effective communication on the service desk

© 2016 Marval Software Limited www.marval.co.uk E:[email protected]

Effective Communication

on the Service Desk


Objectives

Understand what customers feel is important

Learn to apply the WIN approach

Understand the importance of following documented processes and procedures

Understand the importance and value of effective communication skills

Review how we currently provide customer service

What’s teamwork all about?

Learn about the importance of satisfying customer needs and how to maintain customer satisfaction – continual service improvement


The role of IT

Single point of contact (SPOC)

Timely, responsive, courteous and high quality service

Adaptable, flexible, rise to new business challenges

Meet commitments

Provide regular feedback

Deliver return on investment (ROI)

Identify and implement continual service improvement (CSI) activities

Integrate IT goals with business goals


A customer service attitude

Ownership

Willingness to help

Positive attitude

Respect and courtesy for all

Customer focus

Business focus


Effects of a good attitude

Setting customer expectations

Positive impression

Customer confidence

Good attitudes are contagious


Where do you operate from?

Do you dim

people down or

brighten them

up?

DIM – MEDIUM - BRIGHT


Customer expectations

Confidence that IT support is in control of their request

Professional expectation management

To be kept informed

No nasty surprises

To understand – no jargon!

Reasonable timescales for resolutions

Consistent and courteous service

Value for money


Our part in all this

Every member of IT support is responsible for recognising and understanding the effect

of commitments made

(no matter to whom)


Psychological needs

Important and valued

‘Cuddles’ vs. ‘no-nonsense’

Customers are not just VIPs - but MIPs


Attributes, Skills and Knowledge

Attribute: A quality or characteristic that someone or

something possesses

Skill:

An ability to do an activity or job well through learning and practice - often enhanced by natural ability

Knowledge: Understanding of or information about a

subject which has been obtained by experience or study


Responsibilities

IT service and support teams

IT service and support professionals

Customers

Never forget that ‘Perception Equals Reality’

To customers and colleagues alike


WIN – What’s Important Now

Understand what’s important to your

customer (or colleague) NOW

‘We are what we repeatedly do –

excellence, then, is not an act but a habit’


What is world class service?

Listening

Empathy and understanding

Recognising customers/colleagues needs

change

Following documented procedures

Meeting customer needs


WIN with a KISS

What’s Important Now

Keep It Simple & Straightforward


Standing out from the crowd

No self-respecting IT

department can operate

efficiently and effectively

without the right attitude,

the right education and

support from

management.

http://www.coolantarctica.com/gallery/penguins/emperor_penguin_16.htm


Quality of service 1



‘Support staff who succeed and excel at

their jobs rarely do so because of technical

skills alone – they also have the ability to

deal with people effectively.’



Company policies

Service ethics

Working to processes and procedures


Process management

‘The accomplishment of tasks that are

measurable, definable and that can be

tested, reported and improved on.’


Processes and procedures

Processes should empower us - not inhibit

Processes define how we’re supposed to

be doing our work

They should make life easier!


Communication skills

Your role as a support

professional falls primarily

into 2 areas:

Support

Communication


FACT

To succeed, IT requires the right PEOPLE

with the right SKILLS, supported by the

right processes and the right technology


Elements of communication

Ways in which we communicate include:

Verbally

Non-verbally

Written word

Via technology


Communication

Remember

If someone fails to

understand us – it’s

OUR fault, not theirs


More about communication

1. Call differentiating

2. Formal and informal communication

3. Barriers to communication

4. Ineffective communication


Face to face communication

Words used

How said

NVC

Source: Albert Mehrabian

7%

38%

55%


Listening skills

Hearing is a faculty –

Listening is a skill


Active listening

Helps replace body language when we are on the ‘phone

How do we do it?

Verbal acknowledgements

Staying focused

Listening carefully – to words and feelings

Asking questions

Using the person’s name


Benefits of active listening

Increased customer satisfaction

Better rapport

Opitimises call time

Reduces misunderstanding

Potential for better resolution times

Understand customers ‘emotional state’


Effective listening – barriers and pitfalls

Barriers

Speed of thought

Distractions

Personal bad listening habits

Pitfalls

Rationalising

Transforming details

Changing the sequence of events

Omissions


Paraphrasing

Using our own words to repeat what the

customer says to us


Written communication

Never forget that call logs are business

documents too

Well written documentation =

positive impression

re-useable data

Use spell and grammar checkers

Avoid acronyms; smileys and slang

Don’t make dubious comments


Text and IM etiquette

Commonly used in the business

environment today

The same rules apply!


‘Phone etiquette – a reminder

Avoid eating whilst on the ‘phone

DO speak clearly

Don’t answer whilst still speaking to someone else

Background noise

‘On hold’ issues

Avoid multiple transfers

Avoid asking for repeat info

Don’t use slang, endearments, acronyms or jargon


Call ownership

2 types – perceived and actual

Our responsibility is to ensure customers are

kept informed of the status of their request

Customers psychological needs must be met

Clear benefits:

Improved customer satisfaction

Improved IT productivity and consistency


Customer Relationship Management

To manage

relationships

successfully, we

must understand

other people’s

needs and

manage their

expectations


The BIG question

Would YOU be happy doing business

with you - or with your team?


A professional approach

“People buy from other

people – for their reasons,

not ours”


Working with other teams

1. Establishing effective relationships

2. Work relationships

3. The rules

Avoid blaming

Treat others as you like to be treated

yourself

Treat others in your department as if they

were your customers


Good practices

1. Professional standards of behaviour

2. Industry standards and guidance

3. Making and meeting commitments

4. Fairness

5. Meeting expectations


Some typical customer expectations

To feel confident that the Service Desk is in control of what is happening with their incident or request regardless of who they speak with

For their expectations to be set clearly and managed fairly

To be kept informed and up-to-date with what is happening - no nasty surprises

To be spoken to in plain and understandable language

For their issue to be resolved within an acceptable timescale

To be provided with good, sensible data and valuable, valid feedback

To receive consistent and courteous service

To receive good value for money

Your Organisation's

Continual Service

Improvement Programme

Worldwide IT Service

Management Standard

& Good Practice

Framework


Benefits of following good practice

Identify and understand areas for

improvement

Validate commitment to service quality

and consistency

Improvements in satisfaction and morale

Projects are managed cost- and time-

effectively


Conclusion

Applied common sense

Understanding our customers’ business; needs; requirements

No-one is exempt from delivery of service excellence

Effective communication is key

Right people, right skills

Understanding what makes excellent customer service

Continual service improvement is essential

effective communication on the service desk

Technology