The Difference between Automation and Deflection in the Help Desk

There’s a common misconception in that ticket "deflection" and "automation" are one and the same. While the terms sometimes get used interchangeably, the difference between them is significant.

Imagine you’re locked out of your laptop and you open a ticket for help. A deflection strategy might point you toward a knowledge base article with tips on how to troubleshoot. Sure, that might save a help desk agent from handling your request right away, but you’re left working through the issue on your own. Your problem isn’t necessarily solved; it’s just delayed.

Automation, on the other hand, takes real action. In the same scenario, the system would simply reset your password for you, granting you immediate access back into your laptop. You walk away satisfied, and the help desk agent remains free to focus on higher-level tasks. Here, everyone wins.

That’s the critical distinction: deflection helps the help desk agent manage workload, while automation truly helps both the end user and the agent. At Serval, we’re committed to building an IT platform that focuses on automating tasks rather than merely deflecting them. Many of our customers are already automating more than 50% of their tickets, saving time for their teams and providing faster solutions to end users. Instead of just putting off the problem, let’s actually solve it. That’s the power of automation.

Book a demo above or reach out to sales@serval.com to learn more.