An ITIL® service desk is a single point of contact for IT users, operating according to ITIL® best practice standards. It aims to restore normal operations with minimal impact on users and can save costs through efficient issue resolution. There are different types of ITIL® service desks, categorized by the level of call handling performed. Success factors include understanding business needs, defining goals and objectives, and investing in personnel training.
An ITIL® service desk refers to an information technology (IT) helpdesk, or single point of contact for user issues, operated according to ITIL® best practice standards. Also known as an ITIL® helpdesk, such a service is usually the first point of contact an IT service user has with the IT department or service provider when a problem occurs. ITIL® stands for IT Infrastructure Library. It’s a popular approach to IT service management, originating in the UK but used around the world. ITIL® is a registered trademark of the UK Office of Government Commerce (OGC).
In the best practice approach advocated by the ITIL® process, typical goals for an ITIL® helpdesk service are usually to provide a single point of contact (SPOC) for users and thereafter restore normal operations and service with minimal impact on end user or customer. To achieve this, it is usually important to have documented business priorities and agreed service levels. The motivation to set up an ITIL® service desk is often related to costs. A well-managed ITIL® service desk can provide overall cost savings through the convenience of a single point of contact and the savings achieved by addressing IT issues as efficiently as possible. Such a helpdesk often allows an IT service to maximize the use of less expensive staff and escalate only the most difficult problems to highly trained technicians.
There are many types of ITIL® service desks and they are often categorized by the level of call handling performed as part of the helpdesk role. For example, a call center desk may only record calls, passing all calls to other teams for resolution and further processing. An unqualified service desk is likely to log calls, forward calls forward for resolution, track incidents, and provide feedback to users. In a skilled service desk, the majority of calls are likely to be resolved by the service desk team, with only complex calls being escalated to another department. An experienced service desk often incorporates the entire incident management lifecycle, with nearly all calls resolved at the ITIL® service desk.
The ITIL® software process for helpdesk service identifies a number of success factors. The importance of clearly understanding the needs of the business and customers is strongly emphasised. The goals and objectives of the ITIL® service desk should be clearly defined. Investment and training for ITIL® service desk personnel is also recommended.
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