Service Desk Selection: 3 Checkpoints

AUTHORED BY SCOTT TEEL, MANAGED SERVICES EXECUTIVE @ GUIDEIT

Today’s Service Desk continues to evolve with the technology that it supports for the individual end user community. Granted, it begins with a single seat and phone. From phone calls to email, to self-service customer web portals, chat, and social media…the ways in which we engage help has changed and scaled dramatically.

All sources of customer engagement must be tracked and reported in a single ticketing system to ensure quality of service through measurable analysis of performance. And a strong value proposition is a must. As you or someone in your organization considers that value proposition, here are 3 checkpoints for selecting a Service Desk solution:

1. Partnership. Service Desk capabilities are often labeled a commodity offering due offshore capabilities. All providers of these services are battling and driving for the lowest cost solution without ‘listening and understanding’ individual customer requirements. If treated like a commodity, in most cases, the service becomes a bad investment. The right partner will assist in offering the right solution by listening and understanding the demands and risks of your needs. Then they can apply the right automation, tools and utilities to make service flourish and mitigate risk.
2. Pricing. Yes there are many variables to drive costs up or down a Service Desk offering…from onshore to offshore, languages, first call resolution, ticketing, tool types, reporting, IT, application support, and so on. Regardless, service providers want to fill their excess capacity. Invest the time to understand their situation. Asking the right questions about their capabilities and willingness to be flexible (and ability to execute within such flexibility using a defined methodology), you can find great value through negotiating the right balance of service and pricing.
3. Metrics. You must ensure that your partner has the available tools to establish a baseline for delivery for this service, while following ITIL processes that enable Continual Service Improvements (CSI) throughout the relationship. The right tools include the availability and performance of the PBX / ACD system, the ticketing system and any additional automated processes to show the CSI. The right reporting is available weekly, monthly and must be meaningfully measurable.

In summary, evaluate your options and ask a lot of questions about their situation. You will develop the leverage you need to achieve the right service with maximum value. Approach your evaluation this way and you will increase the probability of partnering with a group that serves as an extension of your team.