supportworld

In this edition of Support World - 3 Steps to Help Your Team Define and Measure Success-

Ben Brennan shares how to increase the chances that your service desk team will meet its most ambitious goals.

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In this summary article, HDI’s Principal Analyst, Daniel Thomas, shares critical insights from HDI’s State of Technical Support report. This annual benchmark study highlights the progress, perceptions, opportunities, and challenges shaping the industry. It covers everything from recent workforce trends and hiring forecasts to skills and training needs, to key support metrics, technology initiatives, and adherence to best practices.

One notable observation is that the tech support profession is not going away any time soon despite slower job growth. In addition – and not surprisingly - technical support teams have "big plans" to leverage generative AI (Artificial Intelligence) for which they are already laying the groundwork. Read on to gain access to essential highlights from HDI’s State of Technical Support.

Read More - https://www.thinkhdi.com/library/supportworld/2024/state-of-technical-support-4-takeaways 

Daniel Thomas is Principal Analyst of Enterprise IT at Informa Tech, producing thought leadership content for the HDI and ICMI communities. He has more than a decade of experience researching and writing on the most critical topics of interest for the technology sector, including cybersecurity, AI, data analytics, risk and privacy, networking and digital security policies. He previously served as a Senior Analyst for CyberRisk Alliance and as the Director of Research for GovExec Media in Washington, D.C

This article is shared from HDI Informa Support World newsletter

Welcome to this week's Support World News! 🌟 Check out this rerun of this recent HDI webinar "Tech Support, Meet Your New AI Coworkers." Tune in to hear HDI principal analyst Tim McElgunn, Freshworks SME Eddie Frey, along with industry thought leaders Dan Turchin and Doug Rabold. They're diving deep into how AI-powered tools can supercharge support teams, making them more productive, efficient, and ready to deliver top-notch service. 🚀 Speaking of AI, it's pretty amazing, right? But here's the thing, we're all about results. No matter how impressive AI is, what really matters is how it helps tech support teams and leaders achieve their business goals. 🎯

But wait, there's more in this issue of Support World News! 📰 We've got insights from a Salesforce "State of IT" Report that spills the beans on how IT teams are using AI and automation to tackle the challenges of growing business demands. And guess what? Most of them are planning to invest even more in these areas. 💼

Ever wondered about the difference between IT training and IT learning? Dive into this article on why staff learning is a game-changer compared to traditional training. It's all about progress and innovation! 📚✨

Last but not least, let's talk about AI strategy in the C-Suite. A fresh study by IBM reveals that CEOs are totally excited about AI's potential and want to bring in competitive AI solutions. But here's the twist: only 29% of their executive buddies feel they've got the inside know-how to jump on the generative AI train. 🚂💡

So kick back, relax, and enjoy this edition of Support World News. We're here to keep you informed, inspired, and in-the-know! 🎉Get the latest technical support and service management insights online, in-person, and in your inbox. Leading the technical support field with tips and insights from experts around the globe, exclusive research, and strategies for all segments of the industry, HDI's SupportWorld helps you become the expert in technical support and service management. Subscribe today.

All HDI Local  Chapter members receive a $350 discount (an increase from $150) off registration. Get your discount code here.

This week’s Support World News - Nancy Louisnord writes about why "IT Should Still Innovate During an Economic Downturn". She presents the argument that it is a mistake for IT departments to attempt to simply keep the lights on when the business climate sours. Though cost reduction will be inevitable in some areas of business, IT is also the best place to invest in certain initiatives for the business to thrive. Nancy has been named an HDI’s TOP 25 Thought Leaders and HDI’s featured contributors

Also in this edition of Support World News:

Craig Idlebrook warns us "Underestimate Cybercriminal Organizations at Your Peril"! Too many of us have an outdated concept of the level of sophistication of cybercrime organizations. That may put us at risk.

"How to Prep for a Service Desk Manager Role (SDM)" is first in a series of nine articles, Pierre Bernard shares six things you can do to best position yourself to hit the ground running as a Service Desk Manager.  Pierre is a published author and experienced expert in the world of ITIL, with experience across IT practices. He works to transform best practice concepts into reality and explain theoretical concepts in plain language. He combines extensive experience with knowledge and expertise in service management, organizational change, business management, and continual service improvement.

