The fully web-based WonderDesk ticketing solution focuses on flexibility and ease of use.

by Jeff Goldman [April 26, 2006]

Web Wonderland, Inc. was founded in 1999 with the aim of developing and offering a fully web-based helpdesk solution. "At the time, most software was very cumbersome, and usually required software to be installed on the technician's and/or customer's computer," says company president James Van Horn.

A solution that was fully web-based, Van Horn says, promised to offer a wide range of advantages. "No more need for technicians to walk all the way back to their computer to feedback on the helpdesk call," he says. "Now, they could work for anywhere: their own desk, customer's desk, home, on the road, airport, etc."

WonderDesk (800) 596-8727 Contact Form

The company's helpdesk offering, WonderDesk, can be used for handling queries directly using both e-mail and web-based forms, as well as for recording notes from phone calls. "Both the customers and technicians can choose whether they want to use the web interface or e-mail," Van Horn says. "Whether it's a new e-mail or a response to a current one, nothing is lost, and it's all recorded properly inside the helpdesk."

Standard and SQL databases
Since its initial creation, Van Horn says, WonderDesk has continually taken on new features and bug fixes based on customer feedback. And two years ago, he says, the company completely rewrote WonderDesk SQL from the ground up. "A whole new database engine was created to accommodate things like file attachments, incoming e-mails, a much better template system, stronger search ability, and more," he says.

The two available versions of WonderDesk are Standard and SQL. The SQL version adds the ability to work with SQL databases instead of a simple text database. It also handles both incoming and outgoing e-mails, while the Standard version only handles outgoing e-mail notifications. And the SQL version includes support for file attachments. "It also has a much stronger template system, cleaner interface, more permission options and viewing restrictions, and handles upgrades much better," Van Horn says.

Because WonderDesk is fully web-based, it can be run on just about any web browser and operating system, including Macintosh, Unix/Linux and even PDAs or cell phones. "As for the web server to install the WonderDesk on, it will work on any flavor of Unix, Linux, NT, 2000, 2003, and XP Pro web servers," Van Horn says. "And you can choose between MySQL, Microsoft SQL, Oracle and PostgreSQL for your database."

Template-based flexibility
Any purchase of WonderDesk includes the full source code, though Van Horn says most users don't ever need to make modifications at that level. "95 percent of the time, the WonderDesk SQL template system can do all of your changes needed," he says. "Every page is template-driven. It consists of mostly HTML code with a teeny bit of our special template tags, which are easy to learn."

The template system, Van Horn says, is also smart enough to support 'if' and 'else' statements, such as 'if customer equals a VIP, then show this field; else show that field.' "With WonderDesk SQL, the control panel web interface also lets you add fields to any area of the WonderDesk," he says. "You can add checkboxes, radio buttons, drop downs, text fields, etc. Once they are added, they become fully part of the database—you can sort by, search on, export, and get reports on your new fields."

That kind of flexibility, Van Horn says, has allowed WonderDesk to be deployed by a wide variety of companies, including web hosts, ISPs, schools, law firms, hospitals and more. The solution has also been translated into Spanish, French, Italian, German, Portuguese, Danish, Dutch, Korean, Arabic, Finnish, Japanese and Swedish. "The language editor makes it easy to reword phrases or words in one place, and it updates it everywhere inside the WonderDesk," he says.

Installation and pricing
Van Horn says WonderDesk is used by ISPs ranging from small one-person shops all the way up to huge providers like AOL. "Since the WonderDesk SQL version does have more features to help your company become more efficient and organized, we recommend that to everyone," he says. "We feel that it's almost more important for smaller ISPs to use every tool at their disposal to make themselves more efficient. The SQL version does that the best."

Still, Van Horn says, upgrading from Standard to SQL is also easy to do later down the road. "If small ISPs would like to start with the more economical WonderDesk Standard version, at any time in the future, they can turn their WonderDesk Standard license back in to us and apply the value towards the SQL version, so they only have to pay the price difference," he says.

All pricing for the solution is published on the company's website. For a WonderDesk-branded installation, pricing for the Standard version is $499; for the SQL version, it's $2,499. Without the "Powered by WonderDesk" logo, pricing is $2,499 for Standard or $8,499 for SQL. Support and upgrades are free for the first year, then $35 per year for Standard or $249 per year for SQL.

Offering support for WonderDesk, Van Horn says, is easy to do. "One of the greatest aspects to the WonderDesk is its stability," he says. "It practically never crashes. This actually makes our support load atWeb Wonderland, Inc. very light."

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Related articles:
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	[April 16, 2004]	Beating the Branded ISPs
	[Sept. 10, 1999]	Keeping Customers: Part 1—Quality of Service

Online resources:
	Trouble Ticketing Systems Directory
	Quick Reference Chart