A larger part of an agent’s job is ensuring things work as they should. Thus, the most common help desk tickets usually relate to employees’ daily tasks.
Of course, the definition of “common” varies depending on the organization. However, there are some issues transversal to any IT department. And we’re about to see how to solve them efficiently – and how InvGate Service Management’s features can contribute to it!
Keep reading to know which are the common problems and how to solve them with a ticketing system, self-service portals, canned responses, and more to solve problems like data loss, printer issues, and password resets.
14 most common help desk tickets - and solutions
We know that there are no magical solutions and that each case might need a bit of personalization to address singularities. But you can use these ideas to get things going! These are the 15 most common help desk tickets we’ll cover:
- Password predicaments
- Printer problems
- Data loss
- Third-party software problems
- Performance issues (i.e. computer is too slow)
- Issues with peripherals (i.e. keyword or mouse aren’t working)
- Blue screen of death
- Connectivity issues
- Operating system error or failure
- Problems with communication and collaboration tools
- User management
- Mobile phone issues
- Conference room equipment
- Cybersecurity
1. Password predicaments
There seems to be a consensus that establishes password issues as the most common help desk ticket. If you have been working in IT long enough, you probably come across several requests regarding password resets, locked accounts, or logging issues in general. In fact, one user commented in this Reddit post that 75% of tickets received only in the first four days of the job were password resets.
And it makes sense; users tend to freeze when they can’t get into their accounts. So, to avoid typing the same instructions over and over again, make sure to create a canned response on InvGate Service Management that asks the user to check the basics: that they are typing the right user and password, that they’re using capitals when they should (and that Caps Lock is not enabled when it shouldn’t), and that the keyboard is set on the right language.
If that doesn’t work, you can move forward with other steps, such as validating if the account is unlocked, resting the multi-factor authentication (MFA), or manually resetting the passwords.
2. Printer problems
Printer issues are closed second in the top help desk tickets. No matter how hard you try to configure them, they are quite mischievous.
The approach to solving this type of issue is similar to password resets: start with the basics. First, check the toner and paper; then, the network connection (is the printer properly connected?). You can also create a knowledge base article covering this. If that’s not enough, you can always try restarting the printer.
Pro tip: add to your internal knowledge base an article with the printers’ details (model, type of tonner, and some basic troubleshooting) to have at hand when you need it. And be sure to include them in your hardware inventory on InvGate Asset Management. This way, you can easily spot which printer is failing.
3. Data loss or file loss
Another common problem for users is not knowing where files are. Most of the time, they’re just not placed where they’re supposed to be, so the search begins.
In this case, you’ll try several alternatives.
First, suggest the user look for them using keywords or search for file type, last time saved, or owner. If that doesn’t do the trick, try to use them through your backup data system. If the data is sourced in an external server, it must have its own backup. So, escalate the trouble ticket to a higher support level so they can request it.
4. Third-party software problems
Your company’s technological landscape probably has dozens – if not hundreds – of different software vendors, each with its own particularities. So, to avoid having to look into the specifics of a platform after a ticket is submitted, you can create knowledge-based articles.
Make sure you cover specific error codes, installation issues, and every other common problem they might have – and don’t forget to link them to the vendor’s knowledge base!
If the issue can’t be solved at level 0 or level 1 of IT support, you can also escalate the ticket to contact the vendor’s support team and ask for a solution.
5. Performance issues
How many times did you receive a ticket saying, “my computer is too slow”? Performance issues are pretty standard, and they can be caused by multiple factors.
When solving this issue, always start by asking the user to restart the device. It’s not uncommon that people leave it on for days or weeks – you can even check this beforehand with InvGate Asset Management’s asset monitoring feature.
Other ideas worth trying are validating that the equipment is operating normally. Turning off automation and background tasks.
6. Issues with peripherals
Requests related to peripheral devices (i.e. keyboard, mouse, monitor, speakers, docking station, webcam, charger, USB device, microphone, or others) often have simple solutions. Most of the time, it’s enough with unplugging and replugging, checking the connection is clean, or adding a USB hub. And if none of these work, you can always replace the device.
If you have InvGate Service Management integrated with Insight, the request will automatically show you the devices assigned to the user so that you can easily see their details and health status without having to ask too many questions.
