3 Symptoms of a Low-Functioning Service Desk and Ways to Remedy 

In today’s world, most businesses rely on technology to carry out their operations. But what happens when that technology doesn’t function properly? For example, what if employees can’t log in to their systems? What if software breaks down? 

That’s where IT service desks come in handy. A high-functioning service desk is critical to a company’s business processes running smoothly. 

And in companies where service desks work to triage customer complaints, a well-oiled, well-trained service desk is critical, since nearly one-third of customers report that their customer service experience is contingent upon talking to a friendly and knowledgeable agent. 

What if you have service desk challenges or a service desk isn’t functioning as well as it should be? In this blog, we’ll cover common signs of a low-functioning service desk and offer tips on how you can fix it. 

RELATED: Top Qualities & Skills Of A Great IT Service Desk Employee

Sign #1: Poor Issue Response 

Poor issue response can look different in every company. For some, this means that their service desk takes too long to respond to requests. For others, it could mean that issues aren’t being addressed completely or appropriately.  

In real life, this is things like a human taking too long to respond in a chat feature or your interactive voice response (IVR) prompting too many steps before the customer reaches a human or a resolve. 

How to Fix Poor Issue Response 

Poor issue response is a common service desk challenge, but the symptoms of this problem will vary. Once you’ve isolated what’s going on (e.g., it’s taking a long time to respond to customer issues or issues aren’t being fixed), you can then work on addressing the problem. 

Let’s say it’s taking too long to respond to customer complaints. You’d want to evaluate if there are enough team members in place to keep up with the service demand. If there aren’t, you’ll want to consider expanding your team if the budget allows or consider outsourcing your service desk to triage complaints. 

And perhaps issues aren’t being fully addressed. This could indicate that your staff needs to be trained in how to better address and respond to customer issues. Sometimes, this may involve a formal upskilling program or clearer training protocols, but it may also mean you need to hire employees with more advanced technical skills to tend to these issues.

Sign #2: Low Ratings and Poor Reviews 

If customers aren’t receiving the proper support they need from your service desk, they’re likely to leave low ratings and poor reviews. Customer satisfaction should be a business goal and a key performance indicator for your team’s success. If you start to see poor ratings and reviews, it could be a sign that your service desk isn’t performing as well as it should be. 

How to Fix Poor Ratings and Reviews 

If you’re seeing negative customer reviews on your website, try to read them objectively. It can be easy to get defensive reading about someone’s poor experience with your team, but don’t let your emotions get the better of you. Try to glean insight into what may have gone wrong and what you could improve upon to fix this common service desk issue.

You also need to make sure that the surveys and feedback systems have specificity around what you’re trying to get in response. Why was the rating poor? A poor rating is a flag that things may need to change, but a good feedback system let’s you know exactly what parts of the experience need to change. 

CASE STUDY: Improving In-Store Support for a Leading Prepaid Wireless Provider

Sign #3: Low Employee Morale 

If things are not going well with your service desk, chances are the employees who are part of your service desk may not have high morale. While this sign of a low-functioning service desk may not seem as intuitive, it’s important. 

If employees are struggling to keep up with the high demand of calls, emails, or issues, they’re likely stressed out and more likely to become disengaged. Or, if employees don’t have the proper tools to address customer concerns appropriately, they may start to feel inadequate or frustrated that they aren’t equipped to succeed in their role. 

All of these could perpetuate issues your service desk is experiencing. 

How to Fix Low Employee Morale

Management should be heavily invested in employee morale, as low morale can lead to turnover and low productivity. A couple tips to follow here include: 

• Managers should regularly check in with service desk employees to see how they’re doing and where they need help.  
• Get feedback about the training and systems in place.  
• Gamify the service desk. Employees will feel challenged, but in a fun way. And make sure the gamification is around the right behaviors and results you’re looking for.  

Doing these small things can make employees feel supported and heard, boosting morale.

READ NEXT: Help Desk vs. Service Desk: What’s the Difference?

Get Help Identifying and Fixing Common Service Desk Issues 

If your company has a service desk, making sure that it’s functioning at its highest capacity is paramount to the overall success of your organization. Look for these common signs of a low-functioning service desk at your company, and if you recognize any of them, implement some of the remedies to fix them. 

Need support improving service desk operations? Whether your issue is talent-related or technical, Evergreen has the solutions you need.

  Get in touch with us today to discover how we can transform you service desk.