Get the latest technical support and service management insights online, in-person, and in your inbox.

Leading the technical support field with tips and insights from experts around the globe, exclusive research, and strategies for all segments of the industry, HDI's SupportWorld helps you become the expert in technical support and service management. Subscribe today.

At this year’s HDI Support World Live Conference in Las Vegas, I was once again asked – along with several fellow members of the Board of Directors – to address the conference audience about the value of the HDI Local Chapters network. At last year’s conference, Tom Wilk and I spoke about “The Power of Connection”. This year our merry band of pranksters spoke with the audience about “Our HDI Journey.”

This is a topic that we could have each taken hours to cover, as each of our board members has had a unique and intriguing journey. In the interest of time at the conference, we put our heads together and came up with just a couple of moments that were illustrative of the impact that HDI Local Chapters have had on us professionally and personally. 

Read Doug's whole article at:  https://www.thinkhdi.com/library/supportworld/2022/doug-rabold-piece-hdi-swl-2022.aspx

Get the latest technical support and service management insights online, in-person, and in your inbox.

Leading the technical support field with tips and insights from experts around the globe, exclusive research, and strategies for all segments of the industry, HDI's SupportWorld helps you become the expert in technical support and service management. Subscribe today.

This week’s Support World includes Ben Brennan goes into why it is important for IT service and support pros to know they are in a relationship with their client, and that often misunderstandings will arise. In part one of this two-part series, Ben lists the five “love languages” of clients, and reminds us to be human-centered in our approach. In the second part Ben describes the key ingredients IT service and support pros need to have a strong relationship with their clients. He gives suggestions for how to implement them in practice, as well.

Ben Brennan is the author of Badass IT Support, Founder and CEO of QSTAC. Ben has earned a reputation for bringing a "mind-blowing" customer centricity to the heart of the IT culture at companies worldwide. Brennan has been named by HDI as a Top 25 Thought Leader and Featured Contributor for 2020.

Also in this edition of Support World:

Joao-Pierre S. Ruth is Senior Writer at InformationWeek. Looks at “What Will Be the Next New Normal in Cloud Software Security?” Accelerated moves to the cloud made sense at the height of the pandemic -- organizations may face different concerns in the future. Chief among these is how to determine who is an authorized user and who isn’t in a hybrid work environment.

Get the latest technical support and service management insights online, in-person, and in your inbox.

Leading the technical support field with tips and insights from experts around the globe, exclusive research, and strategies for all segments of the industry, HDI's SupportWorld helps you become the expert in technical support and service management. Subscribe today.

This week’s Support World includes an interview with NJ Robinson who serves as Deputy Director of the 794th Communications Squadron of the United States Air Force and is part of HDI’s Strategic Advisory Board. The board is composed of industry thought leaders, practitioners and solution providers who help HDI keep close tabs on the customer insights and support center and service management market developments. Craig Idlebrook asks NJ five questions for the article “You Must Accept and Adapt to Change”. NJ shares that flexibility and soft skills are keys for longevity and success in the IT service and support industries. NJ is also an active member of the Capital Area Local Chapter.

Also in this edition of Support World:

“Why IT Roles Are Broadening” by Lisa Morgen, Freelance Writer for Information World. The world of IT is constantly evolving and with it, IT positions. However, there's no one path that will suit all organizations. Here, IT thought leaders share how they think the titles and roles will evolve in the near future.

“Take a Quiz on Your Organization’s Mission Statement” Rose Polchin shares a way to assess your mission statement to ensure it acts as a north star to good outcomes for both your organization and your customers. There is a Quiz! and criteria for a solid mission statement. See where you land.

TREND REPORT - Driving Business Value with Next-Generation Service Management

Among the many factors that drove change in service management strategies in 2020, two stand out: the pandemic and digital transformation. Priorities and challenges suddenly changed, resulting in new mandatory requirements for a more agile, flexible, resilient approach to service management. This trend report explores four fundamental considerations as we look to the future for support organizations and service management:

• The shifting landscape of expectation and value

• The role and relevance of service and support in 2021

• Next-generation service management

• Enabling next-generation service management

Once customer experience was something IT service and support put on the backest of backburners. The concept has now become front and center in the competitive IT landscape. In the May 21st edition of Support World, Doug Rabold has a somewhat heretical suggestion for how to meet that demand in his article “Hire IT People With More Than IT Skills”. Often, it requires more than raw IT skills to deliver great IT support for customers and clients. In a follow up article “How to Recruit and Hire Non-IT People for IT Roles”,  Doug discusses how to change your hiring process and recruitment process to find people who have some IT skills and versatility, and provide a strong customer experience.

