Leveraging resources: Best practices for professional support Copyright 2002, Texas Association of School Boards

1 Three key measures of professional support Customer Satisfaction Cost Staff Satisfaction

2 Customer satisfaction What are your customers asking you to do? How well are you doing it? –Surveys –Anecdotal evidence –Statistics

3 Staff satisfaction What is your staff asking of you? How well are you doing it? –Surveys –Anecdotal evidence –Statistics

4 Cost How much is your company willing to pay for customer satisfaction and staff satisfaction? Does your operation pass the outsourcing test?

5 Customer Satisfaction Cost Staff Satisfaction How do you ensure high customer and staff satisfaction... and still control your costs?

6 Leveraging key resources for professional support People Processes Tools

7 People Job factors Training Physical environment Management support

8 People: Job factors Variety Flexibility Responsibility Fair pay

9 People: Training Skilled generalists versus narrow specialists Avoid information silos Training alternatives –outside the box –high impact –indirect Anticipate organization’s future needs

10 People: Physical environment Arrange work space for collaboration and privacy Automated Call Distribution (ACD) System Provide good tools

11 People: Management support Be patient; be persistent Run interference Set job targets Monitor service levels Share information – up and down! Celebrate successes

12 Processes Software standardization Software rollout methodology Hardware standardization Work process mapping Root cause analysis Crisis management

13 Processes: Software standardization Leverages user training Reliable installs Can use imaging tool to build machines quickly Easier, faster to support

14 Processes: Software rollout methodology Develop hands off, “silent” software installs Push delivery Pull delivery Phase rollouts whenever possible

15 Processes: Hardware standardization Specify high quality, reliable PCs, laptops, and printers Can use imaging tool to build machines quickly Easier, faster-to-service machines Results in lower total cost of ownership

16 Processes: Work process mapping Leverage brain power – don’t waste it Powerful knowledge transfer tool Achieve consistent, high quality outcomes

17 Processes: Root cause analysis To eliminate unnecessary or repetitive calls Must document all requests Contributes to end-user productivity Lowers stress

18 Processes: Crisis management Slow down Appoint a point person to coordinate internal communications Intercept incoming calls with status message Communicate status Inform users of the outcome

19 Tools Service request management system Automated call distribution (ACD) Remote control Build machines from images Automated software installations Anti-virus measures “MyCompany Toolbox” Two-way radios

20 Tools: Service request management system Document service requests, assignments and status Searchable database of your solutions and commercial knowledge base(s) Log every request Key component of quality initiatives

21 Tools: Automated call distribution From chaos to control Monitor your call volume Are all requests documented? May be cheaper than you think

22 Tools: Remote control Avoid working blind Excellent for unique or hard to describe problems Faster, more accurate solutions Reduced need for desk side visits May be cheaper than you think

23 Tools: Build machines from images Reduce cost of hardware deployment Reduce cost of operating system upgrades Deliver high quality, reliable PCs and laptops

24 Tools: Automated software installations Make installs “silent” using the answer files Faster rollouts – eliminate “walk arounds” Cheaper rollouts – requires half the people

25 Tools: Anti-virus measures Automate signature updates to desktops and servers Protect your remote users Scan messages before they enter user message stores

26 Tools: “TASB Toolbox” Central point to access installs, utilities, etc Use network rights for license control Include user and technician tools

27 Tools: Two-way radios Someone is always available Many heads are better than one Huge time saver

28 Case study: Texas Association of School Boards Will this Help Desk be outsourced?

29 Customer satisfaction Are we doing what they ask us to do? Starting point: –Inconsistent service delivery –Too long to resolve requests –Too long to install new hardware Goal: Provide consistently high quality service on all requests Outcome?

30 Staff satisfaction Starting point –Technical staff had long tenure –Information silos and skill gaps –Poor physical environment Goal: Develop and retain staff in highly competitive market Outcome?

31 Customer satisfaction: Help Desk Calls Starting point: Closed 70% within 1 business day Goal: Close 85% within 1 business day. Success: 92% of all SM Help Desk calls are closed within 1 business day.

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33 Customer satisfaction: New hardware installs Starting point: 61% installed within 3 weeks Goal: Install 85% within 3 weeks Success: Averaging 90% installed within 3 weeks

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35 Customer satisfaction Survey says: successful Windows 2000 upgrade My boss’s boss’s phone doesn’t ring Keep those cards and letters coming End-user productivity

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37 Staff satisfaction Gave them training, tools and variety – and they stayed Information silos are gone, skills way up Benefit from higher levels of respect from other MIS departments

38 Cost New CFO asked – can we get the same services less expensively by outsourcing? Outcome?

39 Cost Total fully burdened costs 28% less than the lowest outsourcing bid 45% less than the outsourcer we thought could provide comparable quality

40 Case Study: Will this Help Desk be outsourced? No way! Vendors across the board asked, “Why would you do this?”

41 Resources Downloads, newsletters and more:

42 Resources (cont.) Helpdesk-L Listserv Send to SUBscribe HDESK-L; blank subject line; SUBSCRIBE HELPDESK-L in message body The sky is NOT falling:

43 Resources (cont.) Technical and tactical research: click on “Research index”

Leveraging resources: Best practices for professional support