A desk. A chair. A telephone and computer. That's all that's needed to create a workable help desk, right? Wrong! No matter the type of service a company offers, the help desk should also be staffed by knowledgeable people who have state-of-the-art software tools at their fingertips. When it comes to picking out help desk software, customer service and speed should be top priorities. When these two things are considered, callers will hang up happy.

Help desks might not always handle the same kinds of calls, but they all are held accountable for good customer service - even when those customers are in-house employees. Whether your help desk is meant to cater to employees' technical questions or customers asking about their latest purchases, there is a formula for setting up a solid help desk. What's needed includes:

* Functional and practical call in system. Let's face it; no one wants to sit on hold. No matter whether your call desk deals with employees only or it's meant to help clients at large, a good phone system is required to expedite calls and ensure speedy service. If call volume is high, try to include a messaging feature or at the very least an option for callers to go to a Frequently Asked Questions recording that might help them solve their own problems.

* Knowledgeable employees. This means the folks who man the help desk should know what they're dealing with inside out and backwards. There are few things more frustrating for a caller than to sit on hold for an hour only to find out the person on the other end of the line knows less about the situation than the caller did in the first place. A smart company staffs its help desk with the best. The per employee fee could be a little higher, but the end result of good customer service will be worth it.

* Useable software. Any programs designed to assist help desk employees hunt down troubleshooting tips and advice for dealing with technical issues should be simple and easy to use. There should not be 10 screens to fill out before a customer's question is answered. Make sure the software included for the help desk is user friendly and is able to update as products and services change.

* Customer service-oriented attitude. The entire point of a help desk is to assist employees or clients with issues relating to a product, service or in-house technical issue. If the folks behind the help desk aren't friendly, your company will be labeled as such. Or, if they're difficult to deal with, employees may choose to limp along with a partially functional workstation rather than calling in for help.

* Consider the returns. When a help desk works as it should, the financial returns might not be readily noticeable, but when it doesn't, the results can be painfully obvious. When setting up help desk software and other amenities, remember the better the desk operates, the more likely your customers are to return for future products or services.

When it comes to creating a solid help desk for just about any type of service or product, the keys are customer service, knowledge and a good software set up to ensure expedient service. When the help desk runs smoothly, customers are kept happy. When it doesn't, an entire business can pay.