A Guide To Service Desk

A Guide to Service Desk Concepts, Third Edition
Chapter p 2 Service Desk Operations
Objectives
In this chapter you will learn:
Different types of customer service and support organizations Components of a service desk mission R l and Role d operation i of f internal i l service desks Role and operation of external service i d desks k How size influences a service desks operation
Benefits and challenges of centralized and decentralized service desks Benefits and challenges of managing a service desk as a cost center or a profit center Role of outsourcing in the support industry H How the h service i desk d k model d l is i evolving
Types of Customer Service and Support Organizations S tO i ti

Types yp of customer service and support pp organizations include

Call centers Contact centers Help desks Service desks

Call center a place where telephone calls are made, or received, in high volume Inbound call center receives telephone calls f from customers and d may answer questions, take k orders, respond to billing inquiries, and provide customer support Outbound call center makes telephone calls to customers, primarily for telemarketing Telemarketing the selling of products and services over the telephone p

A Guide to Service Desk Concepts, Third Edition 4

Blended call center receives incoming g calls and makes outgoing calls Contact center a call center that uses technologies such as e-mail and the Web in addition to the telephone to communicate with its customers

Both help desks and service desks serve as a g point p of contact single Help desks typically handle only incidents Service desks handle incidents, service requests, and communications with customers The service desk plays a critical role and may be the only contact that a technology user has with g an IT organization


The service desk cannot function independently It must build positive working relationships with other parts of the organization Service desks are often structured in a series of levels or lines, an approach commonly known as a multilevel support model The service desk refers incidents it cannot resolve to the appropriate internal group, external vendor, or subject matter expert S bj t matter Subject tt expert t (SME) a person who h has h a high level of experience or knowledge about a particular subject
pp Multi-Level Support Model

Self-help p customers solving g incidents on their own
Service Desk Mission

Service desks can fall prey to the all things to all people l syndrome d without ih a clearly l l defined d fi d mission Service desk mission a written statement that describes

The customers the service desk serves The types of services the service desk provides How the service desk delivers those services Internal service desks External service desks
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Two principal types of service desks are

Service Desk Mission

Internal service desk pp employees p y supports who work at its p y company External service desk supports people who buy a companys products and services

Internal Service Desks

Internal service desk responds p to q questions, , distributes information, and handles problems q for its companys p y and service requests employees A company can have several types of internal service desks that employees contact for support (e.g., (e g HR HR, facilities facilities, IT)
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Historically, y IT departments p focused solely y on technology and on ensuring systems were up and running IT departments are now being challenged to function as internal service providers p Internal service provider a department or person within a company p p y that supplies pp information, products, or services to another department or person within the same company


IT must
Supply competitively priced services that help employees use technology to improve productivity and increase corporate profitability Acknowledge that it is a customer service organization and provide a hi h l high level l of f service i to i its customers

Most IT service desks strive to resolve 70 percent of reported incidents and service requests They also take ownership of incidents, incidents whether or not they can resolve them Taking ownership tracking the incident to ensure the customer is kept informed about the status of the incident, that the incident is resolved within the expected time frame, and that the customer is satisfied with the final resolution
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Additional service desk functions include Training preparing and delivering programs that provide people the knowledge and skills they need d to use technology h l effectively ff l

May be ad-hoc or one-on-one C b Can be costly tl Might take place

In a classroom setting g with an instructor On a one-on-one basis in a users office Through media such as audio, video, computer-based training or Internet-based training training,
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Network and system administration includes day day-toto day tasks such as Setting up and File management maintaining user Printer and server accounts management Ensuring the data the Monitoring M i i server and d company collects is network performance secure Performance tuning Performing e-mail and Capacity and disaster database management recovery planning Performing P f i data d t backup b k and restore procedures A Guide to Service Desk Concepts, Third Edition 15

Request fulfillment involves handling service requests from users

Requests for information or advice, access to an IT service, or a standard change chan e

Standard change a preapproved change that is low risk and follows a procedure Common service requests

Answering questions such as how to questions Resetting a password Providing equipment to a new employee
Standard changes are often referred to as moves, adds, and changes (MACs) or installations, moves, adds, and changes (IMACs)

Some internal service desks operate very informally Others have very formal processes and require users to follow clearly defined procedures to obtain services S Some organizations i ti h have established t bli h d S Service i L Level l Agreements with their internal clients Service Level Agreement (SLA) a written document that spells out the services the service desk will provide to the customer, the customers responsibilities and how service performance is responsibilities, measured
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Examples of customer responsibilities include:

