In an attempt to improve customer service by getting rid of appointments, the UF Computing Help Desk has removed appointments.
Instead, the desk combined the service with the laptop drop-off option.
Removing the appointment step will improve the turnaround time, said Kiem Tran, assistant manager of the desk.
“The appointment system could get confusing and lengthy,” she said. “We also want to help walk-ins in line for Wi-Fi and email.”
Everyone who comes to the Help Desk will have to complete paperwork about their laptop and leave it with the staff, who will get to each job as quickly as time allows, wrote Tracy Gale, UF Information and Technology communications manager, in an email.
Richard Lowery, manager of the desk, said the change is mainly due to staffing issues.
“Our staff has always been small,” he said. “We just made the call that it wasn’t feasible to continue working in that capacity.”
Lowery said he expects some disappointment from students, faculty and staff, but the effect remains to be seen.
UF biology freshman Ashley Gomez, 18, said she thinks there are pros and cons to this change.
“It might be good so we don’t have to wait in line for people to finish their appointments,” said Gomez. “But it might be hard for (the desk) to keep up.”
[A version of this story ran on page 1 on 1/8/2015 under the headline "No more appointments at help desk"]
