Key Considerations for Service Desk


These are some of the key considerations to keep in mind, when implementing the Service Desk function. Information collected here is used in many of the other process areas, so it is important to record as much information as may be required to support the activities of those processes.

Service Desk will normally be the first IT group, that is aware that SLA targets are in danger of being breached. As such, they need information about SLA targets and the authority to do what is required to ensure that they are not breached. Escalation procedures and triggers are crucial to maintaining SLA targets. The Service Desk must know exactly how to bring in additional help and exactly what criteria to use to determine when to call that help in.

As part of their SLA duties it is important that Service Desk have an accurate and up to date service catalog that details each service in production and their given levels of service. In short, the service catalog is a list of every customer facing IT service with the differing levels of service offered for each.

As the primary end-user interface to IT, the Service Desk should always be focused on end-user satisfaction.

It is important that second level support and problem resolution staff maintain an understanding of the service nature of IT. As such, they should be regularly rotated through service with the Service Desk so that they maintain first hand customer service skills, and so that they can help keep Service Desk procedures accurate and up to date. Placing the staff who are responsible for developing and maintaining Service Desk procedures into the Service Desk role from time to time increases the organization’s ability to keep procedures up to date and relevant for changing circumstances.

In order to deliver the most efficient service, the Service Desk should have a known error database that lists all known errors, their status, and an appropriate work around, at its disposal. This should be provided and be kept up to date by problem, change, release, and configuration management.