The Service Desk Must Balance Service for All Users Before Creating an Enhanced Experience for VIP: New Research from Info-Tech Research Group

The firm explains in a new industry resource that prioritizing elevated VIP support may lead to improper prioritization of issues, which could ultimately result in a lower quality of service for the rest of the organization.

TORONTO, June 8, 2023 /PRNewswire/ - Service desks play a vital role in ensuring the smooth operation and support of enterprises, catering to the needs of both regular users and high-profile executives or VIPs. However, service desks often face resource constraints that pose challenges in delivering enhanced services for VIP users without compromising their support to the organization. These challenges include the expectation of immediate service, even for minor IT issues, and the risk of VIP dissatisfaction if their service tickets remain in a queue without a response or resolution for an extended period. In recognition of the critical role service desks play in overall enterprise success, Info-Tech Research Group has recently published new research, Design an Exceptional VIP Experience for Your Service Desk, to help IT departments overcome these challenges and enhance service desk performance.

"In a perfect world, executives wouldn't need any special treatment because the service desk could rapidly resolve every ticket, regardless of the submitter, keeping satisfaction levels high across the board. But that's not the case for most organizations," says Natalie Sansone, research director at Info-Tech Research Group. "Executives and VIPs demand higher levels of service because the reality in most companies is that their time is worth more. Any IT leader who's had a VIP complain about their service knows that their voice also carries more weight than that of a regular dissatisfied user."

According to Info-Tech's research, service desk and IT leaders can face challenges in understanding a VIP's expectations in terms of service delivery. There is a lack of clarity in defining these expectations, leading to disagreement on the most appropriate support model that can meet the needs of VIPs while still adhering to service level agreements (SLAs) for the rest of the organization. One of the key issues is the insufficient availability of resources at the service desk, which can hinder IT's ability to deliver the desired level of service. Allocating resources primarily toward VIPs ahead of other users can lead to inappropriate issue prioritization and ultimately result in subpar service delivery for the remaining organization.

"The key to efficient service delivery is to stop being reactive to VIP demands and formalize VIP service procedures," explains Sansone. "These formalized service procedures allow the service desk team to properly set expectations for the service, monitor and measure performance, and continually evaluate to make the necessary changes."

The firm's new resource suggests a holistic approach to managing the service desk and ensuring satisfaction, particularly when it comes to VIP requests. To achieve this, Info-Tech recommends that IT teams shift from a reactive to a proactive stance for VIP requests by planning ahead, defining services, and setting clear expectations. Additionally, engaging with stakeholders is crucial to clarifying their expectations and selecting an appropriate VIP service delivery model. Continuous evaluation of the service is also recommended to ensure alignment with evolving requirements, allowing necessary adjustments such as expansion, reduction, or redefinition as needed.

The key to deciding the suitability of a VIP service for an organization is to analyze its specific needs and align them with available resources, which involves thoroughly evaluating requirements and capabilities to ensure a proper match. Then, it is essential to clearly define and document exactly what is in the scope of the service. In the new resource, the firm advises the following approach to successfully design a VIP support model:

1)  Understand the support models available, from white glove service to the same service for everyone.
2)  Gather business requirements from all relevant stakeholders.
3)  Choose the right approach based on business needs.
4)  Define and document all details of the VIP service offering.
5)  Communicate and market the offering to VIPs so they know what's in scope.
6)  Monitor volume and track metrics to evaluate what's working.
7)  Continually improve or modify the service as needed over time.

Info-Tech cautions against creating a VIP service solely based on the fear of VIP dissatisfaction with the standard level of support the service desk provides. It is advised that in some cases, it is better to focus on improving standard support for all users rather than for a small percentage, especially if providing that elevated VIP support would further deteriorate service levels for the rest of the organization.

To learn more about how IT can build a more effective service desk for all users based on research and expert industry insights, download the complete Design an Exceptional VIP Experience for Your Service Desk blueprint.

For more information about Info-Tech Research Group or to access the latest research, visit infotech.com and connect via LinkedIn and Twitter.

About Info-Tech Research Group
Info-Tech Research Group is one of the world's leading information technology research and advisory firms, proudly serving over 30,000 IT professionals. The company produces unbiased and highly relevant research to help CIOs and IT leaders make strategic, timely, and well-informed decisions. For 25 years, Info-Tech has partnered closely with IT teams to provide them with everything they need, from actionable tools to analyst guidance, ensuring they deliver measurable results for their organizations.

Media professionals can register for unrestricted access to research across IT, HR, and software and over 200 IT and industry analysts through the firm's Media Insiders program. To gain access, contact [email protected].

SOURCE Info-Tech Research Group