Most support organizations agree that customer satisfaction (CSAT) is one of the most important metrics. But do they really believe that, or is that just empty praise? If it is as important as they claim, one would expect CSAT to be rigorously measured and tightly managed. But that is not often...
Tag(s): people, customer service, customer satisfaction, performance management, metrics and measurements
Date Published June 12, 2012 - Last Updated May 11, 2016
Effective communication cuts through cynicism and makes it safe for others to listen, understand, and take appropriate action. It allows a lot of information to be shared in a very short period. It resolves concerns and reaches in and takes hold of the heart. It invites people to participate,...
Tag(s): people, communications skills, leadership, change management
Date Published June 12, 2012 - Last Updated May 11, 2016
In many IT service and support organizations, the help desk is managed independently from the desktop support operation, contributing to inefficiencies in service provisioning. While each group spends time and energy to make their respective teams better through people, process, and technology,...
Tag(s): desktop support, people, workforce enablement
Date Published May 25, 2012 - Last Updated May 11, 2016
Whether the reason is the economy or just a desire to stay active, fewer workers are retiring once they reach their sixties. As a result, organizations are witnessing a new trend in age diversity, one in which groups share traditions and culture based upon the period in which they came of...
Tag(s): people, leadership, workforce enablement
Date Published May 25, 2012 - Last Updated May 11, 2016
What does leadership mean to today’s workforce? What do employees look for in their formal leaders? What is the importance of informal leadership in tomorrow’s organizations? What are our employees’ expectations regarding leadership in the future? What type of leadership will be required to move...
Tag(s): people, leadership, professional development
Date Published May 25, 2012 - Last Updated May 11, 2016
Technical support professionals thrive on helping others solve problems; it’s in their DNA. Provide these same people with the chance to give beyond the day-to-day, to serve the community in significant ways, and you have everything you need to make a difference in the world. No matter what you...
Tag(s): people, leadership, professional development
Date Published May 25, 2012 - Last Updated May 11, 2016
Who doesn’t want a workplace where good employee relations are the norm? Where the threat of an organized labor invasion isn’t looming? The vast majority of wise employers want to create and maintain an environment where everyone can flourish, where cooperation and collaboration are the norm....
Tag(s): people, leadership, coaching
Date Published May 23, 2012 - Last Updated May 11, 2016
Your CEO just returned from a two-week business trip. Company data is normally backed up to the network via VPN, but not this time. The only copy resides on your CEO’s hard drive and it can’t be accessed. You’ve been contacted because that data is mission critical to the enterprise and your CEO...
Tag(s): technology, process, business continuity, disaster recovery
Date Published May 23, 2012 - Last Updated May 11, 2016
A support center has two principle assets: a robust, well-managed knowledge base and talented people. Support centers typically invest significant time and effort into training and developing specialists, supervisors, and managers; a support center leader’s job is to ensure that this time and...
Tag(s): people, workforce enablement
Date Published May 23, 2012 - Last Updated May 11, 2016
Most businesses claim to use their customer service organizations as key differentiators in creating competitive advantage in the marketplace, but this claim does not withstand closer analysis. The service the vast majority of these companies provide is actually the same as their competitors, so...
Tag(s): customer service, people, process, business of support, practices and processes
Date Published May 23, 2012 - Last Updated May 11, 2016