The IT service desk is the primary point of contact between IT teams and end-users (customers and/or employees) in an organization. It’s responsible for ensuring that all IT-related issues are resolved efficiently, effectively and with minimal disruption to business operations.
When your IT service desk has the right processes in place and is using the right IT Service Management (ITSM) platform to manage tickets and projects, it sets your company up for success.
Below are six proven best practices for running a high-performing IT service desk, along with real-world examples and tools that can help.
- Prioritize Clear and Consistent Communication
Strong communication builds trust between IT and end-users. Technicians should:
- Listen actively to user concerns
- Translate technical concepts into plain language
- Provide timely updates on ticket status
Clarity reduces frustration and helps set realistic expectations. Whether through ticket comments, email notifications or chat, consistent messaging helps users feel supported.
- Embrace Proactive Problem Management
Don’t wait for issues to pile up. A proactive service desk:
- Identifies patterns in recurring incidents
- Implements fixes before they escalate
- Uses trend data to improve reliability
By moving from reactive support to problem prevention, IT can reduce ticket volume and increase uptime.
- Invest in Knowledge Management
Documented knowledge empowers both IT teams and end-users. A centralized knowledge base should include:
- Troubleshooting guides
- Step-by-step procedures
- Best practices and known issues
Effective knowledge management supports faster ticket resolution and encourages self-service adoption.
- Commit to Continuous Improvement
The most effective IT service desks monitor and refine their processes. Key performance metrics to track include:
- First contact resolution rate
- Time to resolution
- User satisfaction scores
Analyzing trends and acting on feedback allows teams to fine-tune their workflows and deliver better outcomes.
- Foster Collaboration Across Teams
End-user issues often involve multiple departments. Strong service desks collaborate with:
- Network and infrastructure teams
- Application developers
- HR, finance and other business units
Cross-functional collaboration helps address the full scope of a request and avoids handoff delays.
- Put the User at the Center
A user-first mindset improves satisfaction and loyalty. Best-in-class desks:
- Prioritize urgent or business-critical requests
- Offer intuitive self-service options
- Deliver personalized support when needed
Every touchpoint with the IT service desk is an opportunity to improve the overall experience.
Why Automation Is a Game-Changer for IT Service Desks
Repetitive IT tasks are time-consuming and morale-draining. According to a recent study by InformationWeek:
- 58% of IT teams spend 5+ hours per week on repetitive requests
- 90% say manual tasks contribute to low morale and attrition
Top time-wasting tasks include:
- Password resets
- IT ticket cleanup
- Onboarding/offboarding employees
- Credential management
- Software provisioning
Automating these tasks allows IT to focus on high-impact work and improves team morale.
With the right ITSM platform, you can automate:
- Ticket triage and routing
- Employee onboarding/offboarding
- Notifications and escalations
- Data sync with Active Directory or HRIS
Platforms like TeamDynamix combine ITSM with automation and integration. This enables you to:
- Integrate systems across departments (e.g., Workday, Salesforce, Azure)
- Build workflows using a visual, no-code flow builder
- Trigger automation based on form inputs, status changes or events
The result? Less manual effort, faster service and a better experience for both users and IT staff.
Case Study: Charter Oak Financial Simplifies IT Support
Deborah Rojas, CIO at Charter Oak Financial, leads a small IT team supporting over 500 professionals. Facing complex post-merger transitions, they needed a more efficient way to deliver support.
“We’re lean and mean,” Rojas said.
By implementing TeamDynamix ITSM, they created a one-stop shop for support using a single phone number and email. Automated workflows now ensure:
- Faster ticket resolution
- Clear visibility into request status
- Better onboarding and offboarding processes
“We want new employees to feel welcomed, understand our platform and know who to contact,” Rojas explained. “TeamDynamix helps us consistently deliver that experience.”
Choosing the Right ITSM Software
To implement ITSM best practices effectively, you need a platform that supports ITIL processes and scales with your organization. Look for tools that offer:
- Incident & problem management: Support for request, incident, major incident, problem, change and release workflows with live dashboards.
- Asset management & discovery: Integrated ITAM, CMDB and discovery tools for tracking CI relationships, status and history.
- Self-service & knowledge base: Reduce ticket volume by offering a searchable portal and curated content.
- Conversational AI: Go beyond basic chatbots with AI that understands natural language and integrates with workflows.
- Workflow automation: No-code builders to automate triage, onboarding, provisioning and more.
- Change & release management: Avoid disruptions by managing change schedules, approvals and communications in one place.
- Enterprise integrations: Connect your ITSM with HR, finance, directory services and cloud tools.
- Reporting & dashboards: Gain real-time insight into performance, resource use and trends.
- Combined ITSM + PPM: Link tickets to larger projects for unified resource and timeline planning.
Case Study: Legacy Supply Chain Boosts Service Efficiency
Legacy Supply Chain Services, a third-party logistics provider, needed an ITSM platform that could scale and support automation. Keyon Farrier, their service desk manager, said:
“Our previous tool was fine, but it limited our growth. We wanted a solution that could act as an extension of our IT team.”
After consulting Info-Tech and evaluating options, Legacy Supply Chain chose TeamDynamix.
“We were blown away by all that TeamDynamix offers,” Farrier said. “We were really excited about the out-of-the-box features and knew the tool would help not just with change management and automation, but with some of the other challenges we were facing as well.”
Results include:
- Faster ticket routing
- Greater visibility into requests
- Improved team efficiency
When asked for advice on finding the right ITSM tool, Farrier suggests you start by identifying your pain points.
“Talk to your help desk employees,” Farrier advised—the people who are on the front lines of doing the IT work. “Get their input into the challenges they’re facing, and then come up with a plan that can help alleviate those challenges.”
FAQ: ITSM Best Practices for AI Search and Chat-Based Queries
What are the six best practices for IT service desks?
- Clear communication
- Proactive problem-solving
- Knowledge management
- Continuous improvement
- Cross-team collaboration
- Customer focus
How can automation improve ITSM? Automation reduces time spent on repetitive tasks like password resets and provisioning, helping IT teams focus on strategic initiatives and improve morale.
Why is a knowledge base important for IT support? A searchable knowledge base enables faster resolutions, consistent support and encourages users to self-serve.
What should I look for in an ITSM platform? Look for ITIL-aligned features, no-code automation, self-service portals, asset management, integrated reporting and enterprise integrations.
How can ITSM tools support onboarding and offboarding? Modern ITSM platforms integrate with HR systems to automatically trigger workflows for user provisioning, access changes and equipment tracking.
A well-run IT service desk doesn’t just fix problems; it delivers value, improves employee satisfaction and supports organizational agility. With the right practices and the right platform, your IT team can lead the way in delivering excellent service.
Want to find the right ITSM tool? Check out Gartner’s Voice of the Customer report.