26 TOPDESK MAGAZINE - JUNE 2016

IMPROVING YOUR
SERVICE DESK
The people working at a service desk are part of one team. They are the ones who
represent the organization. However, these people are often overshadowed by smooth
processes and a beautiful tool. When you cant get the most out of your team, or cant
control matters relating to your employees, you will achieve less than you might think.
TEXT: ACACIA KOOIJ

Kim den Brok visits customers as a consultant

chose to use the service desk as a starting

minded. You can use this method when you

and change manager, and understands

point because all our customers either have

want to bring out the best in your team. To

exactly what problems they run into. Elsbeth

a help or service desk. Moreover, working at

achieve this you need to become aware of

Hamberg is project manager and has been a

a service desk can be hard. Service desk teams

the forces at the department. Not just as a

team leader at TOPdesk for five years. She is

are always busy answering a continuous

team leader, but also as an employee. Small

an expert in building a good team.

stream of customer questions. All these

interventions such as moving two colleagues

As soon as something needs changing at

questions make it difficult to follow certain

may seem insignificant, but they can be useful

a department, like implementing a new tool,

procedures, even though everyone wants to

for the team and contribute to a better work

attention often shifts towards the process. For

help the customer the best they can. This

environment, says Den Brok.

example, the activities are better structured

creates conflicting situations in the work

and thought out, even though the solution

process, says Den Brok.

or problem often does not lie in the process.

Hamberg and Den Broks advice is to omit
the process and tool during a change. Its
important to take a look at the people who
work at your department and the critical
factors, according to both. For this method,
Den Brok and Hamberg were inspired by
the book Pimp your department (Pimp je

THE FORCES ARE: TASK, ENVIRONMENT,

LEADERSHIP AND STRUCTURE
Elsbeth Hamberg
Project manager, TOPdesk

afdeling) by Jeroen Busscher. In this book,

the author discussed four forces that can
influence your department. It can be very
useful to analyze these forces in order to use
them properly and act accordingly.

The service desk as starting point

Forces

Force 1: Task

To ensure that the people in the service desk

The reason for the teams existence. The

teams perform at a high level, it is important

added value the team provides to their

that you look at the four different forces

customers and the tasks they perform.

The service desk is not the only department

that can influence your team. The forces are:

that can be improved. Agreements are made

task, environment, leadership and structure

The customer is important for this force,

in every team, or even in every group in which

. Using these forces correctly can help you

says Hamberg. Keep in mind that being

people collaborate, says Hamberg. But we

build a department that is fully service-

customer-oriented does not always mean that

TOPDESK MAGAZINE - JUNE 2016 27

ITS OUR GOAL TO PROVIDE

SUGGESTIONS THAT MAKE IT
EASIER TO FOCUS ON PEOPLE.
Kim den Bronk
Consultant, TOPdesk

you need to do everything the customer asks.

clinical, and that other colleagues dont feel at

and that the department has two employees.

Instead try and figure out the question behind

home anymore. This is not what you want to

In practice, there is one person responsible

the question. You can achieve this by actively

achieve. Thats why it is important to find the

for the front office and for performing the

contributing ideas and offering customers

right balance.

corresponding tasks. These tasks can include

an alternative solution that helps them even

picking up the phone, answering emails and

better, says Hamburg. It also helps to educate

Force 3: Leadership

talking to colleagues who have questions.

the customer. Be clear on what they can and

Here, we take a look at the behaviour that

The other colleague works at the back office

cant expect. This creates clarity and avoids

befits a leader. A leader is an individual who

and has other tasks, such as long-term

false expectations. Of course you let them

knows what needs to happen and who is an

projects that he or she can work on without

know right away why you cant help them

example for others in the organization (not

interruption. Because of this strict division,

and refer them to someone who can solve

necessarily the boss).

the back office employee cant help colleagues

the problem. As a service employee you need

with their question. Not even when the

to take into account that you should always

Many teams have a team leader and a

phone wont stop ringing. You cant help your

follow policy, says Hamburg. This is exactly

manager. In practice, each team has some

front office colleagues, even though you have

where it usually goes wrong: communication.

other leaders as well. This can be someone

time to pick up the phone, says Den Brok.

Management decides on something, but

who knows when everyone has their birthday,

This not only leads to an unpleasant situation

does not communicate this correctly with the

who buys the present and decorates the

between colleagues but youre wasting the

service employees. In turn, they dont have

work spaces, says Hamburg. Thanks to

customers time as well. Being strict about

enough information to explain something at

these activities and personal attention, this

structure doesnt make you customer-focused.

the service desk. This leads to them having

colleague has a special status within the

But without structure, there is chaos. Without

to say no to a customer, while precisely this

team. And if you, as team leader, want your

rules nobody knows who needs to pick up the

information is so important, says Den Brok.

employees to be more on time, you could

phone and no one is happy in a situation like

use the status of this social leader. Chances

that. Structure with a flexible attitude could

Force 2: Environment

are that the team accepts the request better

be a solution here, says Hamburg.

This comprises everything that surrounds

when it comes from him or her, because this

you during a working day. Not just the work

person is closer to the team than the official

environment and work place, but also team

team leader, Hamburg continues.

rituals, habits and stories that are told within

the team.

Focusing on people
Hamburg and Den Brok believe that

Force 4: Structure

organizations should not always focus on the

This comprises all rules and frameworks in an

process or tool, but more often on people.

An environment can be either inspiring or

organization. All matters that dictate what

Its our goal to provide guidelines to make

discouraging for the team members, says

can and cant happen.

it easier to focus on people , says Den Brok.

Hamburg. She illustrates: A colleague who

They also hope that these guidelines explain

cant work in chaos wont be able to work

The Structure force is about how everything

which minor actions and interventions can

very well at a chaotic department. You can

is implemented. Hamburg uses a department

help you improve your service desk.

solve this by creating order. However, you do

with a front and back office as an example.

run the risk of making the department too

Imagine that you stick strictly to this division