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285 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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1.1.1 Leadership Principles - Characteristics of an effective leader
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• Leads by example
• Motivates others • Encourages participation, creative thinking, and initiative • Demonstrates a positive attitude • Practices active listening skills • Displays ethical behavior |
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1.1.2 Leadership Principles - Personal Accountability
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• Taking ownership of incidents or service requests
• Admitting to errors • Adhering to a work schedule • Knowing your responsibilities and fulfilling them • Meeting personal commitments • Adhering to organization policies and procedures • Representing the organization positively outside the regular work environment |
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1.1.3 Leadership Principles - Manage Your Work Life
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• Be on time or early with every assignment or meeting
• Always approach your manager with solutions, not problems • Trust your manager—you may not understand why a specific decision is made Increase your problem solving and critical thinking skills by taking good physical care of yourself (i.e., sleep, exercise, eating healthy) • Acknowledge those around you for their dedication • Identify ways to assist your manager with new projects to build trust |
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1.2 Ethics - Ethical Behavior Analysts who
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• Provide consistent service to all customers
• Demonstrate honesty and integrity in their actions • Take ownership and hold themselves personally accountable for their actions • Fulfill commitments • Protect and enhance the image of the support center • Are loyal to their team |
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1.3.1 Time Management - Multitasking includes
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• Switch between tasks smoothly throughout the day
• Prioritize tasks throughout the day as circumstances require, with minimal supervision • Organize work effectively |
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1.3.2 Time Management - Use Your Time Efficiently
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• Planning projects and activities in advance
• Prioritizing tasks to ensure that you spend time on tasks that contribute to the achievement of your goals • Addressing the most important action items first • Accurately estimating and planning how long nonroutine tasks will take • Being more efficient when performing routine tasks • Using a time management tool or daily “to-do” list • Learning to say “no” when appropriate |
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1.4.1 Written Communication - Effective e-mail communication includes
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• Understanding your audience so that you can tailor and optimize message content
• Labeling your message with a subject line that reflects the message content • Structuring your message so that it’s easy, quick to read and understand—include an opening, bullet points, and closing • Using clear, concise business language so that your message is communicated effectively • Proofreading your message before you send it to ensure it is communicating what you intend • Using plain text and avoid fancy fonts, colors, and RTF or HTML formatting • Including the original message with replies to provide a context for the message • Using appropriate punctuation • Avoiding abbreviations (e.g., “BTW” instead of “by the way”) and emoticons • Using appropriate capitalization (avoiding the use of all capital or all lower-case letters) |
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1.5.1 Stay Informed - A support professional stay informed by
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• Attending courses and seminars
• Networking with other professionals at industry events • Subscribing to industry publications • Joining industry groups • Subscribing to or participating in online discussion groups |
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1.6.1 Role of Support Center Analyst - SCA delivers quality customer service by
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• Responding to customer incidents in a timely manner
• Understanding and documenting customer needs • Taking ownership of customer incidents • Making specific commitments, then consistently meeting or exceeding those commitments, while remaining faithful to organizational policies • Resolving or assisting in the resolution of incidents within established service levels • Enhancing the customer’s relationship with the support center and organization • Promoting the image of the support center |
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1.6.2 Role of Support Center Analyst - SCA is responsible for
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• Understanding the mission and goals of the support organization
• Communicating any issues/concerns to support center management • Following support center policies and procedures • Reporting any inaccuracies or incorrect data to support center management • Representing the support center in a professional manner |
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1.7.1 Global Perspective - Cross-Cultural Communication
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• Listen actively
• Match the customer’s communication style • Use standard language expressions (i.e., eliminate slang) and simple sentences • Moderate the pace of the call to accommodate the customer • Let customers know if you have any difficulty understanding them • Pause to consider what is being said to better understand the customer • Encourage the customer to ask for clarification throughout the conversation • Use e-mail, faxes, or handwritten notes to ensure understanding • Ask the customer to repeat the question • Use closed-ended questions to verify understanding • Paraphrase the customer’s question or request in your own words to verify your understanding |
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1.7.2 Global Perspective - A language barrier can lead to
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• The analyst misunderstanding the customer’s situation/problem
• The customer misunderstanding the analyst’s instructions • The customer or the analyst becoming frustrated • Poor customer satisfaction • Unintended insults • Miscommunication • Increased risk of escalation |
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1.7.3 Global Perspective - Options available for language assistance
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• Translation applications or services - Web-based translation tools - PC tools
• An interpreter - Other support center staff - Other people at the customer’s site or at the support center who have an understanding of the language |
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1.7.4 Global Perspective - Obtain language assistance when supporting a customer
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• Frustration levels are increasing
• There is little or no understanding between you and the customer • The words the customer is using do not seem logical |
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1.8.1 Emotional Intelligence - Emotional Intelligence is
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• The ability to recognize and know what emotions you are feeling
• Managing one’s emotions so that they do not overwhelm a situation and one’s thinking capability • Being able to recognize the emotions that others are feeling • Helping to manage other’s emotions in order to ensure that those emotions do not overwhelm situations and thinking capacities • The ability to create sincere and authentic relationships that produce value and productivity |
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1.8.2 Emotional Intelligence - Emotional Intelligence is important CSA
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• It is important to understand a customer’s emotional need as well as their business need
• It makes one more aware of their own reactions and how it impacts the quality of the relationship between them and customers, peers, and management • It is important to understand how people work |
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1.8.3 Emotional Intelligence - 3 major components of Emotional Intelligence
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1. Self -awareness 2. Emotional Managements of Self and Others 3. Emotional Connection |
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1.8.4 Emotional Intelligence - An emotional hijack happens when
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• There is a perceived threat, whether it is real or not, from a situation or person
• There is a change in the chemistry of the brain that does not allow one to think rationally and clearly, which can last for up to 18 minutes • The body and brain are flooded with adrenaline and cortisol which can cause one to be over sensitive and/or tired very quickly |
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1.8.5 Emotional Intelligence - The impact of an emotional hijack can leave a person
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• Saying things that may be hurtful without thinking about the consequences
• Not able to respond to a situation verbally or physically |
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1.8.6 Emotional Intelligence - Manage a customer’s hijack while on the phone
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• Make sure the customer knows you are on their side to help
• Listen attentively to the underlying emotion in the conversation • Align yourself with the customer by identifying and stating their felt emotion with sincerity • Create an environment of help by using words like “we” and “us” which will create a calming effect with the customer |
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2.1.1 Promote the Support Center - Promote the image of the support center by
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• Delivering a consistent, quality greeting and closing
• Keeping customers advised of the steps being taken to resolve their incidents or service requests • Providing customers with accurate information • Delivering consistent, professional results • Being aware of how personal conduct outside of the work environment could affect the organization’s image • Exhibiting professionalism and confidence • Taking ownership, even when you do not have a ready answer |
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2.1.2 Promote the Support Center - Mission Statement
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A mission statement is a formal short written statement of the purpose of a company or organization
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2.1.2 Promote the Support Center - Mission Statement
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The mission statement should guide the actions of the organization, spell out its overall goal, provide a sense of direction, and guide decision-making.