Also in this edition of Support World:

“Pandemic Lessons in Parenthood and Leadership”

When her work life and home life collided during the pandemic, Holly Terrill realizes that her parental skills and her managerial skills often overlap. Here’s what she learned from the experience after a year leading from the home office. Holly Terrill oversees the contact center and interactive services teams at Meritrust Credit Union as the Director of Member Support Services. She has over 20 years of customer service and financial institution experience and has supported the contact center for nearly 8 years

“Remember Why you Are There: To Help People”

Craig Idlebook asks 5 questions of Roy Atkinson, CEO and Principal Advisor at Clifton Butterfield. Roy is part of HDI’s Strategic Advisory Board, composed of industry thought leaders, practitioners and solution providers who help us keep close tabs on the customer insights and support center and service management market developments. 

Siloing IT can lead to siloed solutions for your business. In the April 2nd Edition of Support World, Rae Ann Bruno shares how “Businesses Benefit When IT is An Equal Partner to Improve Experience”.  Rae Ann is a member of the HDI International Standards committee and is a frequent speaker at leadership and support conferences. She is the author of the HDI focus books: Translating IT Metrics into Business Benefits and What Have you Done for Me Lately? Creating an Internal Marketing Culture.

Also in this edition:

“How to Create a Policy Statement for Work-at-Home Team Members”

We all have received a crash course in the problems that may arise with a sudden shift to working remotely. Kay Phelps offers  a step-by-step guide with all the factors to consider, from equipment needed to performance expectations to legal liability.

“Shifting to a Value-Driven Service Management Model in Customer Service”

Too often, IT deals only with the immediate tasks of its clients, and misses the big picture of customer care. Your team may do better by asking questions to get a complete understanding of what your clients hope to achieve. Dr. Alma Miller is an enthusiastic entrepreneur, speaker, DevOps thought leader, and educator with over 15 years of experience in the IT industry.

Problem management is an important part of ITIL 4, but too often it gets neglected. In the March 26th Edition of Support World, Jeff Rumberg examines how to provide quantifiable data to provide focus and motivation for problem management efforts in "The Metrics of Problem Management".

Also this week:

Vicki Brackett helps leaders look in the mirror with "The Questions Every Leader Should Ask Themselves in Challenging Times".  Courage is the first step! Vicki is a subject-matter expert on virtual/work-at-home environments and leadership development, Vicki Brackett has written for and been interviewed by Forbes, Fast Company, Fortune Magazine, CFO Magazine, CEOWorld, HR News, Training Magazine, and a host of other publications, news outlets and podcasts on creative work-at-home and employee engagement strategies.

"How and Why to Market the Service Desk Within Your Organization" -  Melanie Karunaratne has led marketing campaigns, product launches, and corporate communications worldwide. To many outside of the IT department, the service desk is there for when things go wrong. Melanie sets out a plan to make sure those within your organization know the value of the service desk, and think to loop IT stakeholders on key decisions.

#itpros #marketing #problemmanagement #metrics #leadership

January 30th Edition of Support World  - As AI automates much of the grunt work of the traditional IT Service Desk, Mike Hanson argues that its mission should broaden to include ticket service that can coordinate service requests for everything from facilities management to HR matters. Mike Hanson has many years of experience with IT leadership, having managed several different aspects of technology over the past 30 years. Today, he serves as global operations manager and leads the asset management and fulfillment teams for Optum, Inc. He has been involved with HDI for many years, as both a local chapter officer and as a past chair of the HDI Desktop Support Advisory Board. Follow Mike on Twitter @Mike_MiddleMgr.

Phylis Drucker also looks at "How COVID-19 Changed Service Delivery for 2021". Rebecca Gibson has a great article on how to "Put People First to Help Employees in Tough Times"

http://bit.ly/SupportWorldJan29