Move over office workers, there is a new service scheduling software in town. This wonderful product reduces man-hours, increases workers productivity and keeps accurate up-to-the-minute records. This service schedule software will works in most industries. These are easy-to-use, create happier customers and save money.

Whatever the industry is, there is a field service scheduling software that will be available. These can be found in industry-specific magazines and on the Internet. Before one is purchased, a careful review of how the program will be used and what the program needs to do should be undertaken.

These software programs are made to accurately schedule, track, invoice and process the invoices for each service call. Service industry scheduling software contains dispatch boards, which schedule the requested jobs. These boards have expandable spaces to accommodate the company’s requirements. These dispatch boards schedule work for the day, week and month. They contain a hover view, when the mouse is placed on an entry, the entry will open and provide additional information. These job requests can be based on priority, skill level, dates and times, complete with service codes.

Field service software allows crews or individual service technicians to be scheduled and dispatched. Members of crews can easily be moved from one crew to another with their payroll records updated. Dispatch can communicate with technicians by alphanumeric or e-mail.

These programs can track inventory, customer history, history of customers’ equipment, map efficient driving routes and provide minute-to-minute locations of the driver. Service call scheduling software will analyze the service calls in an area, compute the best route to save time and mileage and provide driving instructions. They can update inventory and accept credit card payments.

The service software will integrate with accounting software like the Quick Books and Peachtree. Information is transferred in real time regarding customers’, jobs and vendors. Many manual data entry requirements are eliminated and double invoicing is greatly reduced. Detailed inventory can be added at multiple locations that track inventory by isle and bin number

Inventory can be tracked by the manufacture, last purchase price, the buy/sell ratio, price information and current price information. If customers have different pricing, each individual customer can have up to three different pricing schedules. Some of these programs are very user friendly. Access to the customer records is available by technicians, customer service, or upper management.

Many software providers offer free trial periods. By test-driving this service industry software, the service techs can see how it will work for them. Before purchasing, a history of the Software Company and references of users in the same industry should be obtained and researched. This will be a large investment. If it is the right investment, it will return great rewards in time and money saved.

One of the most important questions to ask is about the technical support given with the product. The hours of availability and the expertise of the technicians make the difference between an easy-to-use product that is making money and a product that will cost money because of inefficient operation, hard-to-use format and operating problems.

Once the service call scheduling software has been purchased, implemented, and used most companies can never imagine going back to the old-fashioned do-it-by hand process they used to use. Not only is this a money-saving investment, it reduces the paper pushing staff and increases customer satisfaction. Customers and management are happy when their questions can be answered quickly, efficiently and correctly. After the initial investment, which cost less than an additional employee, the ongoing charges are inexpensive. To reap these rewards of this software, a company must research, buy, and use.

In earlier times, warehousing management was a very paper-intensive which was very difficult to co-ordinate various activities happening in different parts of the warehouse. Warehousing management software is software designed specifically to handle and manage the movement and storage of materials throughout a particular warehouse. WMS helps you to incorporate with data-collection systems and process the allied transactions; that includes shipping, receiving of inventory, shelving and picking. The system also directs and optimizes the stock put away depending on real-time information. It is especially for users who are wholesalers, distributors, online retailers, importers/exporters, and other inventory-based businesses. It is of utmost help for the warehouse managers in keeping a track of the storage and supply process. Moreover, it helps you use your available workforce to the maximum.

The WMS use AIDC (Auto ID Data Capture) technology to keep an eye on the flow of products. The ADIC technology includes a variety of equipments like barcode scanners, high radio frequency identification, wireless LANS, and mobile computers, etc. The main objective of WMS is to provide a set of computerized procedures to handle the returns and delivery of the stock into the warehouse. It not only makes your work easier and accurate but also faster than ever before. It is known as inventory software, as it keeps a track of all the movement of products happening in the warehouse. It was initially just a system to control the movement and storage of materials, but now it is also used for various other activities like transportation management, order management and complete accounting systems. Its setup and processing can vary from one software vendor to another, but the basic function of this software will be to determine the sequence of various activities like when and where to stock and pick, and thus help in managing large inventories and manage complex operations.

Least of all, a Management system should have three things, a flexible location system, built-in memory to collect data and be user friendly.

The most important question here is, do you really need a WMS?