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2.1.3 Promote the Support Center - A mission statement
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• Defines the organization’s purpose and reason for being (i.e., what you are doing and why you are doing it)
• Identifies the main purpose and role of the organization, focusing everyone on a common goal • Inspires commitment |
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2.2.1 Organizational Policy -
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Policies define what is or is not permitted within an organization. A policy establishes expectations and limitations related to behavior. |
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2.2.2 Organizational Policy - Adhering to organizational policies is important because it
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• Encourages consistent behavior throughout the support center
• Provides a framework for the delivery of consistent service • Protects the organization against legal action • Helps protect the organization and customers’ proprietary information and other assets |
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2.2.3 Organizational Policy - Organizational policies
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• Provide clear definitions of boundaries within which to work
• Define what is acceptable and unacceptable employee behavior • Provide guidelines for dealing with inappropriate behavior • Set customer expectations |
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2.3.1 Support Center Services - Support Center responsibilities
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• Being cost-effective by responding to customer incidents and service requests in a timely, efficient manner
• Providing support center employees with training so they can deliver knowledgeable support while satisfying customer expectations • Delivering consistent, quality support while following the guidelines of the organization and adhering to the terms of any relevant SLAs • Ensuring the customer is supported in a respectful, courteous, and positive manner • Ensuring the analyst knows and understands the conditions of any relevant service level agreements (SLAs) |
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2.3.2 Role of the support center
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• Serve as the single-point-of-contact (SPOC) for end users and the business
• Execute or facilitates the Incident Management and Request Fulfillment processes • Communicate with users in terms of providing information, advice, and guidance |
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2.3.3 Value of the support center to the organization
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• Improved customer service satisfaction with IT Services
• Increased accessibility through a single operational point of contact (SPOC) • Improved teamwork and communication • Enhanced focus and a proactive approach to service provisioning • Reduced negative impact on the business through improved restoration times and reduction in interruptions leading to improvement in business productivity • Improved usage of IT support resources and increased productivity of business personnel |
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2.3.4 Evolution of support center services
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• Support centers of the past; - Entry-level, low-skill staff - Reactive - Paper-based systems - Phone-based systems - voice and fax |
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2.3.4 Evolution of support center services
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• Support centers of today; - Proactive - Automated incident logging and tracking systems - Internet and Web-based systems - Instant messaging (IM) and chat - Customer relationship management (CRM) |
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2.3.4 Evolution of support center services
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• Support centers of tomorrow; - Expanded scope of services - Customer- and business-centric - Universal queue and universal agent - Self-service |
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2.3.5 Metrics that illustrate how well the support center supports the business
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• Customer Satisfaction • Service Level Achievements • Contribution to achievement of enterprise/customer goals/objectives |
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3.1.1 Teamwork - Characteristics of a team
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• Work together to complete a task
• Assist one another • Share ideas • Listen actively to each other • Support one another • Respect the abilities of all team members • Behave courteously towards all team members • Participate and contribute equally |
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3.1.2 Teamwork - Characteristics of a supportive workplace
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• Rapport among team members
• Leadership and empowerment from management • A willingness among team members to collaborate and assist other team members • Responsible and trustworthy team members • Honest, trusted two-way communication between management and employees • Clear job descriptions that map to actual duties and responsibilities • Individual and team reward and recognition programs • Fair and consistent policies concerning the performance of duties |
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3.1.3 Teamwork - Responsibilities of team members
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• Sharing ideas and knowledge by participating in team discussions and activities
• Respecting other team members • Being receptive to the ideas of other team members • Being punctual—arriving promptly for meetings and for work • Taking personal accountability for one’s actions and fulfilling one’s responsibilities |
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3.1.4 Teamwork - Benefits of teamwork
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• Synergy—the results of combined efforts will be greater than the equal amount of individual effort
• Increased motivation and job satisfaction • A team that is flexible and adaptive to change, thus providing high-quality service • A team with collective knowledge, collaboration, and resourcefulness • Team members that are more committed because they have a sense of ownership in decisions • Enhanced communication |
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3.1.5 Teamwork - Successful teams
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• Have clear goals, objectives, and expectations • Achieve their goals in a coordinated, effective manner • Encourage trust among team members • Are willing to help and defend each other • Receive leadership and support from management • Share knowledge among team members • Benefit from incentives and recognition • Communicate effectively within and outside of the team • Create, update, and follow processes to ensure quality • Encourage participation in decision making • Provide for the recognition of individual and team performance • Are well regarded within the organization |
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3.2.1 Building Rapport - Techniques for Effective Relationships
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• Be aware of how your team contributes to the success of other teams
• Treat others as you would like to be treated • Treat others in your department as if they were your customers • Understand the responsibilities and roles of other departments • Inform other departments about the roles and responsibilities of your group • Focus on the steps necessary to resolve the incident or service request, not on blaming others • Look for opportunities to share information • Adopt a “we’re all on the same team” attitude • Recognize others for their contributions • Optimize your communication to suit your audience |
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3.3.1 Stress Management - Stress
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• A reaction to change
• A natural reaction that can have a positive or negative impact • A feeling caused by being prevented from achieving a desired outcome |
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3.3.2 Stress Management - Causes of Stress
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• Too much work for available staff
• Not enough time or ineffective use of one’s time • Personal situations and conflicts • Lack of knowledge or training • Feeling out of control • Lacking confidence in management and colleagues • Physical obstacles, such as illness or disability • Environmental obstacles, such as temperature • Lack of self-confidence |
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3.3.3 Stress Management - Physical Symptoms of Stress
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• Increased heart rate
• Increased blood pressure • Perspiration • Muscle tension • Fatigue • Tightness in the neck and shoulders • Higher incidence of influenza, colds, and chills • Backache • Problems sleeping • Irritability and short-temperedness • Headache • Stomach ache • Difficulty concentrating • Dermatological problems |
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3.3.4 Stress Management - Techniques for Managing Stress
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• Prioritize goals and set realistic expectations
• Take deep breaths • Take breaks and lunches • Talk about your concerns • Confront the issues that are causing stress • Exercise • Consider buying and adopting a pet • Manage your time more effectively, possibly using a time management tool • Broaden your interests with a hobby or social life outside of work • Give something back to the community (i.e., volunteer) • Adopt a more balanced diet |
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4.1.1 Support Center Infrastructure - Common Support Tools & Technologies
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• Telephony Tools
- Automated Call Distribution (ACD) - Automatic Voice Recognition (AVR) - Interactive Voice Response (IVR) - Voice -over Internet Protocol (VoIP) - Computer Telephony Integration (CTI) |
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4.1.1 Support Center Infrastructure - Common Support Tools & Technologies
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• Collaboration Tools
- Knowledge Sharing Tools - Instant Messaging (IM) - Wikis - Screen Sharing - Digitial Whiteboards - Social Media messaging (E.g., Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+) |
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4.1.1 Support Center Infrastructure - Common Support Tools & Technologies
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• Remote Support Tools
- Remote Control - Remote Collaboration - Remote Administration |
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4.1.1 Support Center Infrastructure - Common Support Tools & Technologies
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• Monitoring and Alerting Tools
- Monitor boards (system/service status) - Paging systems - Real time messaging systems |
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4.1.1 Support Center Infrastructure - Common Support Tools & Technologies
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• Self-service technologies
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4.1.1 Support Center Infrastructure - Common Support Tools & Technologies
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• Automated Remediation technologies
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4.1.1 Support Center Infrastructure - Common Support Tools & Technologies
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• Social Media technologies
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4.1.1 Support Center Infrastructure - Common Support Tools & Technologies
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• Cloud Services technologies—public, private, hybrid models
- Application-as-a-Service - Desktop-as-a-Service (DaaS) - Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) - Platform as a Service (PaaS) - Software as a Service (SaaS) - Storage as a Service (STaaS) (E.g., Dropbox, Google Docs) |
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4.1.1 Support Center Infrastructure - Common Support Tools & Technologies
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• Service Management Systems
- Incident and Service Request Management - Problem Management - Change Management - Configuration Management - Asset Management - Event Management |
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4.1.1 Support Center Infrastructure - Common Support Tools & Technologies
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• Knowledge Management Systems
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4.1.1 Support Center Infrastructure - Common Support Tools & Technologies
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• Workforce Management Systems
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4.1.1 Support Center Infrastructure - Common Support Tools & Technologies
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• Reporting Systems
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4.1.1 Support Center Infrastructure - Common Support Tools & Technologies
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• Mobile Device Management
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4.2.1 Telephony Tools - Purpose of Telephony Systems for support
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interactive channel for phone communication,
- Internet calling, - mobile communication, - faxing, - voicemail, - video conferencing. |
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4.2.2 Telephony Tools - Describe common telephony features. Common telephony features include
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• Hold — During the hold, typically music or company messaging plays with promotions or information.
