In this hyper-digital era, the day-to-day work of any organization is inherently intertwined with its tech stack. Regardless of the sector, end users expect a seamless and reliable tech experience that allows them to conduct business without disruption, even as more people are working remotely more often.
According to the Service Desk Institute, the global demand for remote technical support is expected to increase by 13.9% between 2020 and 2025. With economic uncertainties driving budget concerns, business leaders must secure remote IT support services that are scalable, flexible, and cost-effective.
However, increased demand for remote IT services — and more intense daily use of technology— necessitates strategic planning to create the right service desk solution. Outsourcing to a third-party IT service provider is a consideration. Concerns about outsourcing are voiced quickly, but most often, the concerns are myths. Keep reading to learn how common outsourcing mistakes and managed service desk myths are potentially holding you back from delivering a successful end-user experience.
Myth #1: Service desk outsourcing costs far more than my in-house service desk.
Many organizations believe that maintaining an in-house service desk is more cost-effective than outsourcing. However, this view often fails to account for the hidden costs of on-staff support.
Having your own service desk team involves ongoing investments in repeatedly recruiting, hiring, and training because of inevitable turnover. Then there are retention and productivity considerations related to the people you have. Additionally, the costs of setting up and supporting in-house technologies and infrastructure are seldom included in the ROI models.
Outsourced solutions should include all service desk hardware and software needs, hosting and redundancy issues, data analysis and reporting. Ongoing system maintenance, upgrades, and enhancements should be covered by the provider. By leveraging economies of scale, third-party providers can spread these costs across multiple clients. As a result, the average cost of outsourcing service desk solutions is lower than remaining in-house.
In fact, according to Deloitte, 70% of companies that outsource their IT service desk find it to be a cost-effective solution.
Myth #2: A third-party provider cannot understand my organization well enough to resolve calls effectively.
Your stakeholders may be apprehensive thinking a third-party provider will not understand their unique needs and culture sufficiently to resolve calls swiftly, or on first contact. However, most users’ technical issues are universal — such as password resets, connectivity issues, and standard desktop software problems. A service desk partner should integrate seamlessly into your company’s culture through a robust discovery and implementation process.
A successful implementation includes thorough training, establishing clear procedures for escalations, routing, and notifications, and creating accurate documentation practices. All this should happen before Day One. By aligning resources and maintaining ongoing training, third-party providers can ensure that their agents act as a positive and professional extension of the organization. User issues should be resolved promptly and effectively starting Day One.
Myth #3: I can’t have the control I want over my IT service bottom line if I choose to outsource help desk.
Allowing a partner to manage the service desk can seem counterintuitive to maintaining control. However, you can maintain control through detailed Service Level Agreements (SLAs) that set clear expectations and metrics. A quality outsourcing partner will communicate regularly and participate in frequent review meetings to ensure they meet your goals.
Outsourced service desks should have the resources to handle fluctuating demands, such as system crashes and application rollouts, allowing internal IT managers to focus on root causes. Additionally, third-party providers often provide real-time data access, enabling continuous insight into the support environment and proactive issue management.
Myth #4: I don’t think my technicians, nor my end users, will like this. In fact, they might cause backlash if I change what they’re used to.
Change can be unsettling, especially when it comes to jobs and meeting user expectations. Gaining 100% consensus on outsourcing decisions can therefore become challenging. However, senior management’s support, along with transparent communication about the specific strategic reasons for the decision, can mitigate concerns.
For instance, a professional service desk team will quickly demonstrate their value, often through garnering positive feedback from end users specifically. This can help quell any initial resistance and help to align your entire team.
Myth #5: My organization isn’t in the best “health” right now, so it’s not prudent to consider outsourcing.
Outsourcing is often considered only when an organization is running smoothly, when KPIs and bottom lines are being met, and outsourced service desk cost can be “justified”. However, many firms decide to outsource because their internal service desk is not functioning effectively. In fact, they may be spending more to improve their service desk.
Engaging a managed service desk, under an SLA, enables resolution of inefficiencies more quickly than internal efforts alone. Providers bring their technology, ITIL frameworks, best practices, and expertise, leading to speedy and continuous improvements in support quality.
Myth #6: The only way an IT service provider can make money is if there are many consistent problems to address and tickets to solve.
Many IT service providers charge per ticket, meaning each call serves their bottom line, not yours. If your provider isn’t trying to reduce unnecessary recurring tickets, your bottom line suffers. The right partner will instead continuously and carefully analyze call trends and other data to proactively identify areas for improvement.
A partner will investigate root cause to find the source of repeat issues and report them for discussion. Addressing root cause can reduce these unnecessary issues, saving you money with each improvement.
Myth #7: Using a managed service provider (MSP) is risky because it allows for third-party access to customers, and I cannot guarantee that the service they’ll get is the level of quality they need to be receiving.
Concerns about third-party providers interacting with customers are common. After all, you want every customer to receive a stellar service that strives to resolve their issue as quickly as possible. Fast resolution positively supports your organization’s bottom line.
Thankfully, a genuinely user-focused MSP treats all callers with consistent professionalism and responsiveness. They do so by being properly trained. They monitor KPIs like response time and user satisfaction scores. By keeping a finger on the pulse of what genuinely satisfies callers, the right service provider will pay attention to your most important metrics in a way that matches the culture and values you want to be present in every interaction.
Secure Success with a Best-In-Class Partnered Service Desk
Facts will dispel the persisting myths surrounding outsourcing, enabling decision-makers to make strategically informed choices. Based on this information, find the right partner who will integrate seamlessly into your organization’s fabric. Consider using the ideas above as part of your assessment of potential IT partners. A strong partnership, based on clear expectations, will lead to satisfied end-users and long-term success.