| In a world of multi-media and globalization, it is a | | | | The point in management where people, process and |
| constant struggle for organizations to standout in a | | | | technology blend to deliver a business service is at the |
| saturated marketplace. Be it a financial, education, | | | | Service Desk. The service desk provides the essential |
| healthcare or not-for-profit organization, the need to | | | | daily contact between Customers, Users, IT service |
| positively differentiate from competitors is the only | | | | and any relevant Third-party support organization. The |
| way to gain an edge over the ever-present | | | | main objective of the service desk is to drive and |
| competition. | | | | improve service support to, and on behalf of an |
| Promoting a culture of service management, both | | | | organization. |
| internally and externally, is the key to being more | | | | This Customer-facing support service is a single point |
| relevant to customers within any market vertical. This | | | | of contact that provides advice, guidance and rapid |
| allows organization to shape its products and service | | | | restoration of normal services to its customers and |
| based on the specific requirements of its business and | | | | users. It handles Requests, Incidents, Problems and |
| customers and encourages business confidence by | | | | Change requests. More than this, it also manages |
| providing more reliable service and support. | | | | maintenance contracts, software licenses, and |
| Internally, IT service management encourages a clear | | | | provides Service Level Management and Configuration |
| understanding of actual IT capabilities, and promotes IT | | | | Management. |
| service continuity. In most cases, the largest | | | | The successful implementation of a service desk |
| percentage of the IT spend is in on the day-to-day | | | | results in a professional service that builds business |
| support costs and this can be reduced by an effective | | | | confidence and provides greater customer satisfaction. |
| service management process. | | | | This is a result of the professional service that is |
| Service management ensures IT resources are | | | | positioned to provide a consolidated and fiscally |
| aligned with business requirements, and allows the IT | | | | positive business activity that impacts all aspects of |
| department to appropriately identify points of flexibility | | | | service beyond the IT department. The key to service |
| and adaptability within the services they provide. This | | | | desk success is the employment of professional |
| ensures service issues and change requirements are | | | | people, well-defined and repeatable processes and |
| handled efficiently and effectively, to keep | | | | good tools, which in-turn makes the product or service |
| organizations running at an optimum level. | | | | being supported, to some degree, immaterial. |
| Cost Effective | | | | Adopting a service management approach results in |
| Many organizations erroneously believe that the | | | | benefits across all level of any business: |
| Service Desk tool is the greatest cost in providing | | | | - Customers - obtain a sustainable, reliable, secure, |
| support when it has been well proven that it only | | | | quality service |
| represents about 4% of the total IT budget (refer to | | | | - Line Management - achieve greater control over the |
| Gartner's IT Key Metrics Data). This means that the | | | | change management process |
| greatest cost in providing service is staff-related. In | | | | - Senior Management - can monitor performance and |
| fact, Gartner estimates this is to be around 86%. | | | | adjust resources appropriately |
| Therefore, the efficiencies gained through the | | | | - Boards - gain confidence from the adoption of best |
| implementation of a quality service desk will | | | | practices service, which in turn are mitigate personal |
| dramatically decrease the cost of providing service | | | | risk |
| through the decreased staffing costs alone. | | | | - Business Partners - provides greater control over |
| The Service Desk | | | | inter-business risks. |