7. Blue screen of death
Whenever the Blue screen of death (BSoD) appears, the user tends to panic. So, the first step is to calm them down and give them a temporary computer to use until you fix it.
The BSoD is usually fixed by repairing Windows using Utility software or re-imaging the machine completely. If this keeps going, the next step is to do a further diagnostic to see if it indicates other software or hardware that needs to be fixed as well.
To prevent this, you can always count on InvGate Asset Management’s monitoring alerts. Set them up to notify agents whenever something isn’t working as it should and encourage your team to be proactive.
8. Connectivity issues
Internet connection is another recurring ticket for help desk agents. Oftentimes, users don’t know how to solve wireless connections, and they need professional assistance. To start with, look at hardware and software connections to see if everything is plugged, if the wi-fi is on, and if the chosen network is the right one.
If you’re providing multi-site support, you should also take a look at local internet problems, and check if users need to be connected to the VPN to be able to see a specific website.
Security changes can also cause connectivity issues. To spot this, go to InvGate Asset Management’s CMDB and review the most recent logs to see if anything stands out.
9. Operating system error or failure
People panic about operation system (OS) errors or failures. It’s a fact. So, whatever you do, try to be emphatic and make them feel safe. After all, it’s not the end of the world – though it might seem like it.
To ensure a proper first response, use InvGate Service Management’s canned responses or AI Suggested Responses. This will save you time and ensure you are being empathetic enough. After the first contact, start with some basic troubleshooting and OS maintenance. Use InvGate Asset Management to see if the OS is outdated or if it was recently updated (which might be causing the trouble).
If this doesn’t work, replace the machine, and then identify the issue with the base image of the “copy” installed on all machines.
Another alternative that might be causing the problem is malware. If that’s the case, configure InvGate Asset Management’s health rules and alerts to prevent it next time.
Last on the list, you can also see if there is a major incident you can relate this request to.
10. Problems with communication and collaboration tools
Issues with collaboration tools can be solved in the same way you deal with software errors:
- Create a knowledge base article and attach it to the requested category so that users can fix simple problems on their own.
- Create another knowledge article for agents with the vendor information, in case they need to contact them.
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11. User management
There’s always a request about someone who can’t get into their accounts – and it isn't related to the password or the software – it’s probably about their user. So, the basic steps for this category are resetting profiles, resetting passwords, and changing security profiles.
Depending on the issue, you can also try fixing permissions that were already approved. If the permissions need to be changed or accepted, you can add an approver to the requests on InvGate Service Management (without any extra licensing cost) to keep the workflow going.
Finally, check if the user is connected to the VPN or if there are some other requirements needed to get access to what they’re reaching for.
12. Mobile phone issues
Mobile phone issues are pretty similar to computers. The fundamental steps to solve them include:
- Restarting the device.
- Reinstalling or updating apps or OS.
- Inspecting software settings and re-configuring them, if necessary.
If you need to work with the official support team, remember you can add them to the ticket as collaborators on InvGate Service Management. If nothing works, you’ll have to replace the equipment.
13. Conference room equipment
Conference rooms can be tricky for some users, especially when they have to connect different devices to their computers. Having a simple how-to article in InvGate Service Management’s knowledge base is always useful.
For it to do the trick (and avoid ticket submission), it has to be thorough. Offer a detailed explanation on how to connect things and some basic troubleshooting so the user can self-solve whatever issue they might encounter.
If the problem persists, you can go to the conference room to make sure everything is connected and working properly for the meeting.
14. Cybersecurity
Cybersecurity issues are one of those things where it isn’t always easy to get to the source of the problem. Thus, you need a trained agent specialized in this kind of problem.
It'd be ideal if they are the ones writing knowledge base articles with some basic troubleshooting for other agents to solve these tickets and for users, to help them prevent phishing and other vulnerabilities.
In addition, InvGate Asset Management's monitoring tools and health rules can be your best allies to prevent this kind of stuff.
Which help desk tickets can be automated or deflected?