• Mute — A customer can still be heard, an analyst cannot be heard • Transfer — used to send a customer to another department, group, or individual to assist with an incident or request. A warm transfer is the best practice recommendation when conducting a transfer • Call Park — allows for a call to be placed on hold and then retrieved from any telephone set within the system • Conference Calling — provides a bridge for multiple callers to dial-in for training and meetings • ANI/Caller ID — ANI feature captures the caller’s number and line information • Automated Attendant — voice menu system that allows callers to be transferred to an extension, Unattended Service and Night Service are two features of an Automated Attendant. • Live Monitoring — allows for calls to be monitored in real time - Side-by-side—sitting with an analyst during the call - Silent Monitoring (unannounced)—monitoring a call live from another location • Recorded Monitoring - Voice and screen recording—reviewed at later time |
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4.2.3 Telephony Tools - Describe Automated Call Distributor (ACD) systems
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An ACD system is a system that distributes incoming contacts to support analysts. The main task of an ACD system is to route calls to the appropriate analysts based on established business rules. The system includes hardware, lines, switches, and software.
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4.2.4 Telephony Tools - Describe the purpose of an ACD System
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The purpose of an ACD is to distribute incoming calls/ contacts (typically large volumes) to a specific group of individuals/agents based on a set of predefined routing strategy. ACD’s are used where incoming calls/contacts need to speak/interact with someone, but not any specific individual.
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4.2.5 Telephony Tools - Describe Interactive Voice Response (IVR) systems
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Interactive Voice Response (IVR) is a component of a telephony system that interacts with callers, collects data, and can provide solutions by routing contacts to the appropriate analyst. An (IVR) uses a combination of voice recognition, a feature called Automatic Voice Recognition (AVR) and touch-tone keypad selections as input.
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4.2.6 Telephony Tools - Describe the purpose of an IVR System
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The purpose of an IVR system is to collect, validate, and route customer information efficiently to support analysts.
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4.2.7 Telephony Tools - Identify the support functions that can be supportted by an IVR System. The following support functions can be supported using IVR systems
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• Password reset • Incident or request status checks • Customer surveys • User profile updates • Faxback services • FAQs • Payment processing • Access contact information (I.e., support center hours, contact methods, etc.) |
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4.2.8 Telephony Tools - Common telephony metrics and their purposes include
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• Average Speed to Answer (ASA); The average amount of time that a caller is waiting in the queue before the call is answered. • Hold Time; The average time on hold (after the call has been answered); used to determine how long the analyst is connected to the caller. • Abandon Before Answer (ABA); The percentage of customers that end the call (I.e., hang up) before the call is answered. • Average Handle Time (AHT); Talk Time + After Call Work (ACW) + Hold time; used to develop staffing/scheduling model. • Average Talk Time (ATT); The percentage or amount of time an analyst spends handling/ talking to a customer. • Availability; The percentage of total time the analyst has been available to take incoming or make outgoing calls; used to measure staff productivity and utilization. |
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4.2.9 Telephony Tools - Identify the benefits of call measurements in the support center. The benefits of call measurements include
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• Identifying required resources for staffing and scheduling • Determining the schedule plan • Measuring analyst performance |
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4.3.1 Computer Telephony Integration (CTI) - Describe Computer Telephony Integration (CTI)
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Computer Telephony Integration (CTI) is technology that allows for the interactions between telephony systems and computer systems. For example, a customer can input a unique identifier such as an account number, employee id, or other personal identification number in to the IVR/AVR menu feature of a telephone system. This data is then sent to the service management system. The data is then validated and used by the system to route the call to the analyst via a simultaneous phone call (or chat) and “screen pop”. A screen than shows the appropriate customer information for analyst to validate before handling the issue.
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4.3.2 Computer Telephony Integration (CTI) - Describe the purpose of a CTI system
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The purpose of a CTI System is to handle users and customers more efficiently by providing immediate access to information which enables the analyst to customize a greeting and have current customer information on hand.
