Technology usage in businesses is growing exponentially, making efficient and effective service delivery through IT Service Management more important than ever. Organizations must strive for IT service desk excellence to remain competitive and meet customer expectations. But how can you achieve this?
Let’s look at some of the tools, strategies and best practices that can help you improve your IT service desk operations.
How Codeless ITSM Tools Can Elevate Your IT Service Desk
One of the most important tools for improving your IT service desk is a codeless ITSM tool. Using a codeless ITSM tool enables tech-savvy employees throughout your organization to quickly build out portals, forms and knowledge base documents without writing code, taking the burden off your IT teams and allowing them to focus on more complex tasks instead. This is especially useful for companies looking to employ service management and delivery across their organization – known as Enterprise Service Management.
Additionally, codeless ITSM tools are usually easier to manage with fewer administrative costs.
The University of Michigan ITS switched to TeamDynamix to take advantage of a better total cost of value, stating, “The platform was easy to use, it was SaaS-delivered and required no coding knowledge for users to create customized forms and workflows. The platform was flexible enough to support the university where it is now while positioning it for future IT processes.”
In just four months the university went live with TeamDynamix, replacing the ITSM tool previously in place.
In an article on their website, they talk about why they made the switch, “By equipping our staff with the best tools for their job, each person in ITS is empowered to better support the university community,” said ITS project sponsor Bob Jones, executive director of Support Services.
In another article discussing its switch in ITSM platforms, the university said it expects to save $307K annually by switching to TeamDynamix.
There are many ITSM platforms out there, and the right fit for one organization might be quite different from that of another. But a key factor for IT leaders to consider, says Alex Turek of the grocery chain Festival Foods, is how much time and effort it takes to operate the platform as ITSM administrative drain can hamper a company’s success.
“I’ve used a couple of tools now,” Turek said, “and I’ve found that the biggest question is: How many IT resources do you need to maintain them? There are fantastic platforms out there for IT Service Management, but you might need two full-time head counts just to keep them up and running.”
In contrast, what stood out to Turek about TeamDynamix was how easy it is to use and maintain. The platform’s “low-code, no-code” design makes configuration and operation a breeze. Creating custom forms, fields, workflows and portals is easy and does not require any coding and scripting – making the platform very easy to administer and easy to deploy to other groups such as HR and Facilities.
“This tool can run itself,” he noted. “I’m impressed with the lack of coding knowledge and IT terminology you need to know to set it up. It’s drag and drop, and it’s completely customizable. There’s not a lot of work we have to do to maintain it. It just works.”
How Self-Service Can Lower Ticket Volumes
Another way to improve your IT service desk is by implementing self-service capabilities such as an intuitive web portal or mobile app where users can access information or search existing knowledge bases to find solutions to their problems without having to contact a technician for support.
This not only reduces costs by lowering calls and ticket volumes but also empowers users with information so they can take ownership of their own issues as needed.
The main purpose of a self-service portal is to be an interface between your end-users (customers or employees) and your service provider – the IT service desk. Your portal should be connected to your knowledge base and be filled with information and tools that provide your end-users with the ability to solve issues on their own, likely leading to a reduction in ticket volume for your busy IT service desk.
With a self-service portal, you can decrease the per-incident cost incurred by IT as fewer resources are used on each issue.
Here are a few tips for creating a self-service portal to provide quality customer support:
- Make sure the portal is easy to navigate and searchable. Organize content into easily accessible categories and use clear and concise titles for articles.
- Include links to useful resources, such as how-to guides, frequently asked questions, and contact information.
- Enable customers to submit feedback about their experience using the portal. This can help you improve the usability of the portal and ensure that customers are getting the information they need.
Automating Tasks to Improve Efficiencies
Automating common, often tedious tasks like password resets is another great strategy for improving your service desk operations. Not only does this reduce time spent on repetitive processes but it also eliminates potential human errors that could lead to costly mistakes during manual inputting if not caught in time.
ITSM automation helps streamline operations and enables teams to focus on delivering value to customers rather than tedious activities.
The benefits of automation and ITSM are numerous. Here are just a few:
- Automation allows you to streamline and improve your IT Service Management process. This can save your organization time and money while also improving the quality of your services.
- Automation helps you to optimize your resources and reduce waste. This can improve your efficiency and bottom line.
- Automation makes it easier to manage change and compliance, reducing the risk of disruption to your services.
- Automation can improve customer satisfaction by ensuring that services are delivered faster and more reliably.
- Automation enables you to focus on strategic tasks rather than mundane activities, improving your overall productivity.
One of the biggest trends in ITSM automation is self-service. With automated self-service, end users can quickly and easily request and manage services themselves without having to go through your IT service desk. This not only speeds up service delivery but also frees up your service desk technicians to focus on more complex tasks.
By following best practices such as these – leveraging codeless ITSM tools, implementing self-service capabilities and automating tasks – you can reach new heights of excellence when it comes to your IT service desk.
To learn more ITSM best practices check out the TeamDynamix resource hub.