Working alone can get you in trouble

Working alone

Presented by: Tom Smetana, Solutions Director – Technology Support Services

…..can get you in trouble!!

Talking points

In many IT service and support environments, the Service Desk is managed independently from the

Desktop Support operations, contributing to inefficiencies in providing support.

An independent support operation creates inefficiencies

What happens when you don’t have a collaborative environment?

The Service Desk and Desktop Support Operations work independent of each other, but often report to the same leadership

No unified approach or a common strategy/vision No alignment of Metrics and Key Performance Indicators Focused on own group – do not care what happens to others Inconsistencies and lack of control in the support operations greatly

contribute to a negative end user experience

Service Desk

Gap between the teams compound the problem

Resolving Level 1 incidents on first contact is critical to everyone’s success

Incidents are being processed through Desktop Support when they could/should be resolved by the Service Desk

Technicians are asked to resolve escalated requests beneath their skill level

Higher cost are associated with dispatching a technician when the Service Desk could have resolved the issue

Technicians perform tasks that divert them from more strategic initiatives

The Desktop Support’s view of the situation

Average cost of dispatching a technician is almost 3 times the cost of resolving in Service Desk**Source: MetricNet LLC

Ownership of each contact needs to be established, whether Service Desk escalates it or not

Some Service Desks do not retain ownership of escalated calls & off-load the responsibility

When incidents are escalated throughout the organization, one centralized group is not overseeing what happens and/or whether a timely resolution occurs– “Lost” requests are increased– End users become frustrated– Absence of a Single Point of Data (SPOD)**Source: Jim McKennan, “The Service

Doctor”

The Service Desk’s view of the situation

“Get it done at Level 1”

The End User’s view of the situation

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Everyone benefits using the “Shift Left” strategy

Due to the gaps between teams cross- training & career opportunities are minimized

The views each team has of each other creates gaps in their synergy

…leading to higher frustration with the teams

Why Service Desk & Desktop support teams should collaborate?

Process of integration leads to a better career path & more efficient organization

Str

ate

gic

Pro

act

ive

React

ive

Independent

Friendly Collaborative

Gap that exists between the teams

Develop

Vision/Strate

gy

Incident Analysis/Problem

Management

Contact Manageme

nt- Consistenc

y & Control

People, Process & Technolo

gy

Performance

Metrics/Key

Performance

Indicators

Communication

Cross Training

Career Path

Develop a clear strategy to unify both teams

Decrease separation through incident analysis & problem management

Implement contact management after capturing the data from the environment

Evaluate People, Process and Technology

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Evaluate and align performance metrics/KPIs

…Changes will “encourage” pro-active behavior …You must continue review,

enhance & modify metrics/KPI’s

…Calculate how cost were reduced

Communicate how the unified team will:– Enhance customer support– Add value to the business operations– Financial impact of the changes

Share the news– Team– Management– End user community– “Campaign for better support”

Develop a plan to better communicate to the teams

Cross-training teams will deliver better support experience to the end user

Develop & document a formal plan for career-path

The value & benefits of integration increases the quality of support

-

Bringing teams together is crucial tosuccess of support environment

Questions?

Further Information

Working Along Can Get You in Trouble– tomsmetana@technisource.com

– HDI SupportWorld• May/June 2011 Issue

– http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/hdi/supportworld_20110506/index.php#/0

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