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4.3.3 Computer Telephony Integration (CTI) - Identify examples of CTI functionality
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• Validates customer entitlement or authenticates customer information • Screen pop • Synchronous screen transfer for escalations • Automated dialing • Automated dispatch • Voice recording integration • Call/Ticket Monitoring • Password Reset • Routes calls, tickets, emails, and chats • Automated customer profiling |
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4.3.4 Computer Telephony Integration (CTI) - Benefits of CTI include
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• Efficiency of customer contacts by reducing the Average Handle Time (AHT) by gathering repetitive data. The analyst does not have to gather and search for information which reduces the time spent on with the contact
• Increases value by improving productivity— handling contacts in less time, validating data vs. collecting, reducing the time to resolve issues • Improves the customer experience due to the customer information being validated and routed to the appropriate analyst • Increases customer confidence and perception • Reduces cost by providing a quicker customer resolution |
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4.3.5 Computer Telephony Integration (CTI) - Challenges of CTI
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• Integration with other systems may be complex and costly • Integration can result in longer ASA times if not implemented properly • May require customers to enter information, such as their ID, in order to facilitate call routing |
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4.4.1 Support Delivery Methods - Identify methods used for delivering support
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• Assisted service; - Telephone support - Desktop support (on-site) - Walk-up support - Electronic support » Remote control » Instant messaging (IM) » Chat » Social media |
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4.4.1 Support Delivery Methods - Identify methods used for delivering support
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• Self-service;
- Help applications - Knowledge bases - Online documentation, tutorials interactive videos - Social media |
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4.4.1 Support Delivery Methods - Identify methods used for delivering support
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• Automated remediation (self-healing)
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4.4.2 Support Delivery Methods - Factors used to determine support delivery methods
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• Product or application being supported • Impact of the incident or service request • Complexity of the skill set needed to resolve the incident or service request compared to the expertise of your support staff • Stipulations in the Service Level Agreement (SLA) • Location of the customer • Time zones of the customer and the support analyst • The support center hours of operation • Availability and capability of remote tools • Effectiveness of knowledge management |
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4.5.1 Telephone Support - Purpose of telephone support
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• Requires no previous training to use
• Is immediate, interactive, two-way communication • Is usually perceived as having highest value by customers • Normally provides quick access to support center personnel • Escalates to other support groups and may invoke other methods if the incident or request cannot be resolved over the phone • Utilizes remote control technologies to assist in service restoration |
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4.5.2 Telephone Support - Benefits of telephone support
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• Detecting the emotional state of the customer and developing customer relationships
• Improved customer perception by providing direct access • Faster problem determination for complex issues • Conveys tone of voice as well as message for more complete communication |
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4.5.3 Telephone Support - Challenges of telephone support
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• Lack of visual (social) clues
• More expensive than most other channels • Keeping customer focused on the single issue • Cannot see what customer sees, relied on customer description of what they see and did • Little education or training due to telling vs. showing |
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4.6.1 Desktop Support - Describe desktop support
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Desktop support involves a support professional going to a customer’s physical location to respond to an incident or request. Desktop support should be used when the incident or request cannot be resolved remotely.
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4.6.2 Desktop Support - Benefits of desktop support
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• One-on-one, face-to-face communication with the customer, which establishes better rapport
• Desktop support technicians can view the environment from the customer’s perspective • Facilitates better understanding of user situation and environment |
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4.6.3 Desktop Support - Challenges of desktop support
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• Cost—it is the most expensive way to provide support
• Proper documentation • Lack of accountability if incidents are not documented—in real time or in a timely manner • Utilization and productivity issues due to drive-by’s |
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4.7.1 Electronic Support - Electronic support delivery methods |
• Remote Support — Remote support tools provide a support center the ability to remotely access, repair, and fix devices, workstations, and servers without the need of having a person physically present onsite. This reduces costs, deceases downtime, and decreases the support resources required to restore the service. In addition, remote support tools provide the support professional with the ability to troubleshoot and collaborate remotely with customers, thus facilitating service restoration. Types of remote support tools include- remote control, remote collaboration, and remote admistration.
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4.7.1 Electronic Support - Electronic support delivery methods
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• E-mail— Allows customers to submit incidents, service requests, and requests for change (RFCs) at a time most convenient for them. This method allows a support center professional to respond to customers who are not onsite.
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4.7.1 Electronic Support - Electronic support delivery methods
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• Instant Messaging (IM) and Chat—Enables interactive communication between customers and the support staff. It also allows the support staff to quickly access in-house experts for assistance to eliminate/reduce further escalations.
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4.8.1 Self-service - Objective of Self-service
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• Provides easy access to documentation (E.g., policies, procedures, SLAs, FAQs, etc.) to help customers resolve
• Provides customers with the ability to search for solutions to commonly known errors and questions • Provides training and online technical tutorials • Allows customers to update contact information and reset passwords • Allows customers to submit incidents and requests • Allows customers to check on the status of their incident |
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4.8.2 Self-service - Benefits of self-service technology
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• Restoration of service without assistance enables users to be independent and self-sufficient • Provides an additional support channel, available 24x7 • Provides consistent responses to repetitive requests enabling more self-sufficiency • Provides a preferred support method for some customer segments • Lowers the cost of support for the support center • Reduces downtime for users |
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4.8.3 Self-service - Common self-service technology
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• Web-based systems
• Faxback systems • IVR/AVR-based systems • Online training/tutorials • Online help systems for applications • Customer forum groups • Support blogs • Social media • Learning Management Systems (LMS’s) that include online video and computer training |
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4.9.1 Automated Remediation (self-healing technology) - Objectives of automated remediation (selfhealing technology)
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• Is intended to provide instantaneous (24/7/365) response to issues minimizing the impact of any service failures • Identifies when an issue has occurred and initiates remedial or corrective action to restore a user/ system to a functioning state (without human intervention) • Should link/correlate to incident, request, problem, and change management |
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4.9.2 Automated Remediation (self-healing technology) - Examples of automated remediation functionality
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• Scan and monitor for viruses • Restore services (systems/infrastructure) after a virus has been detected • Automatically check/install updates/patches • Diagnose and resolve common incidents (I.e., network connectivity, printer access) • Perform file clean-up • Repair application issues |
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4.9.3 Automated Remediation (self-healing technology) - Benefits of automated remediation tools
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• Increased availability of services for users • Reduction in downtime for business • Reduction in calls/escalations to technical management • Improved categorization for incident, problem, and change management (corrective actions) • Increased customer satisfaction due to reduced incidents and disruption to the business |
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4.9.4 Automated Remediation (self-healing technology) - Challenges of automated remediation tools
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• Integration with systems/infrastructure can be challenging and costly
• Tracking incidents and problems corrected by selfhealing can be inconsistent |
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4.10.1 Social Media - Purpose of social media
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Social media provides highly-interactive platforms to facilitate the interactions (create, share, exchange of information) of people via virtual (online collaboration, social networking, forums, micro blogging) communities to help each other.
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4.10.2 Social Media - how social media technology is used in the support center
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• Customers and employees can create, search, and update posts facilitating knowledge sharing between each other • Community members share knowledge with each other via various platforms • Personalized communication via customer preferred channels • Easily customized push/pull channels for communication • Customers share experiences with each other and the service provider • Data mining for product/service improvement |
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4.10.3 Social Media - Benefits of using social media technologies
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• Engages customers through their preferred communication channels • Community members assist each other with real-life experiences • Facilitates collaboration to create and share information and knowledge • Allows individuals and communities to support each other • Increases efficiency of the business due to collaboration, allowing simple issues to be resolved quicker |
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4.10.4 Social Media - Challenges of using social media technology
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• Social media platforms can be siloed; therefore, information is not easily shared between social media platforms • Unfamiliarly of support personnel with social media tools • Culture change for customers and support which can result in lower utilization and lower learning curves |
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4.11.1 Cloud Services
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A set of services offered via a network and a distributed computing environment where the services are provided via a real infrastructure (I.e., hardware, software, storage); however, these services appear to be virtual. Cloud is a synonym for distributed computing over a network of virtual servers and services.
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4.11.2 Cloud Services
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Objective of cloud services. The primary objective of cloud services is to offer scalable, on-demand virtual services that can be moved and scaled up/down without affecting the users or business.
