Longer days, shorter nights, higher temperatures and vacations. Yes, summer is in full swing, but that doesn't mean the IT professional's job gets any easier. Every day of the year, IT pros must handle tasks big and small, including the occasional unbelievably wacky end-user help desk request. So, to celebrate the start of summer—and perhaps remind end users that even though the month of June signals the beginning of fun in the sun, IT professionals are still hard at work—SolarWinds asked its THWACK community of more than 125,000 IT professionals to share some of their craziest help desk requests. Based on the SolarWinds survey responses, eWEEK compiled this slide show. Some of these requests may sound familiar, but all will probably make you cringe. Whatever your reaction, it's important to remember not to let end users cramp your summer style. Some of the best practices gleaned from the study include being in the know; measuring and providing feedback; documenting every interaction; automating as much as you can; clearly defining and communicating your help desk process and service-level agreements; and enabling end-users to help themselves.
- eWeek