I suggest starting out with hosted version until you get hang of system, then switch over to a version on your own server to avoid monthly charges.

An online help desk operates fairly simply.

A customer submits a ticket through a form on your website, customer support staff (even if it's a staff of one) responds to ticket through website, and all communication gets posted on a private web page.

Both Kayako and Perldesk enable customers to search a "knowledgebase" or collection of articles to try solving their problems on their own (especially during non-business hours), thus frequently eliminating need to get a live response.

Anyone who does business online should consider installing a help desk solution from start rather than putting it off until future.

Get your customers conditioned to operating with a ticket system rather than switching on them in mid-stream once your business gets too busy to handle support via email.

Here are a couple of other tips to help you.

Designate one person to act as "sorter" answering basic issues, then referring off ones they can't answer to other staff members.

Also, post your help desk hours and stick to them.

Answer questions same day if possible, but no later than next business day.

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Media relations is also about: oputting out regular media releases on appropriate issues that catch eye, with short paragraphs written in newspaper style, oactively providing comment on issues and or decisions, oknowing what builds or makes a story, and oknowing how to keep a story alive and when to let it go.

Using media effectively can help you win public support. Public support is critical when trying to convince others, such as government or bureaucracy of merit of a particular proposal or application. Once you’re comfortable talking to media you should take a proactive approach to your media relations. The benefits are well worth it in long run.

If you’re not ready to manage your own media relations, but would like to work toward it, consider approaching a specialist in field. They can provide advice or management as appropriate on media issues, help write media releases, distribute media releases, organise news conferences, facilitate one-on-one meetings with journalists, as well as deal with crisis and issues management.

Effective media relations can help you and your organisation develop a media profile. The benefit of a media profile becomes obvious when doors open wider for you within government, business and community.