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4.11.3 Cloud Services - Different types of cloud services
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• Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) • Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) • Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) • Storage-as-a-Service (SaaS) • Applications-as-a-Service (AaaS) • Desktop-as-a-Service (DaaS) |
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4.11.4 Cloud Services - Benefits of cloud services
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• Easily scalable and more flexible to meet the needs of the business
• Facilitates faster deployment of new services • Reduced spending on infrastructure costs • Device and location independence • Improved resource utilization • Enhanced capacity management capabilities improving financial stewardship of IT resources |
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4.12.1 Workforce Management Systems - Objective of workforce management systems
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Workforce management systems are designed to properly allocate the supply of human resources to meet the demands of the business. Workforce management systems are designed to properly calculate and forecast contact volumes to optimize the scheduling of resources, which enables the business to meet goals and manage costs.
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4.12.2 Workforce Management Systems - Benefits of workforce management for a support organization |
• Effective utilization of support center staff
• Accurate staffing and scheduling plans, ensuring a better understanding of costs • Improved understanding and management of shrinkage (costs) • Resource scheduling based on historical and anticipated contact volumes • Adjusted staffing levels to respond to peak demands |
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4.13.1 Monitoring and Alert Systems
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A monitoring and alert system is software used to check a network system’s logs and/or performance. If preprogrammed criteria are met, the alert system sends out notifications to the administrator and others.
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4.13.2 Monitoring and Alert Systems - Common tools used to communicate with alerting systems |
• Web site alerts • Phone • Paging • Broadcast messaging |
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4.14.1 Reporting Systems - Purpose of reporting systems
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• Allow management to make better decisions, quicker, and at lower risk which enables the support organization to contribute to the achievement of organizational goals and objectives • Allow management to better understand trends in performance and identify any changes in performance |
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4.14.2 Reporting Systems - Benefits of reporting systems |
• Report support center trends to management, customers, and support center staff
- Understand relataive performance of individuals and teams - nderstand effectiveness of processes - Understand efficiency of processes |
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4.14.2 Reporting Systems - Benefits of reporting systems
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• Improves the understanding of the value of support to management, customers, and support center staff
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4.14.3 Reporting Systems - List types of reporting systems
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• Scorecards - Simple scorecard - Balanced scorecard • Dashboards • Operations Report • Service Level Management—performance to Service Level Targets (SLT) |
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4.15.1 Mobile Device Management - Objective of Mobile Device Management (MDM)
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• Ensures the security of both company owned and employee owned devices while managing cost and reducing service downtime • Enables the functionality of deploying, assigning profiles, updating, and configuring mobile devices |
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4.15.2 Mobile Device Management - List mobile device management functions
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• Policy management • Software distribution • Inventory management • Security management • Service management |
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4.15.3 Mobile Device Management - Benefits of mobile device management
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• Minimizes the costs of deployment and maintenance of devices • Reduces support costs for mobile devices • Increases availability of mobile devices • Increases employee productivity |
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4.15.4 Mobile Device Management - Challenges of mobile device management. The challenges of mobile device management include
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• Clear mobile device policy, strategy, and standards must be established • Increased security risks with mobile devices • Implementing an effective bring-your-own-device (BYOD) strategy • Multitude and diversity of mobile platforms increases support demand • Increase in costs if not managed properly |
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5.1.1 Procedure
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A procedure is a documented set of steps required to produce a desired result.
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5.2.1 Quality Assurance
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Quality assurance (QA) is a systematic way of ensuring that all the activities necessary to design, develop, and implement services that satisfy the requirements of the organization and of customers take place as planned.
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5.2.2 Quality Assurance - Purpose of quality assurance programs
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• Ensure that the quality of service delivered meets the business requirement as identified in the SLA • Improve the level and quality of services to assure minimal impact from disruptions to the business • Recognize and reward teams and individuals • Develop coaching plans for all individuals and teams in the support center |
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5.2.3 Quality Assurance - Types of quality assurance programs
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• Service Quality • Customer Satisfaction • Employee Satisfaction • Monitoring - Call - Incident/Request (ticket/case) monitoring - Knowledge monitoring - E-mail/Chat monitoring • Maturity Assessments • Service Improvement Plans (SIP) |
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5.2.4 Quality Assurance - Explain the value of monitoring programs. Monitoring programs provide value by
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• Identifying areas of improvement within the support center processes • Identifying areas of improvement for individuals • Helping analyst understand the quality of the service delivered |
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5.2.5 Quality Assurance - Identify mechanisms for call monitoring
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• Live service observations, in which a reviewer sits with the analyst and listens in on the call • Remote service observations, in which a reviewer listens to calls live (the analyst is not aware that the call is being evaluated) • Call recording and evaluation used for training, providing analysts with an opportunity to hear how they sound on the telephone and where they can improve |
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5.3.1 Customer Satisfaction Surveys - Importance of customer satisfaction surveys
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• Understand the customer’s perception of its products, services, support, and the quality received • Identify whether customer expectations are being met • Identify what the customer feels is important • Define and assist with the development of new products, services, and support offerings based on customer needs • Identify opportunities to improve support processes, tools, training, and documentation |
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5.3.2 Customer Satisfaction Surveys - 3 most common - Ongoing incident surveys are
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• Completed as soon as possible after a call is closed • Typically short (e.g., 3–6 questions) and can be completed quickly • Used to measure the quality of a specific incident resolution • Used to monitor customer satisfaction between annual surveys and measure the impact of changes to processes, products, or services |
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5.3.2 Customer Satisfaction Surveys - 3 most common - Annual or periodic surveys are
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• Planned and scheduled on a periodic basis (e.g., annually) • Used to evaluate overall satisfaction levels with the support center’s products, service offerings, and staff • Use to identify changes to products, services, and processes that customers feel would improve their relationship with the support center and better meet their needs • Based on the customer’s perception of the company over the last year or period • Typically skewed to emphasize recent experiences |
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5.3.2 Customer Satisfaction Surveys - 3 most common - One-time surveys are
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• Not completed at regularly scheduled intervals • Conducted for a specific purpose • Appropriate for evaluating satisfaction levels with current products and service offerings or for identifying changes that customers feel are important |
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5.3.3 Customer Satisfaction Surveys - Methods for distributing surveys
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• Phone interviews • Internet, Web-based surveys • In-person interviews • Regular mail • Satisfaction follow-up cards left by service technicians • CTI and ACD systems |
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5.4.1 Support Center Best Practices and Frameworks
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Information Technology Service Management (ITSM) is a set of specialized organizational capabilities for providing value to customers in the form of services.
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5.4.2 Support Center Best Practices and Frameworks
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The objective of Information Technology Service Management (ITSM) is to deliver value to customers and the business in the form of services.