It is not necessary that every warehouse needs a WM system. No doubt, any warehouse can benefit from the functionality of it, but then the question is, will the benefit be great enough to justify the initial and ongoing cost of the software? They are big, complex, expensive and data intensive applications. They require a lot of initial setup, system resources, as well as a lot of ongoing data management to continue to run. To cut a long story short, you will have to ‘manage’ your Warehousing Management System which means, you will have to have an entire new subdivision to manage your managing system.

The implementation of WMS has a lot of benefits. It will reduce your labor costs; increases accuracy, increases the ability to service the customers. Besides, labor efficiencies, and the other determining factors in deciding whether to implement a WMS, as it usually tends to be more often related with the need to do something to service your customers in a way that your current system does not support. It leaves nothing to chance or in the hands of the workers.

Moreover, with each addition of technology there is an additional spring of potential problems. One should not take this as a condemnation of Warehouse Management Systems. In many warehouses, this functionality depends on their ability to serve their customers and remain competitive with those in the market. It is just important to note that every solution has its advantages and disadvantages and you can overcome it only by having a good understanding of the potential proposals that will allow you to make better decisions related to the different levels of technology that best suits the unique environment of your warehouse.

It has been demonstrated that people who document their day’s events and schedules tend to have workdays that are more efficient as well as more free time. The influx of internet-ready computers in the workplace makes task scheduling very easy, and many companies may even provide the appropriate features for their employees to take advantage of scheduling software. If not, however, there are plenty of free task scheduling software programs available on the Internet with easy, simple features. Many of these programs have similar characteristics, but each brings own advantages.

Perhaps the most popular free software is the email application from Google. Called “Gmail”, signing up for an account is completely free and can be registered to individuals or businesses. Gmail provides email but also instant messaging, calendars, memos, image hosting, a document reader, and quick links to popular sites, including searches, social networking, shopping, and news.

Another task schedule software download is called Schedule It, available for free at freedownloadscenter.com. Schedule It is shareware and thus any payment is strictly voluntary with a suggested payment of $70. The program is nearly seven years old but has required only a handful of updates due to the simplicity of the software. Schedule It offers task scheduling software designed to update by day or by task, depending on whether or not the customer needs a time-based display or a list-based display. Schedule It also offers resource-based listing tasks in case a project is linked to a budget, bank account, or other financial need, along with staff scheduling in case individual assignments are required. Schedule It advertises itself as useful for small or large projects with few or many people in sync, tallying equipment, office space, deadlines, filtering, and email lists.

If a more complex task scheduler software is required, often times a moderate payment is required. One of the oldest non-shareware applications is called Time Target. Nearly a decade old, Time Target is designed to run on nearly any Microsoft operating system, from Windows 95 and Windows 98 to Windows ME and NT. Compatibility is key in Time Target’s programming and the software can be transferred, electronically or on hard copies, from computer to computer without hassle. Time Target has an adjustable interface, so customers can configure the display color, pictures, email chains, and preferences to their own designs. Capable of setting automated restarts, Time Target can network an entire business’ deadlines and accomplishments and can run multiple lists in sequence. Even time limits and log reports are available if specifics are required for the tasks.

Some task scheduler software applications do not run on Apple computers, yet there are plenty of companies who produce software for Apple as well as Linux and Microsoft PCs. One of the most extensive of which is called HiTek, which offers task schedule software appropriately called Automize. Automize runs across practically any computer’s operating system and requires little memory space. Automize has completely graphical interface and can provide visual support for all data, running and updating thousands of tasks in sync. Promising no prior required knowledge to run the program, Automize has easy commands for tasks, has writable scripts for updates, automated email commands, and a full list of supporting websites that run standard. With all the features, Automize is noticeably more expensive than most file hosting programs; starting at $180, the premium program can cost as much as $250. Both, however, come with a thirty-day trial offer so that businesses or individuals can explore the software themselves.

When picking a task scheduling software, decide on budget and time concerns and consider how many people will require updates on the project. If a free program works better, simply choose from shareware websites; if not, be prepared to invest more money.

Controlling your finances using a mobile device is in demand. It is not a mainstay on many Windows Mobile devices. What makes this possible is spb software house phone suite’s new Spb Wallet. Spb software for windows mobile is in the Spb Wallet and this specializes in storing data and protects this vital data with a high security software mechanism. This wallet application is made from spb software house. Spb software is adept at hiding and protecting passwords, bank account numbers, investment information, housing data that you want to keep secret, credit card information, etc. Spb software is synchronizes with an office or desktop companion has the same capabilities regarding gaining access to data on a PC and a Windows Mobile application.

