Elements and Performance Criteria

The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. Essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) may also be included.

May include a customer contact centre by phone, email, real-time website support or other real-time support structures.

May include but are not limited to personal use of emails and internet access, content of emails, downloading information and accessing particular websites, opening mail with attachments, virus risk, dispute resolution, document procedures and templates, communication methods and financial control mechanisms

May include but is not limited to internal departments, external organisations, individual people and employees

May include database programs, word processors, email programs, internet browsers, system browsers and spreadsheets

May include but is not limited to workstations, personal computers, modems or other connectivity devices, networks, DSL modems, remote sites, servers

May include but is not limited to commercial, in-house, packaged or customised software

The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package.
Critical aspects of evidence
Assessment must confirm the ability to successfully resolve first-level user support difficulties remotely, while demonstrating customer service skills.

Knowledge and skills
Customer service policies
How to apply escalation procedures in a clearly defined range of contexts
User support policies of limited complexity related to known or commonly-used options
OH&S procedures related to the work environment and organisational requirements
Up-selling skills, with some discretion and judgement required
Customer service skills in relation to communicating on product and service matters with potential customers
Using systems for recording and accessing information
Active listening skills for identifying client problems and identifying where in the process the problem has occurred
Ability to interpret user manuals, for the purpose of resolving client problems and guiding clients through manuals.

Assessment guidance
The purpose of this unit is to define the standard of performance to be achieved in the workplace. In undertaking training and assessment activities related to this unit, consideration should be given to the implementation of appropriate diversity and accessibility practices in order to accommodate people who may have special needs. Additional guidance on these and related matters is provided in ICA05 Section 1.
Competency in this unit should to be assessed using summative assessment to ensure consistency of performance in a range of contexts. This unit can be assessed either in the workplace or in a simulated environment. However, simulated activities must closely reflect the workplace to enable full demonstration of competency.
Assessment will usually include observation of real or simulated work processes and procedures and/or performance in a project context as well as questioning on underpinning knowledge and skills. The questioning of team members, supervisors, subordinates, peers and clients where appropriate may provide valuable input to the assessment process. The interdependence of units for assessment purposes may vary with the particular project or scenario.
In the case of this unit, it could be assessed in a holistic manner with: ICAS4022B Determine client computing problems and action
ICAW4027B Relate to clients on a business level

Resources

To demonstrate competency in this unit the learner will require access to:

Customer service policies
User support policies
Escalation procedures
Communications hardware (e.g. telephone hook-up) for dealing with clients remotely

Role context
The operation of remote help desk support is an increasingly important aspect of service provision within an overall client support framework as even internal clients are often no longer co-located with technical support resources. In the interests of business efficiency, many vendor and commercial support resources have been located centrally and consequently are remote from their client base.
The rapid expansion of information technology into small businesses and domestic environments has also increased the importance of IT product and service providers providing effective and plain English first-level support and subsequent problem escalation options for an increasing diverse client base.
Clients of IT service providers are partners in the support process and the application of this competency requires some degree of client instruction to enable handling of subsequent and similar issues or to understand the need for escalation to higher order support.
This competency is sufficiently flexible to allow for creativity in support options in relation to the specialised needs of clients.
The scope and complexity of knowledge and skills is dependent on the tasks undertaken as part of providing service support.

An individual demonstrating this competency would be able to:

Relate to client needs
Provide logical answers in line with polices and procedures
Take into consideration cultural needs
Manage time and priorities by quickly assessing the level of support needed and then directing the problem resolution accordingly
Determine level of priority of the help desk issue
Apply solutions to a variety of predictable end-user problems
Interpret available information and use appropriate interview techniques to request clarification where needed
Maintain knowledge of industry products and services
The breadth, depth and complexity of knowledge and skills in this competency would cover a broad range of varied activities or application in a wider variety of contexts most of which are complex and non-routine. Leadership and guidance would be involved when organising activities of self and others as well as contributing to technical solutions of a non-routine or contingency nature.
Performance of a broad range of skilled applications including the requirement to evaluate and analyse current practices, develop new criteria and procedures for performing current practices and provision of some leadership and guidance to others in the application and planning of the skills would be characteristic.
Applications may involve responsibility for, and limited organisation of, others.

Additionally, an individual demonstrating this competency would be able to:

Demonstrate understanding of a broad knowledge base incorporating some theoretical concepts
Apply solutions to a defined range of unpredictable problems
Identify and apply skill and knowledge areas to a wide variety of contexts, with depth in some areas
Identify, analyse and evaluate information from a variety of sources
Take responsibility for own outputs in relation to specified quality standards
Take limited responsibility for the quantity and quality of the output of others