14 TOPDESK MAGAZINE - DECEMBER 2014

STEFAN VAN OPSTAL & NIENKE BEST

... are both TOPdesk consultants and help customers set up,
improve and optimize their processes.

MANAGING YOUR SERVICES

WITH NEN 15221
Have you ever considered outsourcing your service desk to a
supplier? Handing over the control of your departments front
piece might sound complicated and risky, but NEN 15221
guarantees success.

be used as future reference. What was

your service desk tasks: external suppliers

Plan Determine the quality of

your services

can effectively translate terms like hospitality,

Are you aware of your customers needs and

performance improved or worsened over

efficiency and flexibility into good services.

expectations when it comes to services? If

the past two years?

A service that meets these requirements

you outsource your service desk, does your

There are many advantages to outsourcing

the initial situation and has your teams

In addition to benchmarking, NEN 15221

sounds perfect, but also complicated. How

customer expect the service desk to answer

offers a number of tools to document your

do you manage this and ensure optimal

most questions themselves? Or wont they

service levels (customer needs). Your service

service levels?

mind being put through to a specialist? It

levels are determined per service. You can use

might seem obvious, but before you can

them at a later stage to measure your service.

is a lot easier if you comply with the NEN

make good agreements with your supplier,

Documenting these service levels and being

15221 standard. NEN 15221 offers facilities

you need to know what your customer

aware of supply and demand is an important

organizations a guideline to bring the

expects from the service. In other words:

preparation for good management.

definition and administration of different

its important to document the customers

organizational layers more in line. This ranges

needs, including the needs origins and

part of your services, but often difficult to

from drawing board (what does my customer

possible solutions.

determine. Make sure you dont limit yourself

Outsourcing your most prominent services

expect?) to managing your outsourced

To better understand your customers

Documenting service levels is an intrinsic

to your own organizations expertise and

services (does my supplier meet my

needs and the desired quality of the service,

involve your supplier during the preparations.

expectations?). Using the Plan-Do-Check-Act

you can perform a benchmark analysis.

You know your organization, but your

method, you can easily follow this process

Benchmarking not only grants insight into

supplier has experienced thousands of

and keep track of your outsourced services.

customer needs, but the results can also

organizations processes. This knowledge

TOPDESK MAGAZINE - DECEMBER 2014 15

And not only with your supplier, but also

levels, because your supplier knows which

Check Does every party meet

the agreements?

questions are important.

The services are determined and clear

is only possible when you regularly test

agreements are made with the supplier;

your processes, helping you make (minor)

does this mean the supplier can simply get

adjustments.

can be useful when determining your service

Do Choose a supplier

your customer. Continuous improvement

Creating clear reports helps you assess

Once you have determined the quality

to work? Experience has shown that this is

of the services and which services you

not the case. In the Plan phase you discussed

whether you are on the right track with

want to outsource, it is time to select a

the requirements of the services with your

the services you provide. Make sure you

supplier. Where do you start? The first step

customer. Benchmarking and service level

discuss the services with both parties and

is translating your service levels to delivery

agreements can help you set performance

plan evaluations at the right moments.

terms and conditions regarding the services

indicators (KPIs). You can use these KPIs to

This lets everyone learn from mistakes and

you expect from your supplier. You can use

measure your performance. It lets you collect

complaints, and prevents recurring issues.

these terms and conditions to select the

information about the quality of the services

right suppliers.

and whether your suppliers performance

Pragmatic and clear

meets expectations.

The Plan-Do-Check-Act method lets you

Going into business with a supplier not

only means investing time, but money as

Reports can also help you measure

well. It is therefore important to do your

whether your services meet the KPIs.

preparation to proactive improvement.

research: the supplier should match your

According to NEN 15221, a good report

It is important to focus on continuously

organization. The goal is to build a long-

is based on a number of criteria, such as

improving the facilities services process

term relationship that revolves around

signaling problems at an early stage.

in order to create added value for your

good collaboration. Your supplier not only

manage your outsourcing process from

customer. Learning from mistakes and

acts as partner in the service delivery to your

Act From reactive to proactive

improvements

customer. Together you bear responsibility

A good service partner knows whats going

moments and good communication with

for the final result.

on. Your supplier understands what is

the supplier and customer into your service

going well and what needs improving. You

delivery, you can even outsource a complex

facilities management agreements (SLAs)

can imagine that when the customer is

service like your service desk with ease.

using a checklist. This concerns all general

unsatisfied with the response methods or

and specific agreements that should be

the solution offered, you dont want to wait

described in an SLA. The general terms can be

a year to tackle these issues. You want to do

Want to know more?

applied to any SLA while the specific terms

it right away. Its important to continuously

Contact TOPdesk Consultancy via

are different for every service. The checklist

improve, instead of suddenly having to

+44 (0)20 7803 4200 to learn more

helps prepare the creation of the agreement.

adjust your services. It is therefore important

about outsourcing your services and

This lets you prevent major, and often

to regularly and directly share the results

quality improvement.

expensive, adjustments in the future.

from the Check phase with your supplier.

delivers the services agreed upon, but also

Part two of NEN 15221 helps you create

complaints is an intrinsic part of this.

When you incorporate enough adjustment