will the help desk be able to reset passwords?
If outsourcing is the solution, then the college must ensure that it outsources the correct work and tasks. For example, will the help desk be able to reset passwords? Will it have remote access to see what the student is doing or to control the student’s desktop? What should it know about the CMS or LMS? Will it have privileges to enter the CMS? What legal implications does CMS access have? In either case, the school will need to monitor the effectiveness of its contract in defining the services to be provided and the quality of the services provided. The efficiency and effectiveness of the help desk support must be subject to evaluation to validate that it is meeting the needs of this student population.
In summary, learners will need access to the help desk 24/7 or close to it, and this will necessitate a variety of communication channels: phone, chat, video conference, self-help website, and so forth.