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5.4.3 Support Center Best Practices and Frameworks - Explain the value of ITSM best practices
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• Ensuring that the services provided meets the business needs • Identifying areas for improvement • Ensuring consistent delivery of services • Improving individual and organizational performance, thus enhancing customer satisfaction |
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5.4.4 Support Center Best Practices and Frameworks - Sources of IT best practices and support center framework models
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• HDI standards and best practices • KCS (Knowledge-Centered Support) • ITIL (Information Technology Infrastructure Library) |
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5.4.5 Support Center Best Practices and Frameworks - Describe the ITIL
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ITIL Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL) is one framework to achieve ITSM. It is based on a service life-cycle approach and consists of five phases; • Service Strategy – provides policy and guidance • Service Design –designs new and changed services to meet business needs • Service Transition – builds, tests, and prepares services for transition to live operation • Service Operation – delivers and supports services in operation • Continual Service Improvement – measures effectiveness and efficiency, and suggests opportunities to improve |
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5.4.6 Support Center Best Practices and Frameworks - Service desk
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The service desk is a functional unit with specialized resources and capabilities. In many organizations, the service desk refers to the support center.
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5.4.7 Support Center Best Practices and Frameworks - List the processes that the support center is typically responsible for
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• Incident Management • Request Fulfillment • Access Management |
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5.4.8 Support Center Best Practices and Frameworks - List other processes the support center may have some responsibilities for
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• Event Management • Problem Management • Change Management • Service Asset and Configuration Management • Release and Deployment Management • Service Level Management • Service Catalog Management • Availability Management • Capacity Management • IT Service Continuity Management |
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5.4.9 Support Center Best Practices and Frameworks - Explain the concept of best practice
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Best Practice is a technique, method, or process which is regarded as more effective at delivering a particular outcome than any other technique, method, or process; based on repeatable procedures that have proven themselves over time for various organizations.
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5.4.10 Support Center Best Practices and Frameworks - Explain the purpose of best practices in a service management environment
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The purpose of a best practice in the service management environment is to achieve better business results by utilizing proven industry practices.
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5.4.11 Support Center Best Practices and Frameworks - Explain the responsibilities of the support center analyst with respect to ITSM best practices
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With respect to ITSM best practices the support center analyst needs to understand that ITSM best practices exist and to understand which best practices apply to their organization.
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5.5.1 Service Level Management - Service Level Management (SLM) process
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The Service Level Management (SLM) process is responsible for defining, documenting, agreeing, monitoring, measuring, reporting, and reviewing the levels of IT services provided. The purpose of the Service Level Management (SLM) process is to - • Ensure that specific and measurable targets are developed for all IT services • Monitor and improve customer satisfaction • Improve the relationship and level of communication with the business and customers • Identify and initiate improvement initiatives |
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5.5.2 Service Level Management - List the value of a service level management process
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• Improve communication via a collaborative business-centric focus • Manages customer expectations and assure that expectations are realistic and achievable • Ensure that the organization is capable of meeting the defined service levels • Identify areas for improvement |
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5.5.3 Service Level Management - Responsibilities of a support center analyst in the service level management process
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• Work within the parameters of the service level agreements for resolving incidents and fulfilling requests • Identify where services can better meet the business needs |
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5.5.4 Service Level Management - Explain the purpose of a service level agreement (SLA)
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• Ensures that the level of service provided meets the business needs • Sets and manages customer expectations for the level of services provided • Ensures that all the internal organizations and third parties (suppliers) that provide the services understand the level of service required by the business via Operating Level Agreements (OLA) and Underpinning Contracts (UC). SLAs are documents that should be reviewed on a regular basis and updated as necessary. |
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5.5.5 Service Level Management - List the basic components of a service level agreement (SLA)
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• Service description and scope • Stakeholder information • Contact information • Hours of service/applicability • Availability and capacity targets • Priority matrix • Response and restore targets • Identification of change windows • Metrics and review information • Escalation paths and procedures • Penalties and/or chargeback information • Costs of services • Signatures and review dates |
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5.5.6 Service Level Management - Define operational level agreement (OLA)
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An operational level agreement (OLA) documents the agreements between the IT service provider and other parts of the organization which supports the delivery of services to the business. It defines roles, responsibilities, and expectations between internal groups to ensure alignment to the SLA.
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5.5.7 Service Level Management - Identify considerations for setting priority levels
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• Impact - The extent of deviation from the normal service level, in terms of- » Number of users affected » Business processes impacted - On the business or revenue - On stipulations in the SLA • Urgency - The acceptable delay to the user or business process in resolving the incident |
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5.5.8 Service Level Management - Purpose of an underpinning contract (UC)
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An underpinning contract defines the roles, responsibilities, and expectations between those third parties (suppliers) and the service provider to ensure alignment to the SLA.
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5.5.9 Service Level Management - Define service catalog
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A service catalog is a repository that contains information about IT deliverables, prices, contact points, ordering and request processes. It is a database or a structured document with information about all live IT services. Customers use the service catalog to understand what IT services are available, the costs of service, and how to procure the services. The service catalog supports the “sale and delivery” of IT services.
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5.5.10 Service Level Management - Basic components of a service catalog
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• Description of catalog and scope • Vision and mission statements • Description of services • Value of services • Description of what business process the service supports/enables • How to order and receive the service • Contact information • Prices of service |
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5.5.11 Service Level Management - Value of a service catalog
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A service catalog defines the scope of what is supported and not supported within the organization. The service catalog - • Supports the sale and delivery of services • Helps set expectations • Markets and promotes the value of the support organization to the business |
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5.5.12 Service Level Management - Common Service Level Management metrics that a support center analyst should be able to identify and explain include
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• Performance to Service Level Targets (SLT) as stated in the service level agreement (SLA) - Service targets achieved (E.g., response time, update frequency) - Service targets breached (E.g., response time, update frequency) • Business impact of service targets breached • Customer satisfaction with services |
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5.6.1 Security Management - Explain the purpose of the Security Management process
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• Protect information assets against threats • Assess and mitigate security risks • Ensure confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the information assets |
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5.6.2 Security Management - Value of having security policies
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• Ensures compliance with legal requirements • Addresses security with 3rd parties (suppliers) • Provides employees awareness of their responsibilities regarding security • Ensures security is designed into services, processes, and procedures |
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5.6.3 Security Management - Responsibility of SCA in the Security Management process
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The responsibility of the support center analyst in the Security Management process is to follow security policies and procedures and to understand the procedure for reporting any security related incidents. |
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5.6.4 Security Management - Types of security policies
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• Unique login name and password parameters • Password reset requirements • Reducing the visibility of credit card information • Blocking access to personal information • Identification badge requirements |
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5.6.5 Security Management - Types of data that should be protected
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• Customer names and IDs • National ID numbers • Individual or corporate financial information • Personal information • Credit card numbers |
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5.6.6 Security Management - Importance of reporting security compromises
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• Protects the company and the customer • Identifies the offender and prevents the security breach from occurring again • Limits the damage that is caused • Alerts customers to possible security threats • Helps in the resolution of security incidents • Enables effective security policies and procedures |
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5.6.7 Security Management - Importance of Confidentiality
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• Protects the customer and company from theft and/or abuse of information • Protects the customer from embarrassment • Ensures legal compliance |
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5.6.8 Security Management - Importance of legal compliance
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• Protects identity information • Protects the organization’s assets • Protects the organization from legal liability • Includes notifying management about issues that may involve questionable legality, so that management is able to take appropriate steps to comply with the law and to protect the organization and its customers |
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5.7.1 Incident Management - Purpose of the Incident Management process
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The primary purpose of the Incident Management process is to restore normal service operation as quickly as possible and thus minimize the impact on business operations, thus ensuring that the best possible levels of service quality and availability are maintained. ‘Normal service operation’ is defined as service operation within service level agreement (SLA) limits.
