Feeling flummoxed by a problem with your computer or email? Contacting IT Express, the campus computing services help desk, now provides a new type of help: assurance, delivered within minutes when IT Express is open, that your problem will be addressed.

Starting April 29, anyone who emails IT Express will receive a follow-up message confirming that their message was received. The new feature improves feedback and customer service to clients, and helps IT Express manage its volume of email.

In the past, people emailing IT Express during an especially busy time--for example, during a service outage--might have had to wait days to get a response or know for certain their email was received. The new response message says their problem will be addressed within two business days.

The response is not entirely automated, because ithelp@ucdavis.edu gets too much spam to make that reasonable. Instead, IT Express employees track the inbox and send legitimate messages over to Remedy AR Help Desk, a ticket-tracking software. The change is that Remedy will now send out the automatic response. (The message includes a Remedy ticket number, plus a recommendation to call IT Express if the problem is time-sensitive.)

"With the system itself creating the response with the tracking number, customers get useful information quickly, without putting any extra human steps into the process," said Ann Mansker, coordinator of the Technology Support Program.

When IT Express is closed (after 9 p.m. and on weekends), no response will be sent until IT Express reopens and someone works through the inbox.

The new policy should also "reduce the number of 'did you get my message?' messages, thereby reducing the amount of mail to IT help overall," Mansker said.

IT Express encourages people with time-sensitive issues to call the service at (530) 754-HELP (4357). The phone line is open 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., except during weekends and holidays.

People may also visit IT Express at 182 Shields Library on weekdays from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. or on weekends from 1-4 p.m., except during holidays.