Key Performance Indicators: Meeting the Target Isn't Your Goal

KPIs aren't the goal—continual improvement is. Like ITIL itself, continual improvement is a cycle: once you've achieved a target, the cycle begins anew.
Date Published - Last Updated May 11, 2016

7 Steps to Preventing Communication Gaps

Effective communication is one of the most essential business (and life) skills. These seven steps will help you strengthen the transfer of information and prevent communication gaps.
Date Published - Last Updated May 22, 2017

Building a Support Community Means More Than Offering a Wiki

Overenthusiastic advocates of any initiative often jump into action before thinking things through, but just because one organization saved money by using peer-to-peer support, that doesn’t mean it will work in every organization in the same way.
Date Published - Last Updated May 11, 2016

Training for the Information Age

When budgets are tight, it’s important that you spend money on training that builds the skills you need at the levels you need them.
Date Published - Last Updated May 11, 2016

Executive-Level Trust: Support for VIPs

Personalized support for VIPs can be expensive, but the value tends to outweigh the costs.
Date Published - Last Updated May 11, 2016

Come Together: Business and IT Executives See Their Roads Converging

Is this the year the walls around IT and support finally come down, once and for all? There is a well-recognized chasm in many enterprises. On one side are the engineers and support people who keep the organization on the technological cutting edge; on the other is ...
Date Published - Last Updated February 26, 2016

Running the Support Center as a Business Within the Business

At some point or another, we’ve all fantasized about starting a business and, of course, being a great success. Is managing a service desk really all that different? I’m always telling my students and clients that they need to run support as a business within the business. This is one of the...
Date Published - Last Updated February 25, 2016

Inquire to Influence: Avoiding the TMI Trap and Delivering Effective Status Updates

Everyone, from executives to frontline employees, tells me the same thing: When people report on issues or projects, they usually provide way, way too much information—the dreaded TMI. So how do we solve the problem? By using my Inquire to Influence™ strategies, you’ll be able to connect and...
Date Published - Last Updated February 25, 2016

At the Service Desk, Good Enough Isn't Nearly Enough

Service desks come in all shapes and sizes, depending on the needs of those they serve. Service offerings, KPIs, and service level targets will vary, and some will meet those needs better than others, providing not just business value but a partnership based on common goals. However, what holds...
Date Published - Last Updated February 26, 2016

Imperatives for the Future

For this issue, HDI invited influential members from across all segments of our community to provide a snapshot of key imperatives that will guide 2013 initiatives. This unique collection of essays offers a rare glimpse inside technical service and support organizations, spanning healthcare,...
Date Published - Last Updated February 25, 2016