A service desk and a help desk are similar in that they both provide support for customers or users who are experiencing problems or have questions about a product or service. The main difference between the two is the scope of the support they provide.

A service desk is a more comprehensive level of support that is focused on managing and coordinating all of the IT services that are provided by an organisation. Service desks are typically responsible for handling a wide range of issues, including technical support, incident management, and request fulfillment. They may also be responsible for managing relationships with vendors and partners, and for ensuring that the IT services being provided are aligned with the needs of the business.

A help desk, on the other hand, is typically a more basic level of support that is focused on providing assistance with technical issues and solving simple problems. Help desks are often used to provide support for specific products or services, such as a software application or a particular hardware device.

In summary, a help desk is typically focused on providing technical support for specific products or services, while a service desk is focused on managing and coordinating all of the IT services provided by an organisation. This makes a service desk a key component of IT Service Management.

Possible tasks of a service desk include e.g.:

• Incident management
• Problem Management
• Change Management
• Knowledge Management
• Self-service
• Service Requests
• Integration with CMDB