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5.7.2 Incident Management - Define incident
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An unplanned interruption to the standard operation of a service, or a reduction in the quality of that service. An Incident can also be the failure of an IT component that has not yet impacted a service—something is broken or not working as expected.
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5.7.3 Incident Management - Activities of the Incident Management process include
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• Incident Identification – incident is reported • Incident Logging – incident is logged and time/date stamped • Incident Categorization – incident is classified by type • Incident Prioritization – priority is assigned based on impact and urgency • Initial Diagnosis – search for match or workaround to attempt quick resolution and service restoration • Escalation – a transfer and/or notification to another team, individual, or management • Investigation and Diagnosis – activities undertaken identify a solution and/or workaround • Resolution and Recovery – solution is applied and service is restored • Closing – support center verifies with the user that the incident is resolved and the incident is documented correctly |
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5.7.4 Incident Management - Value Incident Management provides value by
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• Minimizing impact to the business for any failures of the infrastructure • Minimizing downtime for users • Identifying training requirements for support center staff and users |
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5.7.5 Incident Management - In the Incident Management process, the support center analyst is responsible for
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• Performing the process as defined (for their role) and at the agreed time frames (service level) • Serving as a liaison with other groups as necessary to coordinate the resolution of incidents |
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5.7.6 Incident Management - Common Incident Management metrics
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• Service Level Agreement (SLA) performance regarding incident management or OLA performance - Incidents resolved within service level targets (#, %) - Customer satisfaction with the support center incident management process |
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5.7.6 Incident Management - Common Incident Management metrics
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• Individual performance measurements regarding Incidents (#, %) - Resolved (#, %) - First Contact Resolution (FCR) (#, %) |
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5.7.6 Incident Management - Common Incident Management metrics
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• Incident backlog - Open (backlog) incidents (#, %) - Age of open incidents (backlog) compared to goals (#, %) |
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5.7.6 Incident Management - Common Incident Management metrics
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• Response Time - Time to Respond (E.g., Average Speed to Answer (ASA) for phone in seconds/minutes) |
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5.7.6 Incident Management - Common Incident Management metrics
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• Quality Monitoring - Ticket quality (for their tickets) - Customer satisfaction with individual analyst (themselves) - Customer satisfaction with support center analysts (themselves) - Customer satisfaction with the support center - Ticket quality (for their tickets) |
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5.8.1 Request Fulfillment - Explain the purpose of the Request Fulfillment process
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The Request Fulfillment process is designed to deal with service requests (e.g., standard changes from users, Installations, Moves, Adds, Changes (IMAC), How to Questions that are handled by the support center).
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5.8.2 Request Fulfillment - Define service request
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A service request is a request from a user for information, advice, a standard change or access to an IT service.
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5.8.3 Request Fulfillment - List and explain the activities of the Request Fulfillment process. Request Fulfillment is very similar to the Incident Management process, though Requests are conceptually planned/scheduled, whereas incidents are typically unplanned. The activities of Request Fulfillment are
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• Logging requests • Determining if any other approvals are necessary, if so, forward for approval • Following appropriate procedures for request (assumes each type of request is defined) |
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5.8.4 Request Fulfillment - List the value of the Request Fulfillment process. Request Fulfillment provides value by
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• Reducing downtime and cost for users via effective and efficient fulfillment of service requests • Prioritizing requests based on business goals/ alignment |
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5.8.5 Request Fulfillment - Describe the responsibilities of the support center analyst in the Request Fulfillment process. In the Request Fulfillment process, the support center analyst is responsible for
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• Performing all activities within the process as documented • Serving as a liaison with other groups as necessary to coordinate the fulfillment of requests |
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5.8.6 Request Fulfillment - Common Request Fulfillment metrics
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• Service Level Agreement (SLA) performance - Service requests resolved (by support center) within service level targets (#, %) - Operational Level Agreement (OLA) performance regarding support center service requests (#, %) • Individual performance measurements regarding requests (#, %) - Resolved (#, %) - First Contact Resolution (FCR) (#, %) • Request backlog - Open (backlog) requests (#, %) - Age of open requests (backlog) (E.g., hrs/days, % within goals) • Quality Monitoring - Ticket quality (for their tickets) • Customer satisfaction with the Request Fulfillment process |
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5.9.1 Problem Management - Purpose of the Problem Management process
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• Prevent problems and resulting service disruptions from occurring • Improve service availability by eliminating recurring incidents • Minimize the impact of incidents that cannot be prevented • Ensure that the information about problems and workarounds is maintained • Ensure that the problem resolution is implemented through the appropriate Change and Release processes |
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5.9.2 Problem Management - Define problem
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A problem is the underlying cause of one or more incidents whose root cause is usually not known.
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5.9.3 Problem Management - Define known error
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A problem where the root cause is known and a temporary workaround has been identified. Known errors are stored in the knowledge base or Known Error Database (KEDB), and can be used to resolve incidents and restore service quickly should future incidents occur.
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5.9.4 Problem Management - Value of a Problem Management process
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• Provides information about workarounds and known errors to incident management, thus increasing support center productivity and improving resolution times • Reduces repetitive incidents and increases availability of IT services |
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5.9.5 Problem Management - Describe the responsibilities of the SCA in the Problem Management process
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In the Problem Management process, the SCA is responsible for ensuring there is correct documentation for problem records. |
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5.9.6 Problem Management - Identify and explain the purpose of common Problem Management
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• Incidents recorded and linked to problems at the support center (#, %) • First Contact Resolutions (FCR) attributed to Knowledge Management / Known Error Database (#, %) |
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5.10.1 Change Management - Purpose of a Change Management process
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The purpose of a Change Management process is to respond to business requests (changes) in a timely and cost-effective manner. Change Management needs to ensure that all changes are recorded, assessed, prioritized, planned, tested, implemented and documented in a controlled manner.
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5.10.2 Change Management - Define a change
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A change is the addition, modification or elimination of an authorized, planned or supporting service (component) and its related documentation.
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5.10.3 Change Management - Value of Change Management
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• Understanding why changes have been authorized and how they impact the business and the service provider • Timely implementation of changes related to business deadlines • Fewer failed changes, thereby reducing the number and duration of service interruptions |
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5.10.4 Change Management - Responsibilities of the SCA in the Change Management process
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In the Change Management process, the SCA is responsible for following the Change Management process for all changes.
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5.11.1 Service Asset and Configuration Management - Purpose of the Service Asset and Configuration Management process |
The Service Asset and Configuration Management process is responsible for protecting and ensuring the integrity of the information about the assets and configurations within the organization.
