The characteristics that Service Desk is moving towards are:

1. Increased use of self help – As customers and users become more technologically savvy, they are getting braver nowadays to execute remedial efforts.  Compared to a few years back, these group of customers have become bolder and have embraced technology quicker than ever before. It is therefore a good time for Service Desk manager to re-look into their FAQs and knowledge bases so that their customers can help themselves.
2. Improved knowledge bases with contextual searching – the tools I work with today have appalling knowledge base design.  The categorization of knowledge leaves much to be desired as is with the search function.  Even a simple wizard-based kind of troubleshooting steps is non-existent.  I’m using a very famous and probably the world’s best helpdesk system but yet, the knowledge base module is not quite to my standard. In time to come, you will find better knowledge base designs with better search engines.  I will also expect vendors to adopt wizard based diagnostic/troubleshooting process; much like the current Microsoft’s Troubleshooter.
3. Reduction or elimination of deskside support – With customers becoming bolder and technology-savvier, this characteristic is bound to follow suit. Now that customers are able to perform remedial actions on their own, deskside support will be reduced.  Furthermore, with technologies such as remote access becoming a common tool in all organizations, IT no longer need to be on-site to assist the customer.
4. Provision of services through a fully integrated service catalog – a service catalog lists down your organization’s service provision along with the description of such services, the service level for service fulfilment, service entitlement, associated cost and procedures to obtain such services.  Comparing analogically, you can imagine the service catalog like a menu in a restaurant.  In time to come, your customers and users can order services right from their desktop where the system will only display the services that they are entitled to.  The request will then be automatically subjected to an automated approval workflow and service providers are constantly reminded of unfillled services so as to meet the service level.
5. Remote rebuild & self healing workstations – these are technologies that are available today.  For example, Microsoft Vista has an inbuilt self healing system where computers are kept running reliably by automatically detecting and resolving many known problems—requiring little or no effort from the user.  It’s here in the operating system and before long, it’s moving to specific applications.  Even software developers are improving their software with such technologies so as to minimize support.
6. Tight integration with IP Telephony – Voice Over IP is cheap; Caller ID makes it personal; Service Desk professional can be mobile and yet reachable through a single number; audio conferencing can be made on the fly; video conversation is available; instant messaging communications is available – no wonder organizations are embracing IP Telephony.

Just like many before me, I have asked the question before. From what I gather, there are 3 situations that influence what Service Desk professionals should wear. The 3 situations are:

1. Corporate Culture – If your organisation requires everyone to be dressed in uniforms, then it is a no-brainer that your Service Desk professional should dressed in that. With free uniforms and possibly free laundry, I do not foresee any problems for your subordinates to be dressed in them. If your organisation does not provide uniforms but expects everyone to be dressed in suit and tie, you can either follow suit or beg to change (read next point)
2. Customer Facing – My rule of thumb for dressing is simple, if your Service Desk professional faces the customer; i.e. allow walk-ins or performs desk-side support, then the said professional should be dressed appropriately. Yes, I would expect a long sleeve shirt and tie to begin with. Either that or a nicely pressed tee-shirt with corporate logo for branding.
3. Non-customer Facing – If your Service Desk professional does not leave their seat for 8 hours; and they do not accept walk-ins; chances are that it does not matter what they are dressed in as long as it is decent. After all, we live, work and interact in a community. Broadly speaking, uncontrolled dressing allows your team members to dress in what they are most comfortable in (pajamas not allowed). Comfortable clothings in turn allow your Service Desk professionals to work longer and at ease. It might even raise their productivity and efficiency.

I guess the above pretty sums it all up. The next time you hear someone raise this question, do point them to ServiceDeskCenter.com

Given the high dynamic forces of incidents at attack you and your team, day and night, relentless as the sun rises and sets, human beings on Service Desk experiences burnouts. Wikipedia defines burnout as “a psychological term for the experience of long-term exhaustion and diminished interest (depersonalization or cynicism), usually in the work context” and further suggests that it is a “result of a period of expending too much effort at work while having too little recovery“. Sounds familiar, doesn’t it? Of course it does; it’s referring to your working environment. It is said that the average lifespan of a Service Desk professional is 18 months. That’s a short 1.5 years. Based on my experience, this assumption seems to be holding water.

So far, I have been assuming that Service Desk professional may leave you because of a highly stressed environment but that doesn’t discount the fact that people may leave the organisation for better pay, better benefits, career advancement, current bitchy boss, horrible clientele and a whole lot of other reasons.

When a key staff resigns, it is most attributed to burnouts. The longest key staff I had is 3 years and she’s leaving for a same pay, less stressful work. I can’t blame her because my team is truly the global lightning rod for my organisation. We always get hit the hardest. In this kind of situation, what would you have done? The first response that any manager would make is to counteroffer whatever she is getting elsewhere. In my humble opinion, that would only prolong her for a little while longer. It’s not a permanent solution and you will continue to face such situations.

This is where foundation of your Service Desk is important. It’s a long road to the illusive perfection; a long road to have your team work like a clock. Things that need to be done are:

1. Be process oriented – like a clock, have your team move at their own gears’ pace; everyone share the same goal, the same function, the same rotation and everyone knows when to chime. This can only happen when you have standard operating procedures and standard methodologies.
2. Document documents – for everything that your staff does, have it documented and verified. Verification is simple; have a layman do what the document says. If the layman is able to obtain the expected results, the document should pass with flying colours.
3. Identify alternates – no one should be the sole custodian to a process. Make sure there is at least another person who is able to perform the same function.
4. Panic – If you do not have 1, 2 & 3, offer your resigning staff and start working on 1, 2 & 3.

When you have the necessary in place, you should not fear when a key staff resigns. It’s part of life and you are prepared for such a change.