fun! 

Challenges 

I recently had a meeting with the management of one of our customers, where I answered a list of questions they had and helped them fix some issues that they were having with the system. This experience challenged me as I had to prove my understanding of the software on the fly by answering the questions as they fielded them to me. I also made sure I noted down any outstanding questions and issues that I couldn’t fix there and there, and addressed them methodically after the meeting to ensure everything was ticked off.  

When it’s a busy day, and there’s little time between tickets, I get used to the fast-paced environment and have adapted to thrive under the pressure. I know that I’ve got to work faster whilst still providing great customer service. This part of the role has really taught me how to productively deal with the busy times of the day.  

Advice  

If I could give any advice to someone starting as a Technical Services placement, it would be to ask as many questions as you need to. There’s always more to learn about the specifics of how the software works and the other members of the support team are always more than happy to answer them. Asking all the questions that I did when starting the role has left me with a solid understanding of the intricacies of the software, with which I can research and resolve the tickets that come to the Service Desk.  

Working in a Software SME

In the Service Desk, I often deal with other members of the company in other roles, as I see issues they’ve been involved with or receive phone call for them. As ProspectSoft is an SME with a great culture, I’ve become familiar with most of the team now, and feel confident to ask outside of the support team for help on an issue if it’s outside of our remit. 

Overall, I’ve thoroughly enjoyed working on the Support Desk on my placement at ProspectSoft. The variety of tasks that I’ve been able to work has allowed me to develop my social and technical skills. I’m already looking forward to seeing how much more I can learn as a member of the team in the final eight months of my placement and how that will impact me when I return to University to finish my course.