Interscale Content Hub – How to improve IT help desk performance to make sure our IT help desk is as efficient and effective as it can be?
That’s a big question, and it’s a challenge we all know can be pretty complex when it comes to achieving and maintaining optimal help desk performance.
So, let’s run through all the strategies here.
Strategies to Improve IT Help Desk Performance
Strategy 1: Monitor Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
The “2024 HubSpot State of Service,” says that quick response times are a big factor in how customers see the quality of support.
Also, in the “Whitepaper: The 2024 Helpdesk,” Odoo SA shows how tracking ART, which is the total time taken to resolve an issue, is important for finding out where things go wrong because of not having enough staff or not enough training.
If you can reduce ART, you’ll be able to keep your customers happy and make your business more efficient.
So, it’s always worth keeping an eye on the KPIs that matter most, like First Response Time (FRT), Average Resolution Time (ART) and Ticket Volume.
FRT is the time it takes from when a customer sends in a query to when an agent gets back to them.
A low FRT is vital because it shows customers that their issues are being dealt with quickly.
Strategy 2: Implement a Tiered Support System
The support system is set up in tiers, with each one dealing with different types of issues.
The simpler problems are dealt with by the lower-tier agents, while the more complex ones are passed on to the higher tiers.
This means we can make the best use of our resources and get tickets sorted out faster.
The HubSpot says this structure leads to better workload management and quicker resolutions, which makes the service more efficient overall.
The tiered approach helps to spread the workload evenly and ensures that the right expertise is applied to the right problems.
As a helpful reference, you can read “A Guide to IT Helpdesk Management (for You Who Want to Get Stuff Done).”
Strategy 3: Enhance Self-Service Options
If you give your customers lots of ways to help themselves, like knowledge bases, FAQs and automated chatbots, you’ll get a lot fewer tickets.
According to Odoo SA in their “White Paper: If you get a lot of tickets coming in, it’s probably because you need better self-service resources.
By letting users sort out common issues on their own, help desk agents can focus on more complex problems, which makes them more efficient and reduces how long it takes to resolve things.
HubSpot also says that customers are more and more into self-service channels. In fact, 78% of service leaders think their customers are willing to handle problem resolution themselves.
Strategy 4: Invest in Training and Development
Training on a regular basis ensures that support agents are kept up to date with the latest technologies and best practices, which helps them to solve problems more effectively and efficiently.
The Odoo SA says that keeping support staff up to date with their training can help them to resolve customer issues more quickly, which is important for keeping service standards high.
It’s a win-win: investing in agent training improves service quality, boosts employee satisfaction and retention.
Strategy 5: Utilise Automation and AI
Automation and AI can help make repetitive tasks, like ticket categorisation and preliminary troubleshooting, a lot quicker and easier.
Automated response systems can handle the usual queries, so human agents can focus on more complex issues.
According to HubSpot, 77% of CRM leaders think that AI will handle most ticket resolutions by 2025.
Automation makes things more efficient and improves the customer experience by getting back to people faster. Integrating AI tools is seen as a big deal in the future of customer service.
Strategy 6: Analyse and Optimise Workflows
It’s a good idea to regularly review and optimise workflows, as this can help identify any bottlenecks or inefficiencies.
Using data analytics to assess performance metrics helps you make informed decisions about process improvements.
HubSpot says that metrics like the number of tickets resolved versus opened can show you how well your current workflows are working and where you can make improvements.
By optimising workflows, you can make sure that processes stay efficient and responsive to changing demands.
Strategy 7: Foster a Customer-Centric Culture
It’s a great idea to encourage a customer-centric approach within the IT help desk, as it can really help to improve service quality.
Measuring how happy customers are with the service you’re providing is a great way to get feedback.
The Odoo SA white paper says that understanding what customers need and what they expect helps us to tailor our support services so that we can deliver better user experiences.
When you’re focused on customer satisfaction, you’ll find that customers stay longer and that your service is better overall.
When help desks focus on meeting customers’ needs, they can improve their service and build stronger relationships with users.
For more information, please refer to “How to Measure IT Help Desk Improvement: A Non-Techie’s Guide.”
Strategy 8: Using Interscale
We at Interscale use the latest tech and a team of experts to give you all the support you need, tailored to your needs.
At Interscale, we take a multi-faceted approach to IT support. Our service desk achievements show how committed we are to excellence. In the last 12 months, we closed 8,553 tickets and our helpdesk wait time was just one minute on average.
This quick response is really important for keeping customers happy and making sure everything runs smoothly.
But don’t just take our word for it. Our clients, including Waverly Tax, Kapitol Group, and Davey Water Products, have seen first-hand how our solutions make IT support easier, boost productivity, and improve overall user satisfaction.
Please check out our Interscale IT Helpdesk Support Services page to learn more about our customised solutions.
Or, just get in touch with us today for a chat and we’ll put together a support package that’s just right for your business.
In Closing
By following these strategies, your company can make sure it has great IT support, which will make users happier and help your business to be more successful.
If you’re looking for a more tailored IT helpdesk solution, why not team up with the experts at Interscale?
Absolutely. Interscale can show you how to improve IT help desk performance and help you make it more reliable.
