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Service Desks are traditionally thought of as a cost center–something to outsource or to minimize. This presentation will review why Service Desks are thought of as cost centers, and argue for thinking about your Service Desk as a potential area for investment. Why invest in the Service Desk? The Service Desk triggers expensive IT processes. The Service Desk is the face of IT–and customer stories affect perception more than service level reviews. Many internal IT areas lack the voice of the customer; the Service Desk is one of the few areas that can speak credibly on behalf of the customer. The information collected by the Service Desk can identify potential opportunities for continual service improvement, grounded in the user experience.
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JOHN BORWICK, MANAGER AND FOUNDERHIGHER EDUCATION IT MANAGEMENT, LLC
http://www.heitmanagement.com/strategic-service-desk
The Service Desk as a Strategic
Function
John Borwick, PMP®
Wake Forest University, 2003-2012 Director of Service
Mgt PMO Director
Manager and Founder,HEIT Management
Career goal: Make people’s lives easier by improving how higher education IT is managed.
Higher Education IT Management, LLC
“Helping Higher Education IT effectively deliver value to campus
while minimizing waste.”One-on-one coachingCustom engagementsBlog
http://www.heitmanagement.com
Agenda
Position of the Service DeskProcess Triggers and InputsOpen-Ended ListeningRepresenting ITWhat does the Service Desk look like, when
it’s perceived as a strategic function?Q&A
Position of the Service Desk
The Service Desk doesn’t know what it’s doing (user perspective)
“They wouldn’t do anything except reinstall my machine.”
“I told them this was for the President, but they still haven’t gotten back with me.”
The Service Desk doesn’t know what it’s doing(IT perspective)
“The Service Desk manager called me again about that ticket. Like I’m going to do anything about it!”
“The ticket says it’s broken but I can get into it.”
…well, try working at the Service Desk.
“Go to the gemba [real place]”: observeITIL simulations
The Service Desk’s in the middle
Service Desk
Users IT
Service Desks face systemic challenges.
It costs money to do more than reinstall machines.
There may not be a mechanism for the Service Desk to escalate requests—or people may not pay attention.
What direction has IT staff been given about new work vs. existing work?
The Continuum of Usefulness
Unnecessary evilNecessary evil (cost center)Worth spending time on (there is an ROI)Strategic
Strategic means…
A key component in moving to a future state
StrategyCurrent
StateFuture State
Process Triggers and Inputs
Components of a Process
ProcessInputs
Outputs
Triggers
Example Triggers
I’m hungry.Time for the presentation to start!We should buy a house.
Processes commonly triggered bythe Service Desk
Incident managementService request managementAccess managementProblem management
Bad incident description
Good incident description
User cannot login. Since no later than Aug 7 user has not been able to log in to their Windows machine or Exchange. Can log in to timecard system.User states they changed their password Aug 5.
Incident management
The High Cost of Callbacks
User calls the Service Desk
IT calls the user back
User calls IT back
So why are there poor process triggers and inputs?
Tickets opened by the least experienced staffKey metric: number of incidents per hourService Desk used as a “pass-through” for IT
teams
Impact of poor process triggers and inputs
Escalation when unnecessarySecond-level support callbacksFrustration with the Service Desk
How could better process triggers and inputs be strategic?
Free up second-level staffImproved quality of service for usersOverall operational costs reduced
Open-Ended Listening
Users vs. Customers
Users: Anyone entitled to use an IT serviceCustomers: People with budgetary authority
Who’s doing open-ended listening?
Service DeskBusiness Relationship Management
Talking with users, generally
IT knows the possibilities; users know the value to them
e.g. listserv digests.
Personal relationships
“Remember that a person's name is, to that person, the sweetest and most important sound in any language.”—Dale Carnegie, How to Win Friends and Influence People
So why don’t we listen?
Key metric: number of incidents per hourIT not listening to the Service DeskPsychological demands on Service Desk staff
Impacts of not listening
Users feel no connection to ITUsers rely on escalationMissed opportunities for value delivery
How could listening be strategic?
Create allies and build trustService Desk help IT understand what users
valueIdentify opportunities for process
improvement
Representing IT
How do people understand what IT’s doing?
Quantitative (metrics)Qualitative (stories)
IT governance vs. the gemba
IT leaders focus on IT governance groupsStrong preference for metricsIT governance tools can be disconnected
from service delivery
Gemba: “The real place [where activity is occurring]”
The Service Desk is the face of IT for users
Service Desk
Users IT
Why might the Service Desk poorly represent IT?
Not enough staff Queues Callbacks
Processes not designed for people Unreasonable assumptions Wasteful process steps
No ability to be flexible Sorry—I’ll have to call you Monday. Sorry—we’d have to charge you $100.
Impacts of poorly representing IT
Stories spread like a plagueLack of respect for ITIT not trusted to deliver service
How could representing IT be strategic?
IT seen as a partnerGood stories bring resourcesThe impact of a well-placed good story is
virtually unimaginable
ADDRESSING SYSTEMIC ISSUES ALONG WITH THE SERVICE DESK ITSELF.
What does the Service Desk look like, when it’s perceived as a
strategic function?
Time, space, and structure for improvement
Focus on improvement rather than blameService Desk manager has few operational
dutiesTime for staff trainingConsulted or responsible for key supporting
processes e.g. knowledge management
Trust and a level of discretion
Ability to escalateGive options for providing good service
e.g. Call centers can give staff discretion over returns (e.g. <$250 OK to approve)
Identify service quality decisions that can be made by IT governance
“Desk-side support” service can budget for troubleshooting time, not just reinstalling
Reposition the Service Desk within IT
Service Desk manager’s rank respectedService Desk canvassed for ideasService Desk provide feedback to other teamsOperational work prioritized
Quick Review
Position of the Service DeskProcess Triggers and InputsOpen-Ended ListeningRepresenting ITWhat does the Service Desk look like, when
it’s perceived as a strategic function?Q&A
Q & A
http://www.heitmanagement.com/strategic-service-desk
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