460th CFP maintains mission continuity

Published Nov. 5, 2014
By Airman 1st Class Samantha Saulsbury
460th Space Wing Public Affairs

BUCKLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Colo.- -- Problematic computer, phone and printer issues affect all of Team Buckley at one time or another. Fortunately, the communications focal point is standing by, ready to bring people back to full operating speed.

Although waiting for tickets submitted to the 460th Space Communications Squadron for these issues to be repaired can take a while depending on the severity of the issue, the 460th SCS works hard each day to complete each ticket as quickly as possible, ensuring mission continuity.

"Computer problems are a daily thing," said Airman 1st Class Matthew Bruce, 460th SCS client service technician. "What are you going to do if your email doesn't work or you can't log onto your computer? If we weren't there, the mission would be at a standstill."

The process to submit a ticket is fairly straightforward. What happens with the ticket behind the scenes involves professionals, sometimes many, working tediously to solve an issue.

Once a customer calls with a problem, the Enterprise Service Desk, a separate entity from Buckley Air Force Base, works on resolving the problem. If needed, the ticket is transferred to representatives at the Buckley Communications Focal Point, who then determine to which communication center the ticket should be routed.

Sometimes the ticket cannot be solved within one center and must be handled by several agencies. For example, a user may be having trouble accessing a file because they cannot get access to the network. After one center fixes the network connectivity issue, the ticket must then be transferred to another agency to fix the access issue.

Once the issue has been resolved, the last step in the process falls in the hands of touch maintenance.

Touch maintenance acts as the customer service of the 460th SCS, working closely with the customer to see if the issue has been fixed and if there is anything further with which they can help.

"We provide front-line computer support," Bruce said. "Touch maintenance is the face of the communications help desk."

One of the biggest hindrances touch maintenance experiences regarding the speed of resolving a ticket is a break in communication. Customers who can't be reached for any reason after putting in a ticket slow down the process. Communication issues prevent the tickets from being processed, as well as creating backup for incoming tickets.

Donald Wood, 460th SCS information technology specialist advises customers make sure their telephone number is listed correctly. It would also be reasonable for the customer to inform a fellow co-worker of the issue in case the customer can't be reached to continue the flow of ticket resolution.

"The only means we have to effectively communicate with an individual and determine what the problem could be is telephone," Wood said. "Making sure someone else in your office knows about the problem, too, helps us help you."

No matter the problem, the 460th SCS keeps the mission running efficiently, ensuring all of Team Buckley can continue their duty.

Our mission is to make sure the wing mission is accomplished, said Wood.

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460th CFP maintains mission continuity