Support Desk SL

[wannabe21]

Could anyone tell me what an ideal Service Level for a Support Desk (Help Desk) would be. This Help Desk provides answers to agents from the our main Service Center (CC).

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[NBosch]

Mark,

The SL depends majorly on the task of the team. If they have to provide answers (3rd line support f.i.) to agents who are on the phone with customers, you will need a high SL (95:20 f.i.). Reason: if an agent has to put a customer on hold to ask something, you don't want the customer to wait too long.
On the other hand, if this is suportteam for internal use (IT User Helpdesk), one could lower the SL.
It also depends on traffic, cost structures etc.

So basicly, there is no "ideal" Service Lvl.

[wannabe21]

I believe this may be true, but wouldn't you think that if the Help Desk is too easily accessible to the agents than they would call all the time without looking for the information themselves?

[NBosch]

If they do, then you have another problem to handle that is not SL-related. This could be motivation (lazy agents), quality of tools (a knowledge base where you can hardly find what you are looking for) or skills (agents don't know how to use the tools OR don't have the knowledge to help the customer).

I know the situation you described from first hand, because I am dealing with it myself as well. This team is also (partly) responsible for 2 of the mentioned causes (tools and (partly) training). They keep telling me how many "un-necesary" questions they get.
But (and this is the fun part) every case they forward to me is caused by the 2 things they can influence.

Also, if you set a service level for this team, and you see they don't achieve it, because other people don't do as they are expected... you should cure the problem, not try to camouflage it with a lower expectation.

Feel free to mail me if you need more feedback.

Niek

[wannabe21]

I agree this problem will not be solved by changing the SL, but it will be the starting point from where we can build. My point of view is, if agents have to hold for a bit longer than usual, then they might try to find the information themselves thus creating a self reliant agent. Thoughts?