Real Service Desk Leverage Requires a Little Perspective

I often hear people talk about the Service Desk as the organization’s “window” into the IT function; and I get it. The Service Desk has a significant impact on the IT brand, users’ confidence levels in IT, etc.  But I believe this perspective is only half right which is unfortunate.

As far as I know windows, excluding interrogation rooms, are bi-directional. Too many IT organizations forget this or don’t have the time apply this perspective. The Service Desk is in constant dialogue with the business community and done right they are collecting all sorts of data. 

Talking with Service Desk engineers and analysts and assessing the data they collect can provide great insight. By examining this information we identify training opportunities, inconsistent use of tools, process issues, and unmet needs.  Good IT leaders are in regular conversation with their peers across the business at senior levels. The Service Desk is talking with people at all levels so they often see and hear things managers do not.

Astadia’s End User Services teams support business and IT users as you would expect. We also work very closely with our clients to identify areas for continuous improvement (CI).  When we talk about CI we are not just addressing how Astadia can perform better, but also how we can make our clients’ organizations better. This is one of the many things clients find refreshing about working with us.

Mirrors are great, but windows provide far more insight to improve the whole. I hope we have given you something to reflect on as you consider how to leverage your Service Desk.