Customers must call the service desk Customers must maintain their systems Customers must attend training
SLAs help set customer expectations and enable the service desk to know its limits SLAs are agreements, not legally binding contracts The goal of SLAs is to build and manage the relationship l i hi b between an IT and di its customers SLAs help balance customer demands with the costs associated with meeting those demands


Service desks must prove their worth The computers, tracking systems, and people acquired by service desks are investments that help the company avoid lost productivity and lost opportunity An efficient, effective service desk helps p lower those costs by increasing the effectiveness with which employees can use technology The technologies that internal service desks use usually reflect the companys willingness to invest in the service desk


The best service desks strive to p provide highg quality service within the limits of their g funding Instead of rejecting requests that are beyond their capabilities (sometimes called out out-ofof scope requests), under-funded service desks provide the best possible alternative by directing the customer to another source that can help

External Service Desks

External service desks support pp customers who buy their companys products and services Most hardware and software companies have external service desks to support their customers The services that external service desks provide id vary by b industry i d and d by b the h role l the h service desk plays within its organization


Pre-sales support the service desk answers questions for people who have not yet purchased the companys products or services and

May take orders May respond to billing inquiries
Post-sales support involves helping people who have purchased a companys product or service

Answering questions Helping the customer learn to use the product Explaining the advanced features that the product offers Resolving g incidents
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The role of the external service desk is evolving as companies recognize that positive customer experiences help sell products and services The Th service i d desk k contributes ib to corporate growth and profitability by
Capturing and sharing customer feedback with other groups Building B ld customer relationships l h


Customer relationship management (CRM) involves using customer contact and relationship information to generate additional sales and increase levels of customer service and retention Software products and processes enable the service desk to collect, maintain, and share information about customers with other authorized company employees
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External service desks have become a major focal point for customer interactions Some external service desks cover their own costs by

Charging for their services Including support costs with the cost of the product

Others experience the same underinvestment and understaffing problems bl as i internal t l service i d desks k The resources available to an external service desk reflect the companys commitment to customer satisfaction and willingness to invest in the service desk The best companies realize they must deliver high-quality products and superior customer support to retain todays savvy customers, who have increasingly high expectations
Sizes of Service Desks

Service desks range g in size from small to large g The size of a service desk is determined by
Its mission The scope of its responsibilities

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Small Service Desks

Small service desks have anywhere from one to 10 people l on staff ff Reasons companies may have small service desks include

The service desk is new The company has limited its scope of responsibility It does not receive a high number of contacts The products it supports are relatively stable and easy to use Customers have other ways to obtain support (e.g., a Web site)
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Small Service Desks

Single-person service desks are rare

Most will grow to have more people in time, if only to provide a backup
Some large companies prefer to have a number of small service desks, rather than one large service desk Some S service desks are a one-stop shop the service desk is fully responsible for resolving all incidents and service requests, even if the solution requires extensive research or even coding changes

Small Service Desks
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Small Service Desks

Pros
Can be gratifying to people who are

Highly motivated Organized Capable of managing stress
Cons Tend to be peopledependent

May be affected when people leave or are out
Medium service desks have between 10 and 25 people and can take on the characteristics of both small and large service desks
Enable people to get to know their customers and understand their needs Offer the opportunity to perform a diversity of tasks and assemble a broad base of skills
May find it difficult to provide id adequate d training i i May not have tools that enable them to capture knowledge and information Tend to be more informal
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g Service Desks Large

Large g service desks vary y in size, , depending p g on whether they are internal or external Large internal service desks have more than 25 people on staff, whereas large external service desks can have as many as several hundred people
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Large g service desks evolved in several ways y Many grew from small service desks over time Some were consolidated from several smaller service desks Some were the result of a merger or acquisition Some are divided into specialty teams
Product-oriented Customer-oriented


Pros P
Cons C
May retain their informal ways and lack the discipline that a larger work force needs Or, may be extremely performance oriented Can be stressful
Enable people to work in a team setting Offer training and advancement opportunities Offer people the opportunity to specialize or to be a generalist Expose people to many tools and best practices
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Service Desk Structures

Ways y to structure service desks include

Single centralized service desk that supports all of the technologies g used by y its customers Multiple decentralized service desks that support specific products or customer communities
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Centralized Service Desks

