In addition to providing technical support, it is important for agents to make a positive impression and impress everyone, even when facing challenges such as server downtime or a bad day. The field of service and its qualities have evolved over time, with higher customer satisfaction standards requiring service providers to go above and beyond. To surpass expectations, service management in enterprises relies on continuous improvement. Here are six (6) sources of improvement that can guide your service management's next steps.
Collaborative: Problem-solving
Service requests can be simple or more complex. Regardless of priorities and flows, collaboration among stakeholders makes all the difference. Breaking silos through inter-team collaboration makes perfect sense. For a multi-disciplinary IT team, helping your colleagues will give you a better perspective on what you need to do and make the necessary adjustments. For example, level 1 and Level 2 support teams must be fully synergistic to optimize problem-solving.
Building an IT “bubble” and going off alone will not help you. Including business stakeholders and your different users remains the key to a successful ITSM project.
Documented: Share your knowledge
Knowledge, if not shared, has less impact. By documenting knowledge articles and evolving this library of solutions, you will make your people more efficient and your customers definitely happier!
This internal sharing will provide important data for any service center ; the increase of the first call resolution rate.
This metric is critical because the more calls, emails, and requests are handled at the first call, the more you’ll be able to optimize the costs of that service.
Proactive: Be ahead of the demands of your users
Speaking of satisfied customers, how about knowing their needs and expectations before they share them with you? For example, self-service is becoming increasingly important for an IT service center. When properly mounted, this communication channel can become a powerful tool for improving the customer experience.
With the new possibilities thanks to artificial intelligence and machine learning, why not display the answers sought by your customers according to their previous research. Or propose documented resolutions based on problems that have occurred in the past.
So, we must look beyond what your users suggest; the algorithms are a source of continuous improvement that is only in its beginning.
Extraordinary: Providing an ideal customer experience
This customer experience can sometimes be challenging to pin down. “How to please every user? Why improve an interface or tool that already works?” some say. Although the exercise is difficult, its results transform a business and their services. Since perfection is impossible, organizations are investing in continually improving their experiences.
Transformation: Power your processes and efficiency to a new level
Service management, whether it’s an IT or business delivery, is driven by individuals, by technology and by processes. For everyone to get things done at the right time, workflows or processes (a series of tasks leading to the completion of a deliverable) are at the core of your digital transformation.
Measurable: Evaluate results to exceed expectations
Establishing goals and service levels can make your customers happier and your agents more efficient. By ensuring that these expectations are realistic and transparent, the stakeholders involved will increase customer satisfaction.
Service management is not so far to tennis. Its professionals must use endurance, perfectionism and practice to achieve their goals and give the best possible service!
To learn more about how service levels measurement, read the article on the ITSM metrics.
