We define a Lean service desk operation as one in which volume, variety, and process variation are managed, and in which individual workflows are optimized for efficiency. That’s a very simple definition, and while it suggests a high bar for qualification, we believe that consistently applied...
Tag(s): service desk, support operations
The IT world is in the midst of dramatic change. With each passing day, the traditional model for remote support becomes increasingly outdated. Today there are 10 billion mobile devices, 50 percent more applications, an infinite amount of unique configurations, and more distributed workers than...
Tag(s): monitoring, remote support tools, service desk, support center, tools
The technical support center of the future is poised to play an even more integral role in helping businesses innovate—and hence, gain competitive advantage.
Tag(s): future of support, service desk
The consumerization of technology and the “Google-ization” of information have changed the knowledge management landscape. How can you address these challenges in a way that benefits your users, your staff, and your business?
Tag(s): knowledge management, knowledge-management-systems, Knowledge Management Systems, support center
For a long time, the average lifecycle for support center software—including both simpler ticket management tools and more sophisticated IT service management systems—has been three to five years. This may seem like a relatively short period of time to those of us who have gone through the...
Tag(s): support center, tools
On the surface, one might think that a mobile workforce (or student body) using its own technology would increase demand for distance support. Though we have seen a modest increase in distance support, we’ve actually seen a marked demand for in-person support. From our perspective, mobility has...
Tag(s): byod, case study, desktop support, service desk
Today, field and support service organizations are being challenged to replace traditional service offerings, where technical services are provided for a fixed price, to new models where revenue is earned by delivering positive customer outcomes. The biggest problem with confronting this...
Tag(s): business of support, supportworld
Remember the days when the IT department simply handed out computers and phones and told you what you could put on them? Then came BYOD, and now knowledge workers are adopting the latest and greatest personal devices—like smartphones and tablets—for both business and personal use. The next BYO...
Tag(s): mobility, mobile device support, future of support, trends
There’s no right or wrong to support models. There’s only working and not working. The right support model for your organization is the one that works (i.e., one you can execute and one that produce the desired results), and that may mean you have to do some—for lack of a better...
Tag(s): support models, outsourcing, insourcing
Electronic health records have been a game-changer for the healthcare industry, drastically changing the work environment for clinicians (physicians and nurses). Of course, that means big changes for IT help desks as well, including different types of issues to address and a broader range of...
Tag(s): service desk, support models, case study