Provide customers with a single point of contact for support services Customers do not have to determine who to call More efficient and cost-effective Expose analysts to a wider variety of contacts, which leads to

Higher skill levels A greater ability to resolve incidents

Centralizing C t li i and d formalizing f li i processes and dt tools l reduces inefficiencies and costs Enables all incidents to be logged in a centralized manner, making ki i it possible ibl to id identify if trends d more quickly

Ways W to t centralize t li include i l d Locate all analysts in a single location
May be a call or contact center

Use technology to establish a virtual service desk Virtual service desk gives the impression of a centralized service desk by y using g sophisticated p telephone systems and the Internet
Analysts may be located in any number of locations

May require level two resources at remote locations Can be challenging if customers contact level two directly
Some companies equip level two with personal digital assistants (PDAs) that can be used to capture information
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Centralized service desks receive a wide diversity of calls on any given day Effective tools and adequate training are key
Without them, centralized service desks can be frustrating With them, and a desire to continuously learn new skills, centralized service desks are exciting and dynamic
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Decentralized Service Desks

Multiple p decentralized service desks can provide a high level of service to customers p needs with specific Procedures or technology must direct customers to the appropriate service desk Fast resolutions are possible because customers immediately receive expert assistance


Ways service desks can be decentralized include Internal service desks physically located close l t to customers t

Provide customers with on-site assistance Can be costly, as services are duplicated
Regional service desks address language, culture, legal, and time-zone considerations Follow the sun approach that enables an organization to provide 24-hour coverage

Each regional service desk works only during the usual business hours for its location
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Can face challenges g in p providing gq quality y support pp and service May y have difficulty yj justifying y g the resources that a centralized service desk can justify Must communicate to customers what they should dowhat service desk they should contactwhen incident symptoms y p are unclear Must define procedures for times when the customer has contacted the wrong g service desk

Centrally Decentralized Service Desks S i D k

Often used by large companies Combine C bi a single, i l central l service i desk d k with i h multiple, li l specialized service desks Customers contact the central service desk first If necessary, tools and processes are used to seamlessly transfer the customer to the appropriate specialized service desk Customers do not have to determine what service desk to call Individual service desks can focus on their specific scope of responsibility Triage is used to determine a customers need and route him or her to the appropriate support group
Service Desks as Cost Centers or Profit P fit Centers C t

Service desks can cost companies p a considerable amount of money Regardless of size or structure, structure service desks need many resources Service desks may be run as cost centers or as profit centers to pay for expenses
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p Service Desk Expenses
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Service Desks as Cost Centers

Cost center budget items required to run the service desk are considered a cost (or expense) to the company Main objective is typically to minimize and eliminate expenses Can result in hidden costs

Lost productivity Peer-to-peer support Track expenses in a detailed manner Market services and generate new customers Support only certain products Limit their hours
Reduce the need to

T control To l costs, many services i desks d k limit li i service i

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Service Desks as Profit Centers

Profit center the service desk must cover its expenses and, perhaps, make a profit by charging a fee Fee is often based on the company companys s actual cost to provide the services, plus a reasonable profit margin Some organizations, particularly internal service desks, establish the service desk as an overhead expense

Each department is assessed a fee based on its need for services Fee might g cover standard services Departments can opt to pay for additional premium services
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Some organizations, g ,p particularly y external service desks, establish detailed pricing structures that allow customers to choose
Free services Fee Fee-based based standard services Premium services
Organizations must recognize the increased cost of delivering nonstandard services


Can often j justify y expenses p and acquire q needed resources

Must demonstrate their benefit in the form of increased revenue Requires q staff to account for every y activity y they y perform throughout the day
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Service Desks as Cost Centers or Profit P fit Centers C t

Both are under increasing gp pressure to

Analyze and control their costs Market the value of their services Charge a premium for customized services

Without alienating g customers
Requires each person appreciate that his or her actions contribute to the company companys s bottom line
g Service Desk Outsourcing

Outsourcing having service provided by an outside supplier Outsourcing is a business sourcing strategy that may be used to

Reduce costs Make more efficient use of resources Enable existing resources to focus on the primary purposeor purpose or core competency competencyof of the business
Contracts are typically used to determine the services that a supplier will provide
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Early days of trend managers thought outsourcing would be more cost-effective

Didnt save money, as few companies understood internal costs
Companies thought they could wash their hands of service-related problems

Found that outsourcing added another layer of complexity to the situation
Outsourcing engagements failed and companies reestablished their internal service desks

