Breaks

• Fight the tendency to work through breaks and lunch. Take your breaks at a scheduled time every day to mentally recharge. Work through breaks only in truly emergency situations. When you routinely work through your break times, managers and associates begin to expect more. They do not tend to view your refusal to take breaks as a sign of dedication.
  
  

Client Knowledge

• Know which managers run time-sensitive, profit-driven operations and prioritize their requests ahead of routine installation and assistance requests. Show that you have a sense of urgency toward their requests and they will give you greater respect and allow you the time you need to complete the assignment. Without the sense of urgency, these managers tend to send their requests quickly up the chain of command to obtain services faster. When you work with these managers closely, you can avoid calls from your manager to prioritize their requests.
  
  

Hot Swap Systems

• Whenever possible, standardize system profiles for software and hardware. Keep lists of standard software for each team and company role. When a system fails, assess the system quickly and set a time limit for making the repairs. If the repair will take longer than 30 minutes, hot swap the malfunctioning system for an identical system. You can repair the malfunctioning system during help desk lulls for use as a new hot swap system. You could also use Norton Ghost software to image malfunctioning systems for a similar effect.
  
  

Education

• Many routine requests could be avoided by giving simple instructions. When you are repairing a system and the employee is nearby, take a few minutes to explain how she could fix simple problems herself. For example, a malfunctioning mouse is typically the result of a dirty roller mechanism. Explain how to perform this simple maintenance item. As an added bonus, when you train one employee, she will explain the solution to team members. A few extra training minutes can save significant time later.
  
  

Dress Professionally

• While you may feel more comfortable in jeans and a T-shirt, dressing more professionally will raise others' perceptions of your ability. When you discuss problems with managers or executives, they will be more likely to believe your technical explanations and view you as a credible source of information if you are professionally dressed. In addition to helping your daily help desk obligations, professional attire will help you stand out and appear ready for promotion or advancement.