Not every recurring ticket should be treated the same way. Deflection prevents a ticket from being created in the first place, usually by giving users the information or guidance they need through self-service. Containment is slightly different: a conversational agent handles the interaction and resolves the request without handing it off to a human. Automation applies when the request still needs a process or action, such as an approval, account change, or software provisioning, and the system can execute those steps without manual agent work.
The common tickets in this article give you a good starting point. Password questions, printer troubleshooting, connectivity problems, and software errors often have a known answer or a predictable troubleshooting path. They are good candidates for deflection when the resolution can be documented clearly in a knowledge base or delivered through a conversational virtual agent.
Look for requests with these characteristics:
- Known resolution: The same steps solve the issue repeatedly. Knowledge articles and conversational support can provide the answer without creating a ticket.
- Low risk: The user can safely follow the instructions without an agent making a decision or changing a sensitive system.
- Easy to describe: The user can explain the problem or request well enough for self-service content to identify the right answer.
- High volume: Even a simple request can consume significant service desk capacity when it appears hundreds of times.
Automation is a better fit when the request involves a defined action rather than just information. Access requests, software installations, employee onboarding tasks, equipment requests, and account changes can often follow a workflow with predefined conditions, approvals, and actions.
Good automation candidates tend to have:
- A repeatable sequence: The same steps happen in roughly the same order.
- Clear decision points: Rules determine what happens next, such as who needs to approve a request.
- Defined ownership: Each step has an assigned team, role, or system responsible for it.
- System actions: The process can create, update, assign, provision, or retrieve information from connected systems.
- Predictable exceptions: Requests that fall outside the standard conditions can still be routed to an agent.
For example, a password article might deflect a user who needs instructions for recovering access. A conversational virtual agent can contain the interaction when it can guide the user through the resolution without human intervention. An access request, on the other hand, may need an approval and a change to the user's permissions, making it a better candidate for a workflow.
The goal isn't to automate every common ticket. It's to identify why the ticket reaches the service desk and remove the manual step when the resolution or process is predictable.
Templates for the most frequent requests
Templates give agents a predefined starting point for requests that follow the same pattern. They can standardize the information collected, the response sent to the requester, and the actions that need to happen next.
For the ticket types covered in this article, useful templates might include:
A good template should reduce the information agents need to collect manually, not simply give them a longer form to complete. For recurring service requests, templates can also serve as the entry point for a workflow: once the required information is captured, the system can assign the request, request approval, trigger the next action, and keep the requester updated.
That makes templates useful at two levels. They give agents a consistent way to handle requests that still require human involvement, while also providing the structure needed to identify which requests could eventually be deflected or automated.
The table above gives you the information each template should capture so you can structure them as a request form.
Here’s an example for a software installation request template:
Request title:
Software installation request – [Application name]
Requester:
[Employee name]
Department:
[Department]
Device:
[Device name / asset ID]
Application:
[Application name and version, if known]
Business reason:
[Brief explanation of why the application is needed]
Requested installation date:
[Date]
Access or license required:
[Yes / No / Not sure]
Manager approval:
[Approved / Pending / Not required]
Additional information:
[Any compatibility requirements, configuration details, or other relevant context]
Agent checklist:
- Confirm the application is approved for use.
- Check whether a license is available.
- Verify that the device meets the application's requirements.
- Confirm the required approval has been provided.
- Install or assign the application.
- Record the installation against the user's device or asset record.
- Notify the requester when the software is available.
Resolution:
[Application installed / Access granted / Request rejected / Other]
Resolution notes:
[Brief description of what was completed or why the request could not be fulfilled.]
The bottom line
Common help desk tickets aren't just a list of issues to process. They show where employees regularly need help, where self-service falls short, and where a manual process may be doing work that a system could handle.
Use that information to improve the service over time. A recurring password question might point to a missing knowledge article. A steady stream of access requests could indicate an opportunity for workflow automation. A common software issue might reveal a problem that needs to be addressed at the source rather than resolved ticket by ticket.
AI adds another way to work with these signals. It can help deflect routine questions, contain conversations that don't require an agent, assist with resolutions, and identify recurring patterns across support data. The point isn't to add AI to every interaction. It's to use what you're already learning from your tickets to decide where it can make a real difference.
Want to see how InvGate Service Management’s features can help you get rid of these tickets for yourself? Ask for a 30-day free trial to explore it!