The Spb Wallet houses the new and powerful AES 256-bit algorithm. The CIA and other US Government agencies for protecting national secrets support this. This product is accompanied with systematic clipboard cleanup, an exact login panel and a system auto-lock help defuse or thwart any side channel broad based or specific attacks. This same desktop software application boasts the same ability as its cousin – the Pocket PC. The wallet can grab data off from other wallets and has a wonderful Internet Explorer toolbar.

What makes this wallet even more universal and widens its scope is that it can be bought in 9 languages. It does work with a Windows Mobile 2003 and not only that; it is compatible with the 5.0 for the Pocket PC. In addition, it works with the Windows Mobile 6 Professional devices as well.

The Spb mobile DVD is another desktop application that offers you a simple way to transform DVDs and video data or files to the mobile version. This can be done quickly and efficiently and with a true real-time preview. This technology is just superlative. Some of the attributes of this product are:

• Switchable quality with actual real-time focus
• Super fast conversion speed
• You do not need any other software component for the smartphone off
• DVD and video data sources
• Conversion with WMV and also XVID systems
• The actually ability to transfer an entire movie or just a segment of it
• Multi core CPU support
• Ability to work with 200MHz Smartphone devices
• qVGA, VGA and some square screen help

The Phone application does not do everything, its functions are limited. This is the same with other applications that are in the Windows Mobile entourage. What is special about Windows Mobile is that it has an Application Programming Interface or API. This enables 3rd party technological innovators to contribute to this technology. This opens a door to new breakthroughs and helps push technology into new frontiers. Thus far, technologically capable citizens have helped alleviate the Phone application’s weaknesses. For instance, now someone can operate call filtering, picture dialing, ring tone selection, adjustable sound menu, etc. This is amazing. With this type of teamwork and broad support, a single device can have so much ability.

Spb has had a lot of success with the Pocket Plus. They have now outdone themselves with the Spb Phone Suite, which is known as version 1.0. The main functions that are noteworthy regarding this phone are:

• Call reject with SMS message
• Photo speed dial
• Call filtering
• Calendar option with automatic a sound menu
• Photos in call data log

The Spb Phone Suite Today Screen plug-in offers up to three lines of adjustable display. Using the default setup, the top row allows access to the displays and settings on the cell phone supporter. Then the middle row offers symbols for automatic access to the call log, mobile power control, sound menu management and message accessibility. You can easily pinpoint your missed calls and the messages you have not read yet. The lowest row displays the picture speed dial function. It is amazing how much function can be on one device. The future is here but we still continue to progress in some ways.

You might have read a lot about anti spywares online. Several software options claim to help you in this regard. They come as free or paid downloads online. Some of them also claim to make your computer perform faster and better. However, they hardly are interested in telling why one needs there program. So let us first understand what is spyware?

Spyware is something like a spy that is set in your computer system right from the day you get it. Technically, it is a malware. It is a program that quietly keeps storing all your personal information and stores it secretly. It includes anything and everything that you do with the computer. It stores the programs that you have run and what did you do with them. It known the files forms and the changes made. Even if you delete a certain file, it stays on in a way through the spyware.

Next, coming to the online part, spyware secretly stores all the web pages that you open. It also keeps the information intact as to what information you fill in the online forms, like your user name, company name, address, contact numbers, bank details, email ids, passwords, etc. even if you delete the history, with spyware your computer always has a record of what websites you have opened.
Now, why this thing is planted in the computers and why do we need to remove spyware?

The employers and the multinational companies plant this in the computers to keep a watch on their employees. The employees would then feel scared in wasting time on the chat sites or downloading unwanted stuff. This is especially important for the legal & tax authorities. For the domestic systems, it is useful to keep a watch on your teenage kids.

Now, knowing all this why do we need spyware removal. Removing spyware becomes necessary if it makes the computer slow. It happens when the data in this malware is overloaded with information and uses most part of the memory, which is RAM and ROM. This at times leads to some hazardous viruses and Trojans as well. If you do not take remedial steps in time, it might crash the computer. However, it is very rare. This actually depends on the user, because if you are clicking on some infected websites, there are chances for this sort of mishap.

People see it as a boon as well. In case your computer crashes for any other reason, this malware would help you get the lost information. Nevertheless, this is one in a thousand cases.

