The help desk that first arrived on the scene nearly 20 years ago has been redefined. No longer is its role to simply record and respond to user issues that arise with technology. While that responsibility continues to persist, the help desk’s role has continuously expanded as it naturally has a place in many IT management activities. Today, it serves as the “hub” for service management activities that reach out to most Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL) domains such as asset management, configuration management systems, change management, knowledge management, the service catalog and more. The help/service desk commonly serves as the most logical starting place for corporate best practice initiatives.

For this study, EMA surveyed 158 IT professionals with help/service desk responsibility and familiarity with their organization’s ITSM initiatives to explore the evolution of the help desk to the service desk. This quantitative data was complemented by 14 in-depth telephone interviews. 

Even in this down economy, companies are looking at the help/service desk as a place where investments can be made with many different types of returns. This investment does not always take the form of product replacements. Instead, monetary gains can be achieved through more effective use of staff, reduction in the number of operations that are in place, more strategic approach to software deployments, etc. User priorities and goals were assessed in this research along with operational elements such as metrics that would help IT to improve the quality and credibility of its operation.


Table of Contents
Executive Summary
Research Profile
Methodology
Demographics
Company Size
Industry
Roles and Regions
The Contemporary Help/Service Desk Environment
Organizational Viewpoints of the Help/Service Desk
Service Desk or a Help Desk
Practitioner Views of the Service Desk
Larger Management Goals for Help/Service Desk
Service Desk as a Driver for Overarching ITSM Strategy
Anatomy of the Help/Service Desk
Solutions in Use
Organization, Support Teams and Workload
Measuring Support Desk Performance
Functionality Needed for the Help/Service Desk
Basic Requirements
Importance of Basic Requirements
Deployments of Basic Requirements
Self-Service
Importance of Self-Service Features
Deployments of Self-Service
Best Practice Support
Importance of Best Practice Disciplines
Deployments of Best Practice Disciplines
Business-Focused Support Features
Importance of Business-Focused Support Features
Deployments of Business-Focused Support Features
Integrations to Smooth Operations
Technology Silos
Importance of Technology Silo Integrations
Deployments of Technology Silo Integrations
ITSM Integrations
Importance of ITSM Integrations
Deployments of ITSM Integrations
Process/Automation
Importance of Process/Automation Integrations
Deployments of Process/Automation Integrations
IT and Business Management
Importance of IT and Business Management Integrations
Deployments of IT and Business Management Integrations
Challenges with Managing Multiple Help/Service Desks
Multiple Help/Service Desks
Approaches for Managing Multiple Service Desks
No Stone Unturned: Synergies between Customer Service and IT Support
Replacing Current Products
Vendor Considerations
Licensing Considerations
Justifying Your Software Selection
Three Must-Have Capabilities for the Modern Service Desk
Considerations for Acquiring a New Solution
Conclusion
Appendix A – Focal Interviews
Healthcare Organization – Multiple Support Operations
Environment/Background
Size/Scope
Product Deployed
ITIL Experiences in a Mid-Tier Organization
Challenges, Goals, Priorities and Learnings
Automotive Manufacturer – Merging Operations for Cost Control
Environment/Background
Size/Scope
Product Deployed
ITIL Experiences
Challenges, Goals, Priorities and Learnings
Large Furniture Manufacturer
Environment/Background
Size/Scope
Product Deployed
ITIL Experiences
Challenges, Goals, Priorities and Learnings
Australian Government Organization – Consolidating Operations
Environment/Background
Size/Scope
Product Deployed
ITIL Experiences in a Government Entity
Challenges, Goals, Priorities and Learnings
Large Financial Services Enterprise – Evolving to Service Desk Operation
Environment/Background
Size/Scope
Product Deployed
ITIL Experiences – Critical for this Financial Services Firm
Challenges, Goals, Priorities and Learnings
Outsourcer – Filling an External Support Void
Environment/Background
Size/Scope
Product Deployed
ITIL Experience
Challenges, Goals, Priorities and Learnings