Recently, the interest for a television series has rarely been so intense. For the biggest fans, this Game of Thrones madness that lasted for several years will end on Sunday.
Holding the fort like Game of Thrones is not as easy as it sound
During these years, some protagonists have changed or died, battles have left their marks and a few castles have resisted multiple attacks.
These fortresses have resisted thanks to teamwork, proven fighting methods and above all, a seamless coordination of all.
Let’s now see how a service desk can be inspired (and improve its service delivery) by the era of the seven kingdoms of Westeros.
Your technicians are your warriors, keep them healthy!
Like the TV series, support centers environment is sometimes difficult and for some, even more painful. There are also those “families” who form and claim to be the real leaders. However, no matter the size of the teams or the type of business you’re in, make sure these groups converge their efforts to maintain the highest quality standards.
It is for this reason that we must take care of these warriors. Injuries, illness and unexpected events are part of the game; to defeat the enemy, you must keep your troops healthy.
At the wall, the “Knight’s watch” may look like your first line of support. These warriors are also at the frontline when a high volume of requests occurs. Do not wait for the breathlessness and prevent the worst. Show them your confidence and do like Tormund, motivate them positively!
IT Managers : Lords & Leaders
The Lords who come and go in the series, are also found in the service centers and IT departments of today. These specialized leaders manage projects and ensure that each service is efficient.
Wondering what ITSM roles look like the characters in the series? This visual wink will surely please you!
A Serious Commitment to Customers
As in GOT, your customers are your partners, your most valuable allies. Business partners with whom you collaborate or to whom you offer services. You must protect operational efficiency and face different challenges in order to bring them to another level of performance.
The IT team can also bring these customers to the next level. By training and sharing best practices with your colleagues (internal applicants) or your clients, the IT department is transparent, all while managing expectations.
This transparency is especially important for your clients, those with whom you have service level agreements. These SLAs are proof of your commitment to the quality of their operations. Even though many IT teams do not manage response time and resolution, these agreements are not to be taken lightly. Being faithful to one’s promises can be worth a lot; talk to Jorah Mormont and his total dedication to the Targaryens which saved his life.
Be inspired by his resilience and give it all for your requesters.
Opening Horizons to Business Services Needs Can Elevate Your Game
Staying in your good old IT habits; is it a good idea? Not so much.
The business units around you have processes specific to their context that are sometimes poorly supported. They could benefit from IT expertise and your technology choices.
Think of centralizing the management of services and requests in the company with these partners who come from far away. The business services that are often involved in this type of project are typically human resources, procurement, customer service or the finance department.
Here are some tips to centralize business services.
Protect Your Assets Against Threats
Will these white walkers end up piercing through the north wall? Which kingdom will defend themselves against the mysterious enemy?
For an IT department or a user support team, these gaps can also take many forms; a DDoS attack, a ransomware or a large volume of queries causing a break or an interruption of services.
So be proactive and research ahead for your next challenge to secure your data and your customers. We can then be inspired from Jon Snow who faced these threats proactively. We know the rest of the story…
In fact, a recent Verizon report mentions these security threats. Unsurprisingly, the majority of these come from outside the organization, but 20% remain internal mistakes. It is imperative to stay on guard and promote good security practices with your teams.
These allies can sometimes even create additional threats. Little Finger is a good example of one.
GOT Memes Within Service Management Practice
On a funny note, GOT theme and characters even invites themselves into the ITSM world. This visual is a courtesy of ITSM.tools.
Are you part of this gigantic GOT wave?