How Service Desk Metrics Impact Your User Experience
Outsourced service desk providers have two groups to satisfy – the IT team who manages them and the users the provider supports. A good service desk should measure agent performance based on Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).
The four KPIs below aren’t only performance targets for the service desk agents, they also directly affect the users’ experience. Monitoring these KPIs enables IT Managers to keep tabs on the performance while also watching for disturbances in the overall experience of users.
Average Speed of Answer (ASA)
No matter how good the hold music is, users won’t like having to wait to be connected to a service desk agent. If users constantly wait on hold, they may get the sense that their issues are not as important or develop a negative impression of the IT team as a whole.
A low ASA gets your user connected to an agent quicker. A quick connection gets your employees back to working on important company objectives sooner. Answering the phone quickly also demonstrates to users that the IT team’s resource allocation is appropriate. This provides a reassuring feeling that the IT team is truly there to help when needed.
Average Handle Time (AHT)
No matter how well the service desk team is trained, no one wants to talk to the agents for extended periods of time. Not only does AHT affect the current ticket, it affects all the users waiting for an available agent. Longer handle times lead to longer wait times.
Waiting for a resolution as an agent works on an issue can be trying for some. Waiting to even speak with an agent is even more frustrating. A quick handle time gets your users back to working on important company objectives and allows for more users to move through the support process.
IT managers should pay attention to AHT to ensure time is not increasing. If it is, there may be fundamental system issues to address.
Resolution Rate
While first impressions are important, fast resolution maybe even more important when discussing user support. Every user hopes for, and every quality service desk aims for, resolution on the first call.
As with AHT, quick resolutions mean less user downtime and more productive time on organization objectives. High resolution rates stem from access and training. If the service desk is well-equipped to provide the support needed, the entire organization benefits.
Consistent resolution rates indicate that the right amount of access and training has been provided to the service desk team. If the rate changes rapidly, or starts to slide consistently, IT managers need to evaluate the ticket trends to get to the root of the problem.
Client Satisfaction/Net Promoter Scores
Calling the service desk should not just resolve user problems. It should also be a pleasant experience. Your service desk should provide service with a smile and be willing to make every effort to help users.
Soft skills are just as important as technical skills when evaluating service desk performance. Having a friendly support staff will ease users as the agents work on issue resolution.
Surveys provide the best window into the users’ experiences. While the metrics mentioned above can provide details about the overall experience, nothing beats collecting first-hand accounts and feedback.
Understanding the user experience can be taken a step further by utilizing the Net Promoter Score (NPS) framework. NPS not only collects feedback, but also has the user evaluate whether they would recommend the service to another person. A person willing to refer others to the service is one of the best indicators of satisfaction.
Summary
At the end of the day, your outsourced service desk partner should be focusing every metric on the user experience as well as performance. A quality service desk’s objective should be to get your users back to work as quickly as possible. Quick connections, fast resolution, and agents possessing soft skills provide an experience like no other. Users will be at ease and back to work faster and the organization benefits as a whole.
Having an outsourced service desk provide this level of service should act as an extension of the IT team. Vendors sell products and services; partners enable their clients to do more.