Your Service Desk Should Be Your Key to Success

No matter what industry in which you operate, your service desk is imperative to your ability to maintain your share of the market. It must always be your top priority to deliver immediate solutions to issues that arise as this is crucial to not only your success, but also to your survival. IT is no longer an added luxury within the enterprise; it is the network that drives processes to deliver end results.

Your service desk should fulfill the very important purpose of ensuring that the end-user can always reach the right contact when interacting with your company. Anyone who makes a call to find a solution to a simple issue will quickly become frustrated if you send them through a sea of interactive voice responses and phone trees. You do need an advanced telephony structure, but it should be one that will enable your service desk employees to accomplish their goals–which are also your goals.

The optimal service desk will also rely on customer relationship management (CRM) processes and platforms, incident management, knowledge management, integration between systems and educated supervisors who can step in when a call becomes too complicated or a customer becomes upset. Calls can easily go from the basic to the complicated and it is important to have the right tools and structure for your service desk to operate according to your performance standards.

The service desk generally consists of a multi-channel single point of contact that is designed to support all IT functions. Global coverage is often a necessity, especially if end-users are located around the world. The optimal service desk environment also supports multiple languages, provides support around the clock, operates a number of different contact channels and meets key performance indicators that are either set according to the industry or best practices among similar platforms.

Traditionally speaking, the service desk could easily serve those in need with a few phone lines, a manual and the ability to connect with knowledge leaders within the company. The industry has grown to the point where those calling the service desk are seeking so much more and agents have to be able to address a myriad of issues. Beyond problem or issue resolution, however, the service desk must also be able to deliver specific elements to the enterprise and the end user.

First, the service desk must be consistent. This consistency demands service anytime and anyplace that is the same each and every time. End users are generally very fast to pick up on inconsistencies in service and that generally leads to discontent and frustration. Second, the service desk must be efficient. Although the service desk serves an important function in the enterprise, there is also an associated cost that only increases when processes are cumbersome.

Third, the service desk must be effective. If the end user cannot get resolution within first contact, there is a breakdown somewhere in the system that must be addressed. Finally, the service desk must add value to the company. As this division is often costly, decision makers are always looking for value. Make sure they can easily find it in measuring for your service desk performance.