In order to keep the privacy intact most of users want to get rid of this unwanted malware. Spyware removal is possible if you use some good software for the same. Here, you must know that the Internet is flooded with websites that claim to help you in this regard and they offer free downloadable programs for the same. You must never trust just any random name. Always see that you use a legitimate program. Else, it could be very dangerous for your computer. It will acquire a lot of memory and may cause some Trojans as well.

For best spyware removal, you should contact a trained software professional and seek for their advice. Usually they would tell you to load programs like Norton, Mc Cafe or Quick Heal. These companies have been aces in their fields. Identifying the changing market needs as the virus makers are advancing, these brands and other legitimate ones just like them are upgrading their systems and they are making newer developments to help the users across the globe.

There are many things in life that can make a day easier, such as restaurants that have food prepared for you, gas stations that have workers who pump your gas, and inventory control software. Wait, what was that last item? Yes, inventory control software, which is essentially a program that permits the use of sales, payments, and purchases. Most inventory management software aids in creating purchase orders, invoices, payment receipts, receiving lists, and they can even print out bar-coded labels. You can also have the program specifically configured to your warehouse, which will help to make revenue for the company. By controlling operating costs, it will give a better understanding to you of where your company currently is in comparison to others. And so, this type software may be an essential element for many companies that house employers who want to have a little less stress in their lives; because of this reason, individuals will find some benefits of using these programs below.

1) As humans, we have very little control over things like the economy and unpredictable market fluctuations. That does not mean that running a business has to be scary; rather it should be something enjoyable and which we look forward to engaging each day. Inventory is one thing that humans do have control over, though, so we should use this fact to our advantage.

2) Inventory is essentially money: Maintaining a balance between overstocked and stocked items in business can be a very difficult and tricky process for all sorts of people. The beauty in this sort of software, though, is apparent in how well it works: it keeps track of raw materials, real time sales, and all finished goods and products, all of which are beneficial for a person who has inventory dispersed over many different locales.

3) Instinctive Audits: The software you choose to purchase is powerful enough to provide real-time audits, which can be linked to systems and point of sales software; doing these procedures will further allow you to paint an up-to-the-minute and accurate picture of your stock at whatever part of the day you want, even during the night. For example, if you wake up at 3:00 A.M. and need to check something, you may utilize the software and assess whether something is up and running or not. Finally, of utmost importance is that the programs can be arranged in such a manner as to run the audits automatically, which means you do not have to scramble through instruction manuals to find out how to go about using them.

4) This software is very simple to use: The makers of this particular software are well aware of the fact that many people in a business will be using the software and that not everyone is technologically savvy. They also know that many people share equal responsibility for tracking and inventory control. Because of these circumstances, the programs are typically easy to use and teach to novices or promoted employees. For experts, though, there are parts of the software that require some pondering, and so they may enjoy the challenge of the more advanced sections of the control software.

5) What should stay and what should go: If your particular company deals with goods that have to get to the market as swiftly as possible, this software can aid you in helping to get the stores moving in the correct order. There will be no more money lost because the stocks were not properly rotated, nor will the distribution operation fail again because it did not see what lot needed to be sold first or used.

6) This software can save you a lot of money: Having employees physically watching inventory can cost a lot of money. They will have to spend time inspecting, coordinating plans with other managers, and entering lots of data. The software, though, can do all of these tasks for you!

Thus, inventory control software may be a safe bet for many employers.

Keyword tracking software can truly make the difference between a business leading the industry and being successful or fizzling. Ecommerce is booming today but Internet marketing can be tough. You are always trying to stay one step ahead of the competition and shine brighter than everyone else.

One of the more effective ways to ensure your business is always at the top of its game is by using the right keyword tracking software.

The basic software program will perform a long line of tasks for you it helps you track sales and downloads from each of your traffic sources for one thing. This is huge because it helps you keep track of everything your niche market wants at any given time. These are the consumers you are trying to please and who you need to be focusing on.

One of the major tasks your software handles is the tracking of different keywords and which are those generating sales in the major PPC engines. With keywords software you should also be able to see what URLs online shoppers came from before clicking on your advertisement and being linked to your site. This way you can see what companies are helping draw business in to your company and who you want to stick around with.

In terms of the software available and what your choices are, there are certain names in particular that are worth your time to look more into.

The Rank Tracker is one of the top picks. They know that a company’s search engine rankings are tied directly to their bottom line and they will help you keep a close eye on your rankings. This ensures you always know where your traffic is coming from and in turn will save you hours of having to spend your own time keeping track of all this on your own.

