1. Collect the Right Metrics
Sometimes it isn’t enough to say, “people have been complaining,” or, “we hear there are some problems.” This is where collecting and analyzing data comes into play. Have you noticed a drop in service levels? Have customer satisfaction ratings plummeted? Are resolution times dragging out, or hold times creeping upwards? Have the number of First Touch Resolutions decreased? Before approaching your help desk workers, make sure you have the actual data to support your assumptions. Things could be less serious than you thought, or perhaps worse than you expected, but it’s a good idea to know exactly where you stand before mapping a way out. Check out our post 15 ITSM ITIL Metrics for Tracking Incident and Service Management Success for ideas on what to keep track of throughout this process.2. Establish Clearly Defined Goals
Once you have these metrics in hand, you can draft goals for where performance should be. Are First Touch Resolution numbers down in the 60th and 70th percentiles? Consider setting a goal for 80 percent. It’s a good idea to clarify where your team currently stands and what metrics they will need to meet in order to improve.3. Gather the Right Performance Feedback
In addition to tracking the metrics, consider gathering feedback from your employees (your internal customers). This information can be used to address specific issues that get mentioned (such as bad attitudes or poor communication skills), but can also be used to build morale. A simple customer satisfaction (CSAT) survey with a quick thumbs up or thumbs down can go a long way in measuring employee satisfaction with the service desk.No one wants to fill out 30 questions, so we send a simple email that asks if they’re happy, yes or no. I encourage them to be honest, because if they say it’s great, I won’t do anything. But if the experience was poor, we follow up. There’s no point in sending it if you don’t follow up.” –Bryan Greer, Senior System Engineer at Goya Foods.Make positive feedback you receive known to the team. Let them know when and where they are doing a good job. Follow up on the negative experiences to learn where service can improve.
