The Ongoing Impact of Consumerization on the IT Support Model
An enterprising IT detective could trace the ongoing impact of consumerization on the IT support model back to the early days of widespread Internet use and the year the dot.com bubble burst. Regardless of how and when the move toward the consumerization of IT began, it remains a constant. And this effort towards consumerization is driving changes in the IT support model that are growing exponentially, along with ongoing digital transformation of the workplace and contemporary life in general. Expectations surrounding the services supplied by IT desks are growing as rapidly as digital work life is transforming, and the overall quality of the customer experience is inescapably important to the future of IT service desks. In this article, we will examine several components of consumerization and its impact on ITSM, including the drive toward self-service solutions and their benefits, the use and benefits of chatbots, machine learning, and others.Self-Service Offerings and Benefits
Some level of self-service at the IT service desk is not only acceptable, but also desirable. This is true not only from the perspective of the ITSM team, but from the perspective of the customer, as well. For some IT support needs, the standard IT support model is too intensive, too slow, and not reactive enough to give the customer the support they need immediately on minor issues. For these reasons, as well as to alleviate pressure on the support desk to chase down simple solutions most customers can handle on their own with a little guidance, self-service offerings are growing in contemporary IT support models. Their ability to support customers has much to do with the consumerization of support driven by the ongoing digital transformation mentioned above.
Chatbots Give Quicker Communication Right Off the Bat
If you can remember far enough back to recall the first time you encountered a chatbot, you probably don’t remember the encounter with much fondness. The early chatbots were clunky and obvious, and did more to frustrate customers than they may have done to help them. Contemporary chatbots are much smoother, possess much greater skill in deciphering the issue behind a particular customer query, and can (in many cases), provide complete support service to customers without directly involving your IT support team. Customers as well have gotten better at working with chatbots, even if they prefer talking to a “real person,” and are more willing to go through the initial stages of an interaction with a bot. This is often because they know they will transition to interacting with a member of your team eventually, as they get closer to the heart of the issue.The Ongoing Move Toward Knowledge Management as a Solution
Knowledge management as an organizational discipline, meaning the utilization of various tools and techniques that embrace media and social media-style platforms and interactions to drive organizational culture and learning, relies heavily on consumerization and the digital training that members of the organization have received throughout their contemporary lives. Knowledge management’s impact on organizational effectiveness is dependent on the ability of the members of an organization to utilize the broad set of tools necessary to support and interconnect the networks that make up that organization, learning throughout processes and across teams.Machine Learning and AI Tools – The Future of ITSM
Lastly, one of the most profound ways in which consumerization has the potential to drive change across the IT support model is coming, as machine learning and the development of artificial intelligence continues to deepen its impact across contemporary organizations. Ultimately, the future of ITSM includes managing the intersection between intelligent machines and digitally trained customers. Check out our blog to learn more about how digital transformation is impacting the ITSM landscape.Want more information on Machine Learning and AI? Check out these additional resources: ITSM And Digital Transformation – Understanding Digital Transformation The Measurable Impact of Service Desk Automations and Artificial Intelligence