They even allow people to download a free edition of the program to try it out before deciding whether to purchase the full version. They show you step by step the keywords you should be focusing on and using to optimize your site. You can literally see how many times different keywords have been searched by people and how many of these people then followed up and made it to your site. Then you know what different keywords to add into your site more to continue drawing in more traffic.

Another of the best software programs is Keyword Spy. They too offer a free trial version so you can get a better idea of the program and all it has to offer. They offer updated data on a daily basis as well as complex and detailed keyword research. With their software, you can build a profitable list of keywords.

There is also iSpionage that is a top contender. They help you guard your keywords with the most accurate intelligence and it makes the process of out-strategizing competitors as easy as pie. When you are a business owner, you know you have a million and one things to take care of. This software ensures you get maximum results with the least amount of your time.

Although there are certain options free, keyword tracking software your best bet is going to be with one of the paying software programs. They typically offer more features, better results and in turn help your business to thrive. With the right keyword tracking software, you can choose the best words for your target audience and continue to bring in more customers. It is one of the more worthwhile investments any business owner will make to help with online sales.

Sat nav or satellite navigation has gained a lot of popularity in the recent years. This can be attributed to a reduction in the price of the devices, subscription and also an increase in the precision of the positioning. The accuracy of the position is within meters. Thus, the system is very helpful for finding directions in unfamiliar localities. Many systems nowadays come with voice instructions, which is especially useful when using the sat nav device while driving. The Global Positioning System (GPS) is the most widely used satellite navigation system. Even mobile phones nowadays come with GPS receivers, and sat nav software for both – the GPS device and mobile phone can be downloaded or purchased online.

These devices can be very helpful while vacationing abroad. The device calculates the routes from the source to destination and it also displays the best route. Even if a turn is missed, the route is re-calculated in real time to help you reach your destination. The better devices can display the map in three dimensions, which are easier to read than the conventional 2d maps. Garmin is one of the popular sat nav devices and many models come loaded with helpful features. Garmin sat nav software can easily be purchased online.

Certain GPS devices can keep a track of speed cameras. You may need to install an additional software, to activate this feature, and also pay some subscription fee, but it is a useful feature nonetheless. For location specific information such as topographic maps, tourist destinations, places of interest and photos, many software suites are available online for download. If your sat nav device has a memory card, a lot of such software and add-ons can be downloaded. It also then serves as a photo-viewer as photos can be downloaded to it from your computer using USB connectivity.

When on a road trip, the sat nav device is almost indispensable. Locating gas stations en-route is very important on such trips as running out of gas on a highway is not a very pleasant prospect. Earlier, people would get paper maps ans mark the known gas stations on it and hope those stations exist. However, with the help of sat nav, you do not need to worry anymore. The device will track the stations and also guide you to them even if it means a detour from the proposed route. The route will be automatically updated and recalculated. Other important places such as ATM, hospitals etc are displayed on the devices.

With a lot of such devices on the market from reputed companies, it gets difficult to choose one. The first and the most important consideration is of course the price. There is a considerable difference in the prices of different models. Another important consideration should be the availability of software suits. Not all devices can run third party software. The memory, battery backup and accessories such as adapters are also important considerations. Another important thing is the voice instructions, this will come handy while driving. When buying a GPS enabled mobile phone, check whether you need to separately purchase sat nav subscription.

Different sat nav software can definitely help in finding locations, roads and other important and interesting information about different locations. Free sat nav software is available on certain websites, but it is not as feature rich as the paid nav software. Before purchasing any software, make sure it is compatible with your device; otherwise, you may end up paying for nothing. By searching on the internet, you will find many interesting as well as useful software suits. There are limited free trials available of software online so that you can evaluate the software before buying them.

The iPad apps library is literally stuffed with thousands of apps that are available for purchase and immediate download. There are apps available for anything someone could possibly think of including games, books, magazines, world news, and even the stock market. Some of the most common apps available include Real Racing HD, Marvel Comics, The Wall Street Journal, E*Trade, Labyrinth 2 HD, Popular Science+, and At Bat 2010.

Board games

Board games have suddenly become ten times more fun. The iPad gives users a bigger screen, which results in easier playing. It also allows more hands to be on the screen at the same time, so the screen will get easily fingerprinted. But with all the fun you have playing Scrabble, Monopoly, or Yahtzee, the fingerprints are worth it!

