VSU's Information Technology Helpdesk receives the Chancellor's Gold Award for Customer Service

VSU's Information Technology Helpdesk has been named the Gold recipient of the Chancellor’s Service Excellence Contact Center Team Award by the University System of Georgia. Pictured working at the Helpdesk, from left, Corey Wasley, Benjamine Li, Austin Bohannon and Joshua Harrison.

VALDOSTA – Valdosta State University’s Information Technology Helpdesk has been named the Gold recipient of the Chancellor’s Service Excellence Contact Center Team Award by the University System of Georgia. This is the highest award given in this category. The Helpdesk was honored by Chancellor Hank Huckaby during an awards presentation Friday, Oct. 10, in Atlanta.
 
“Receiving a nomination for the Chancellor’s Service Excellence Award speaks highly of the work of the student employees and staff at the Helpdesk,” said Corey Wasley, Helpdesk manager at VSU. “Our goal has always been to provide a premiere level of service, and it is a great honor for our team to be recognized for our dedication to supporting the university’s mission and needs.“
 
In addition, Valdosta State received an Honorable Mention for the Chancellor’s Service Awards and Sterlin Sanders, assistant director of technical support services in the Division of Information Technology, was nominated individually for a service award.
 
“Valdosta State is honored to be recognized by Chancellor Huckaby for its commitment to service to students, faculty and staff. The Information Technology Helpdesk team maintains a very busy schedule and workload, and they do so efficiently and with the customer’s needs first,” said VSU President William J. McKinney. “When I walk across campus and meet faculty and staff I am always impressed with their willingness to go above and beyond in serving the needs of our students.”
 
Located in Odum Library, the Helpdesk is the division’s hub for technical assistance and communications with the faculty, staff, students, and guests of the university. Like many technical support groups throughout the state, the Helpdesk team assists its clients with university electronic accounts, campus computing equipment, and advice on technology purchases.
 
“While technology and process innovations have certainly contributed to the excellence of the Helpdesk, I believe that the key to its success is the unique organizational culture Corey and his employees have developed that fosters ownership, engagement, and continuous improvement,” said Benjamin Li, tier 1 services coordinator at VSU. “Within the Helpdesk, every single employee has the opportunity to be both a leader and an innovator. The heavy investment in its employees is what truly yields the exceptional levels of customer service and support that the helpdesk offers.”
 
The eight-person Helpdesk team, which includes part-time student employees, is able to offer 75 weekly hours of support, including nights and weekends. The Helpdesk employees consistently provide excellent customer service to more than 13,000 employees and students at the university.
 
Each year, the Helpdesk handles approximately 17,000 client requests, which on average, breaks down to 1,416 requests per part-time employee and 2,833 per full-time employee. This volume of clients is managed through a number of technology resources available to representatives and clients, respectively. These resources help prevent the client load from becoming overwhelmed at peak times, such as the beginning or end of the semester. It also allows representatives to focus on aspects of service such as customer relationship management and first call resolution.
 
The Chancellor’s Service Excellence Awards were created to honor USG employees who have gone “above and beyond” their normal job responsibilities. The team efforts stand as a genuine example of service excellence - consistently exceeding the expectations of constituents. Award levels include Gold, Silver and Bronze.
 
Helpdesk staff includes:
 
Bennett, Zane
Bohannon, Austin
Burnett, Keirsten
Friel, Haylee
Harrison, Josh
Mitchell, Todd
Smith, Nan
Wasley, Corey