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Research Finds Successful Recruitment Strategies for Service Desk Positions

TMCnews


TMCnews Featured Article


May 23, 2008

Research Finds Successful Recruitment Strategies for Service Desk Positions

By Susan J. Campbell, TMCnet Contributing Editor


The Service Desk is a large part of the global contact center industry. It affords both career prospects and growth opportunities compared to as little as five years ago.

According to recent research jointly commissioned by the Service Desk Institute and Hornbill Systems (News - Alert), a supplier of enterprise service management software, up to 50 percent of companies now use psychometric testing on IT recruitment candidates.


This testing method places greater importance on an individual’s potential to growth with the organization as this is a key indicator of future success and loyalty within the contact center / service desk area.

There has also been a greater emphasis placed on personal skills than qualifications when recruiting, reflecting the importance of the “human” side of the modern day IT service desk. The demand for customer service deliverables on the service desk side of the industry continues to grow, forcing a change in the dynamics of the recruiting process.

Organizations are also increasingly operating a policy of reward and recognition to motivate and retain staff. More than 57 percent are building this into their recruitment packages, an increase from the previously recorded figures of 37 percent.

This increase shows that service desk staff is staying in their roles longer. In fact, research demonstrates that many staff members view the service desk as a career path towards a technical career within the organization.

According to Patrick Bolger, Chief Marketing Officer at Hornbill Systems; "The last five years have seen a shift in the role of the service desk. The delivery of business goals is often underpinned by the success of the IT infrastructure, which has elevated the importance of IT and the service desk to be central to an organization’s success.”

"While technology has been an enabler for many service desks to run successful support functions, there has also been recognition that the human touch – service desk personnel – is what delivers customer satisfaction,” said Bolger.
 
“Good systems and working practices must support service personnel and empower a personalized service – but interpersonal skills are what counts. The successful career opportunities that have opened up reflect this change."
 
This research also found that many organizations are investing in IT staff training and development, which demonstrates the long-term commitment to developing the workforce. A reported 300 percent increase in delivering structured and comprehensive training programs exist within the industry.
 
These findings provide strong indications of the direction of the service desk segment of the contact center industry. While there is still work to be done to drive successful growth and career development, many companies are on the right track to providing a promising position for qualified individuals.

Susan J. Campbell is a contributing editor for TMC (News - Alert) and has also written for Market Drive News. To see more of her articles, please visit Susan J. Campbell’s columnist page.
 
 
 







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