Most modern ticketing systems use forms to collect information to help techs understand the issues end-users are facing. But the way forms are designed influences the answers given – and many ticketing forms make it actively difficult for end-users to explain their issue clearly or provide sufficient details.
This blog explain how DeskDirector solves that problem using custom forms. With the ability to create clear, user-friendly forms and attach them to specific request types, the system streamlines communication, improves end-user experience and accelerates ticketing resolution.
Readers can expect to learn:
- How dynamic fields can save time for your end-users
- Why embedding content in your forms can reduce ticketing queues
- What custom forms can help your service desk achieve
6 Ways to Customize Your DeskDirector Forms
1. Custom Question Types
What are custom question types?
DeskDirector enables you to include a wide variety of question types in your forms. This ranges from multiple-choice questions (with the option to accept either single or multiple answers) to data and time fields and simple “yes/no” questions.
How does this improve service?
Custom question types ensure your forms collect the exact information your techs need to be able to resolve the issues at hand. A single form can collect dates, numerical answers, lengthy written responses and present multiple-choice questions. This makes it easier for end-users to submit the relevant information with confidence, rather than trying to make sense of confusing forms.
2. Conditionals
What are conditionals?
Conditionals are questions that will only appear on your form if a user answers an earlier question in a specific way. For example: Your form asks whether the user has tried to correct the issue for themselves. But only if the answer is yes does the question “What did you do?” appear.
How does this improve service?
Not every question included in your form is relevant to every user – and conditionals allow you to avoid asking redundant or unnecessary questions. They streamline your forms to appear as short and direct as possible, which helps to avoid making end-users feel overwhelmed or confused by needless questions.
3. Dynamic Fields
What are dynamic fields?
Dynamic fields present possible responses in an answer bar. This enables users to simply scroll through and click on their answer, rather than manually filling it in. You can use custom code to include up to 30 options.
How does this improve service?
End-users often get frustrated typing out long answers, such as dates, addresses or departmental information. But there may be too many potential options to use a multiple-choice question. Dynamic fields therefore save time and effort for end-users, while also helping to standardize responses.
4. Embed Content
What does it mean to embed content?
While ticketing forms are primarily designed to collect information, they can also share information. DeskDirector enables you to embed content such as videos or article links within the form – using simple Markdown and HTML/CSS.
How does this improve service?
Many tickets are avoidable if the end-user is provided with the proper information to troubleshoot the issues for themselves. (This is the same logic that drives many companies to implement an IT self-service knowledge base.) Embedding relevant content could therefore lead the end-user to avoid submitting the ticket – resolving the issue faster and reducing the ticketing queue. For example, if a user is submitting a ticket requesting IT to help update a piece of software with the latest version, the form can populate with a video walkthrough of how the end-user can update the software without the help of IT.
5. Title Automation
What is title automation?
Title automation allows you to populate a ticket’s summary with the most relevant information. For example, when a new user registers and a ticket for their onboarding is created, you can customize DeskDirector to pull information from the form and include their name and start date in the ticket summary.
How does this improve service?
Title automation helps you foreground key information and give techs a preview of the ticket. It means ticket titles are personalized and specific – ultimately making it easier for techs to sort through and find relevant tickets for future reference.
6. Webhooks
What are webhooks?
Webhooks enable you to trigger specific workflows when a form is submitted. This could mean setting off an email sequence or notifications within your Microsoft environment.
How does this improve service?
Webhooks automate specific workflows to save time and increase the consistency of service. Techs no longer have to worry about sending notifications or triggering emails manually – and can instead focus on resolving tickets.
3 Benefits of Custom Forms
1. Increase Clarity
The key to fast and effective ticketing is clarity. Techs need to have clear information about the specific issue – and no irrelevant, incomplete or misleading details. But most ticketing forms make it difficult to capture that information, which ultimately means techs spend more time parsing the responses and clarifying the details directly with the end-user via emails and phone calls.
Custom forms enable you to collect more specific information and make it simple to understand and respond to the issue. This makes life easier for techs, reassures end-users and ultimately ensures your help desk can...
2. Accelerate Ticketing Resolutions
With clearer, more directly relevant information, your techs can focus on resolving the issues raised. They don’t need to pick up the phone to ask follow-up questions, and they don’t have to waste energy parsing unclear information from ticketing forms.
The result is not only an increase in the ROI and cost efficiency of your ticketing system, but it also enables you to...
3. Improve End-User Experience
Most end-users are familiar with the frustration of filling in fixed forms that don’t allow them to properly explain the issue they are flagging. But with custom forms, end-users are asked more relevant questions and given more freedom to answer in a comprehensive way.
Ultimately, this means the process of raising a ticket is smoother and increases trust in the service desk. And given that improving employee productivity is a core goal for service desks in 2024, that can only be a good thing.
Want to Explore Custom Forms for Yourself?