Books

The iBooks application on the iPad allows users to purchase and read eBooks easily. The iPad is comfortable and easy hold (so long as you select a nice leather bound case from the plethora of iPad cases), and the screen will adapt to your preference by automatically switching to either a landscape or portrait layout. Cook books are a good use of the additional screen real estate. Some apps even include videos on how to set up certain recipes or perform a certain instruction correctly.

iBooks makes it possible to read your favorite magazines or newspapers without having to buy them. This can be an extremely convenient app, especially if you are in a rush in the morning or don’t have enough money to purchase a book, magazine, or newspaper. If you’re that kind of person to always loose magazines, switching to reading on the iPad could be extremely convenient as long as you don’t lose the iPad itself!

Piano Apps

The piano was somewhat hard to play on an iPod Touch or an iPhone. However, with the iPad, playing piano became much simpler. With bigger keys, a bigger app, and more sound, playing the piano has become a breeze. However, don’t get your hopes up; don’t expect to be playing Chopin on the iPad. Even though this app has amazing features, it is not the real thing.

Writing

With Pages, from iWork, it is now possible to write papers right on the iPad. The Pages app is very similar to Microsoft Word providing all the same options as MS Word. Even though typing with the touch screen can be difficult, it is still very convenient when that college paper is due tomorrow! The iPad can also work with a bluetooth keyboard for extended paper writing marathons.

Overall, the iPad has really made a splash in the market, although it is not at its full potential just yet. More apps need to be developed and ported over from the iPhone to bring the device to its full potential. Apple’s iPad software has truly provided its owners infinite possibilities and can be used for almost any purpose. Remember, “there’s an app for that.”

There are some significant differences between the various help desk software products out there, and a wide range of prices. Some will limit the number of people that can use the package at one time, and the options for managing tickets differes widely. This is why it’s important for you, as a business owner, to know exactly what you are after before shopping for the right software for your business.

Providing your customers with a streamlined support system is imperative in this day and age. With so much competition in the marketplace, if your customers do not feel like their questions are getting answered in a timely manner, then you may find that they will just move on, gravitating to another business that does offer the support they are after.

The number one rule in business has always been “the customer is always right”, so keeping your customers happy will ensure that they remain loyal to your business, and pass on that invaluable word of mouth advertising. If you want your business to last in the long term, then a robust help desk package is of the utmost importance.

The complexity of your business operations will be the main determining factor in which software is right for you. If all you need is the ability to manage trouble tickets efficiently, then you will find a wide variety of free packages that you can try out. If, however, you wish to incorporate project and time management, billing, and ad hoc reporting, then you may need to do a bit more digging and spend some money to get something that suits your needs.

The days of desktop help desk applications is gone. It no longer makes sense, in this day and age of readily accessible, and high speed Internet, to have the added complication of having clients install software just to get help from your business. The majority of help desk software runs directly from the browser, meaning that all your client needs is an Internet connection and a web address to get the help they need from your business.

Having a help desk solution running over a network via browsers has many benefits. For instance, before these packages became ported to the web, businesses had to constantly install new versions of the software as bugs were found and fixed, and as new versions of Windows came out and broke older versions. When your business has hundreds of employees, rolling out a desktop application update becomes a very costly venture. Browser based software, on the other hand, need only be updated on the server, and everyone automatically has access to the new version. The other great benefit is that it costs the amount of time you will have to spend training your employees on proper usage of the product. Most of them will already be web savvy, and these applications are no different to browsing any well built web page. Finally, having your help desk system online means that you can access it wherever you happen to be. For the business manager that has to travel a lot, this is a huge help. Instead of sitting at the airport wondering what is happening in your business, all you need to do is log on and have instant access to all customer enquiries in an instant.

When choosing your software, keep in mind that the needs your business has right now may be different from what is needed in a couple of years time. Businesses are constantly evolving, if they don’t they shrivel up and die, and your help desk application should be scalable to allow for these changes as they occur. The best way to ensure the right fit for your business is to get the application custom built from the ground up, but this can be a huge expense, and should only be considered after exhausting all the other options out there.

The best place to start researching is at the lower end of the price range, and you can’t get much lower than free. Many people, businesses in particular, will not even consider help desk freeware to handle something as important as customer service. There is no doubt that there is a lot of really bad free software out there, but there are also some real gems. The list belows are free help desk software packages that are widely considered the best available.

