---
Title: "What Is a Help Desk? Definition and Examples"
Url: "https://computer.io/glossary/help-desk"
Topic: "ITSM"
Description: "A help desk is a team and tool that answers questions and fixes problems for customers or employees. Types, features and help desk vs service desk."
---

# What is a help desk?

A help desk is a team, and usually the software it uses, that answers questions and solves problems for customers or employees, typically by logging requests as tickets and tracking them to resolution. IT help desks support employees; customer help desks support buyers and users.

## Common features

| Feature | Purpose |
| --- | --- |
| Ticketing | Track requests |
| Knowledge base | Self-service |
| Automation | Routing, replies |
| SLAs | Response targets |
| Reporting | Performance |
| AI | Answer and resolve |

## Help desk vs service desk

A help desk focuses on fixing issues. A service desk is broader, handling service requests, changes and IT service management processes.

## FAQ

### What does a help desk technician do?

Troubleshoots issues, answers questions and logs tickets.

### What is help desk software?

A tool for managing support requests, knowledge and reporting.

### Can AI replace a help desk?

AI can resolve many routine requests; people still handle complex ones.

## Related terms

- [Service desk](https://computer.io/glossary/service-desk)
- [Ticketing system](https://computer.io/glossary/ticketing-system)
- [Help desk automation](https://computer.io/glossary/help-desk-automation)
- [Should you replace your help desk with an AI agent?](https://computer.io/answers/should-you-replace-your-help-desk-with-an-ai-agent)

## How Computer helps

- [Service desk automation](https://devrev.ai/solutions/service-desk-automation)
- [Customer agent](https://devrev.ai/solutions/customer-agent)

## Compare

- [Devrev vs zendesk](https://devrev.ai/compare/devrev-vs-zendesk)
- [Devrev vs freshdesk](https://devrev.ai/compare/devrev-vs-freshdesk)

## Further reading

- [Help desk automation](https://devrev.ai/blog/help-desk-automation)
- [It service desk](https://devrev.ai/blog/it-service-desk)