Despite early misconceptions and failings, service desk outsourcing is a common practice
HDI 46 percent of organizations outsource some or all services Computer Economics 12 percent of small companies, p 32 percent p of medium companies, p and 35 percent of large companies outsource
Outsourcing is not all or nothing business strategy, nor is i it i a permanent strategy

52 percent of companies outsource less than onethird of their workload

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Approaches pp to outsourcing g vary y

Internal service desk supports employees while supplier pp supports pp external customers, or vice versa Internal service desk provides support during regular business hours and conditions, supplier provides support after-hours or for peak call loads Supplier supports a legacy application while employees learn a new technology


Nearly 54 percent of companies do not outsource and d have h no plans l to outsource

Believe internal resources better understand and meet the needs of customers Choose to maintain internal control over services to ensure

Service quality Customer acceptance
Lack sufficiently high volume of services to warrant the cost Unwilling to give supplier access to their companys customer data and records
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Reasons companies p do outsource include

Realize service desk is critical but lack ability or the desire to build and manage g function internally y Unwilling to make capital investments required to deliver competitive service desk services Want to deliver after-hours or multilingual services or accommodate seasonal or project-driven peak volumes without increasing staffing levels
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Today, y, engagements g g are more successful

Better understanding of how to negotiate and monitor contracts Many suppliers monitor contact volumes and proactively notify companies if contact volume is
Higher than usual Approaching a predefined threshold

Many suppliers are offering incident prevention services (e.g., trend analysis and reporting)
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Suppliers offer a variety of services Charges Ch to customers vary Increasingly suppliers are being paid for performance
Measurable indicators are spelled p out in contracts
Supplier employees must keep records of time and effort Used to create customer invoices and measure employee performance As success and profitability are based on quality, suppliers carefully screen applicants and provide ongoing training Service providers now understand they must rigorously measure and manage suppliers performance
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The Service Desk Model

Companies are consolidating support services

From multiple decentralized help desks to fewer help desks or a single, centralized help desk From help desks into service desks
Fueled by the number of companies adopting ITIL ITIL views the service desk as vitally y important p

Provides guidance on how to ensure the service desk delivers value Describes how to make the service desk an attractive place to work and retain people with the needed experience and skills
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Companies are moving customer-related transactions into the service desk Provides customers a single point of contact Enables the service desk to

Deliver a broader set of services Deliver faster service Streamline p processes by y reducing g handoffs Reduce costs Avoid engaging level two and level three groups unnecessarily Deliver services more efficiently y and cost-effectively y to customers
Technology is enabling further consolidation
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Service desk industry is growing and changing One size does not fit all Many y types yp and sizes of service desks exist People entering the industry can choose from a range of opportunities More service desk-related classes are available; opportunities are growing Service desk positions are available around the world

y Summary

Underlying purpose of customer service and support organizations is the same from one organization to the next Services offered and operating characteristics such as type, size, and structure vary, depending on the needs of the company and its customers Call centers, contact centers, help desks, and service desks are all examples of customer service and support organizations Help desks and service desks tend to handle technology-oriented i id incidents and d questions i Service desks have a broader scope of responsibility
Also handle service requests and communications with customers
Customers contact service C i desks d k using i a variety i of f channels, h l including the telephone, e-mail, and the Web
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y Summary

Two principal service desk types are internal and external Within Wi hi these h two categories i

Some organizations are small, others large Some centralized, others decentralized Some are run as cost centers, others as profit centers

All have strengths and all have challenges All require different skills People who consider these strengths and challenges can determine the type of service desk opportunities that

Support their career goals Enable them to broaden their resume
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y Summary
Service desk outsourcing g is a common p practice Outsourcing is a complex partnership aimed at enabling g companies p to focus on their mission, , expand their services, and contain costs The success and profitability of a supplier is based on the quality of its services

Suppliers pp carefully y screen applicants pp and provide p extensive training
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y Summary
Companies worldwide are

Consolidating C support services Evolving help desks into service desks

Trend e is s fueled ue e by t the e number u be o of co companies pa es adopting a opt g ITIL Service desk model challenges managers throughout the company to move transactions that directly involve customers into the service desk Technology is enabling further consolidation End result is that companies can

Deliver services more efficiently and effectively Increase customer satisfaction

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A Guide To Service Desk

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A Guide to Service Desk Concepts, Third Edition

Chapter p 2 Service Desk Operations