How To Run A Great Mobile Help Desk While Keeping Costs Down

By Ian Slack, Stratix

Let's face it, supporting mobile solutions isn't as easy as IT traditionally was in the past. To start with, there are more device types, operating systems, and apps, so there's a steeper learning curve. Then, users and devices are usually dispersed, and getting hands on equipment to fix it is more challenging. Add in connectivity hurdles and increased security threats, and you have a very complex environment to manage. 

Poor Support Is Not An Option 

Despite the complexity, it's more important than ever for end users to have easy-to-use expert support channels on which they can rely. They need genuine help quickly. There is nothing more frustrating than contacting a mobility help desk only to speak with a technician who isn't an expert on your problem or your specific use case. A help desk should help, not drag out the problem longer than necessary. 

Mobile solutions are so integral to workflows and operations within organizations now that technical problems must not derail them. Downtime eats into productivity, end user and customer experiences, your reputation, and profits. If a mobile solution is consistently unreliable or difficult to use, end users will be reluctant to use it, meaning the money spent on it is wasted. 

An ineffective mobile help desk adds to end user frustration and increases overall costs when unnecessary time is spent trying to resolve problems. The extra support hours combined with lost productivity quickly add up. 

What A Good Enterprise Help Desk Looks Like 

The basics for an effective help desk begin with multiple easy-to-use channels, including phone, email, and chat, that are available 24/7. The mobile help desk team needs to be staffed with the right people and have enough resources to handle requests for assistance promptly.

A well-run mobility help desk also offers skilled agents trained to support specific end users. Within organizations, there are often different divisions or departments with end users performing unique tasks who utilize different devices in varying environments. Each likely has different expectations for help and troubleshooting. The management team should understand all those environments and prepare a detailed knowledge base for support that's then used to train agents. Those knowledge bases should be constantly updated along with refresher training sessions. ITSM (IT Service Management) software such as Service Now should be used to manage tickets and route end users to agents who know their environment and can help them quickly. 

Enterprise help desks also need the right tools for comprehensive support. For example, an endpoint management software solution can allow technicians to remote into devices for in-depth troubleshooting. 

How To Manage Enterprise Help Desk Costs 

Running a help desk can be expensive, but there are ways to keep costs in check. A high-performing enterprise help desk is a good start. When management focuses on quality over quantity metrics like first contact resolution, they improve the end user experience and cut downtime while lowering overall help desk expenses. The cost per call goes up, but expenses decline because of the improvement to overall efficiency. Setting your teams up for success goes back to the constantly updated knowledge bases and diagnostic tools mentioned above. 

You also can reduce expenses by automating some support functions and offering self-help channels. You can read more about comprehensive support planning and delivery in our Enterprise Mobility Masterclass series. 

When it comes to costs, something to keep in mind is when agents resolve problems over the phone or through remote access first, it lowers the likelihood a device will be returned for service or replacement only to discover it's a "no-fault found"—which is a significant chunk of device life cycle spending for many organizations. 

Don't forget creating a great work environment and culture for your help desk team. Great technicians are hard to find, and you want to keep them happy. It not only drives performance but also cuts down on how much you spend on hiring and training. 

Get Help When You Need It 

All is not lost when you don't have the expertise and resources to support mobile solutions effectively. Partnering with a trusted Managed Mobility Service Provider will get you there. At Stratix, our help desk team is 100% onshore and available 24/7. Our first-call resolution rates run over 85%, and we have best-in-class customer satisfaction scores.