Trellis Desk

Accord 5 is based in California and commenced their web application business in 2007. Although fairly young to the scene, they have created a huge gathering of loyal users, and credit a lot of their success to their own customer relations. They pride themselves on simplicity in design, and their free help desk software platform – Trellis Desk – is a testament to that ideal. Here are some of the functions that make Trellis Desk such a popular product…

• Create your own list of dpeartments – with no limitations
• Create template responses that can be used in those situations where a canned response is all that is needed to satisfy the customers query
• Set tickets to different levels of urgency, to ensure that problems get addressed in a timely manner
• Automate the escalation of tickets based on a predertermined timeframe
• Assign different user levels and permissions for different areas of the application
• Assign tickets to specific staff members
• Modify multiple tickets at once, minimizing tedious repititions
• Create support ticket RSS feeds
• Modify the user interface colors to better match your business
• Rich text editing within the application
• File attachments (eg, PDF’s, Word Documents, and spreadsheets)
• Integration with emails, so that customers send their enquiries directly to your email address, and Trellis Desk automatically picks them up

Trellis Desk has a demo that you can play around with at http://demo.accord5.com/. Definitely worth giving a spin.

Hesk

Hesk is another web based help desk freeware software option that is PHP based. It’s very easy to set up a ticket support system using Hesk. The user interface is clean and easy to use, and Hesk allows you to change languages. The entire knowledge base is searchable, meaning that customers can search for previous issues that have been resolved, effectively answering their own queries and minimizing the need to lodge a support ticket. Hesk includes built in spam prevention to ensure that your website is not overrun by spammers. Submitting a ticket using Hesk is a simple process, and as soon as the ticket it replied to, the user will get an email notification letting them know.

On the adminsitration side, each staff member is given their own unique username and password. Once logging in, they can manage support tickets relating to them, and modify certain interface options to suit their individual work flow. Canned responses are also available in Hesk, allowing staff to quickly and efficiently deal with queries that have been answered previously. Individual tickets can be assigned to categories, given different priorities, and have notes added to them. he notes are only viewable by staff. Replies to tickets can have attachments embedded into them, such as related documents and spreadsheets.

Once a ticket has been resolved, it can be closed by the staff member or the customer, and the customer is given an option to rate the response they were given.

The knowledgebase can be modified to suit your business, and assigned categories for ease of searching. There is no limit to the number of articles, categories and subcategories that can be added to the knowledgebase, and Hesk provides the ability to see which articles have been viewed the most number of times, which will help you determine areas within your business that need to be looked at. Knowledgebase articles can also have external documents attached to them, for the provision of further information on a topic.

Although Hesk is completely free to use, they do also offer a paid version for $39.95. The only difference between the free and the paid version is that Hesk’s self advertising links will not be shown once you have paid. The Hesk website also offers hosting of your application if it is needed, or you can download all the required files and copy it and host it on your own site. All the installation instructions you will need are included in the package.

A demo of Hesk in action can be found at http://www.hesk.com/demo.php

SysAid

SysAid is another industry leader in the world of free help desk applications. Freely downloadable, SysAid has a robust framework that is being used by tens of thousands of organizations around the world. This helpdesk software provides an easy way for customers to submit their service requests by simply filling out the provided online forms, which can be easily integrated directly into your website. It is completely integrated with your email, so the customer has a seamless interaction directly with your support staff, and service reuqests can be automatically routed to particular departments or staff members based on predefined parameters.

Each support ticket can be automatically escalated using user defined rules that utilize due dates and urgency parameters. Your business can set up predefined message templates and automatic notification options to suit your businesses workflow. It also allows security levels for different user groups, allowing you to provide a more private and secure service to your customers.

On top of these basic help desk features, SysAid also provides direct connection with client computers for those times when your support staff need to see what is happening first hand. Most of the other free help desk applications do not offer this service, and recommend you use external tools to connect to clients computers. Having it all in the one platform makes for a much more streamlined operation.

SysAid also boasts extensive reporting capabilities, allowing you to easily find trouble spots and bottlenecks within your customer support service. A demo of SysAid can be run from http://www.ilient.com/demoChoose.htm

Open Source Help Desk Software

Along with these freeware help desk application options, there are a large number of open source help desk platforms that have been built over the years. The best resource on the web for open source help desk applications can be found at http://www.opensourcehelpdesklist.com/. They have an alphabetized list of over 40 open source help desk software programs that you can choose from.  With all these free options available, it’s quite possible that your business will be able to provide your clients with the support they need without spending a dime in setup fees.