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5.11.1 Service Asset and Configuration Management - The primary objectives of Service Asset and Configuration Management are to
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• Provide a logical model of the IT infrastructure • Control and maintain accurate information about service components • Provide valuable information for decision making to other ITSM process areas |
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5.11.2 Service Asset and Configuration Management - Value of the Service Asset and Configuration Management process
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• Provides information and knowledge that allows the organization to make better, more informed decisions faster • Facilitates diagnosis, isolation, and troubleshooting which results in improved restoration time for incidents, requests, and problems thus reducing the business impact |
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5.11.3 Service Asset and Configuration Management - Responsibilities of the SCA in the Service Asset and Configuration Management process. The responsibilities of the SCA in the Service Asset and Configuration Management process are to
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• Use configuration management information as it is available to assist with troubleshooting and resolution • Report any variations or discrepancies as per the policy |
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5.12.1 Release and Deployment Management - Explain the purpose of the Release and Deployment Management process
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The Release and Deployment Management process is responsible for protecting the integrity of IT services and the IT infrastructure through careful assessment and execution of technical and non-technical aspects of a release. |
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5.12.1 Release and Deployment Management - The primary objectives of Release and Deployment Management are to
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• Ensure technical and non-technical aspects of a release are considered • Ensure there is minimal unpredicted impact to the business from releases |
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5.12.2 Release and Deployment Management - Describe the role of the SCA in the Release and Deployment Management process
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The SCA needs to understand their role in the release management process as defined by their organization.
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5.13.1 Access Management - Explain the purpose of an Access Management process
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The purpose of an Access Management process is to manage access requests in a manner that meets the business needs. Access Management procedures are based on the security and availability policies.
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5.13.2 Access Management - Explain the value of an Access Management process
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An Access Management process increases confidentiality, integrity, and availability of information through policies defined by Security Management. It provides an effective mechanism for audit purposes
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5.13.3 Access Management - Responsibility of the SCA in the Access Management process
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The responsibility of the SCA in the Access Management process is to ensure that the process/procedures are followed.
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5.13.4 Access Management - Common Access Management metrics a support center analyst should be able to identify and explain include
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• Service level agreement (SLA) performance - Access requests resolved (by support center) within service level targets (#, %) - Operational level agreement (OLA) performance regarding support center access requests (#, %) • Individual performance measurements regarding access requests (#, %) - Resolved (#, %) • Quality Monitoring - Ticket quality (for their tickets) • Customer satisfaction with the Access Management process |
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5.14.1 Continual Service Improvement (CSI) - Explain the purpose of the Continual Service Improvement (CSI) process
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The purpose of the Continual Service Improvement (CSI) process is to ensure that the services, processes, and lifecycle phases of the service provider continue to meet the needs of the business.
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5.14.2 Continual Service Improvement (CSI) - Explain the value of the CSI process
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The CSI process provides value with ongoing assessments of how well the services and processes meet the business needs and identifies adjustments to ensure that they continue to meet the business needs.
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5.14.3 Continual Service Improvement (CSI) - Explain the responsibility of the SCA in the CSI process
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In the CSI process, the SCA is responsible for being accurate and providing realtime, accurate documentation of incidents and service requests.
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5.15.1 Knowledge Management - Explain the purpose of knowledge management in a support environment
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Knowledge Management is designed to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of other service management processes through the capture, structure, reuse, and improvement of knowledge articles.
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5.15.2 Knowledge Management - Define KnowledgeCentered Support (KCS). Knowledge-Centered Support (KCS) is
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• A principle-based methodology that seeks to capture, structure, reuse, and improve knowledge in the support delivery process
• Knowledge management best practices based on process and not technology |
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5.15.3 Knowledge Management - Define knowledge article
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A knowledge article is a findable, reusable, and structured object that contains the customer’s experience, the analyst findings, and the metadata about the article.
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5.15.4 Knowledge Management - Support centers should implement KCS to
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• Improve First Contact Resolution (FCR)
• Provide consistent answers to the same repeat questions • Provide answers to reoccurring complex issues • Respond to and resolve issues faster |
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5.15.5 Knowledge Management - The responsibilities of the support center analyst in knowledge management are to
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• Use the knowledge base before seeking to solve an incident
• Fix knowledge that is incorrect or incomplete, if authorized • Flag knowledge that is incorrect or incomplete if not authorized to fix it • Add knowledge whenever an incident is resolved where knowledge did not exist |
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5.15.6 Knowledge Management - Common metrics a support center analyst needs to know for knowledge management
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• First Contact Resolution (FCR)— should increase as the process matures within assisted service and should decrease as self-service and improved problem management are implemented
• Mean Time to Resolution (MTTR)—should decrease as the process matures within assisted service and should increase as self-service and improved problem management are implemented • Participation Rate—should increase as the process adoption matures • Number of Citations—should increase as the process adoption matures • Knowledge Quality Index—should increase as the process adoption matures • Competency Development—should increase as the process adoption matures • Number of knowledge articles created • Number of knowledge articles modified • Number of knowledge articles reused |
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5.16.1 Customer Management Skills - Best practices for customer management during Incident Management process
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• Prepare for the call - Take a breath, Stop and focus, take notes, Prepare your tone of voice
• Greet the customer - Provide a salutation, Identify your organization, Identify yourself, Verify the customer’s name and entitlement by asking a closed-ended question, Ask an open-ended question for problem-solving process • Resolve the incident - Assist the customer by resolving the incident, redirecting the call, or escalating • Close the call - Summarize the call, Ask if there's anything else you can do, Thank the customer, customer's to hang up first, Provide documentation, and ensure the information in the system is correct |
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5.16.2 Customer Management Skills - Explain the benefits of using the customer’s name during the call
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• Sets the tone for the call
• Builds rapport between the analyst and the customer • Contributes to a positive first impression of the analyst and the support center • Serves as a subtle reminder to the caller that you know who he/she is and enables him or her to focus in emotional situations |
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5.16.3 Customer Management Skills - Identify when to use the customer’s formal or informal name. During formal communication
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• Use the customer’s title and family name
• Use business terminology and language • There is little or no social discussion |
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5.16.3 Customer Management Skills - Identify when to use the customer’s formal or informal name. During informal communication
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• Titles are not used
• Use the customer’s first name • Social discussion occurs |
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5.16.4 Customer Management Skills - Techniques for keeping the customer’s attention focused on the resolution
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• Using empathetic statements to acknowledge emotion and convey understanding
• Using the customer’s name to gain attention • Requesting that the customer complete the steps with you • Asking closed-ended questions to direct the conversation • Paraphrasing to ensure understanding |
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5.16.5 Customer Management Skills - Identify habits and situations to avoid when interacting with a customer
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• Asking the customer to repeat information that has already been documented
• Continuing a separate conversation while answering a call • Expressing negative opinions about other people, teams, or departments • Background noise • Eating food or chewing gum • Extended hold times • Multiple transfers • Using acronyms, slang, regional expressions, and terms of endearment (e.g., “honey,” “mate,” and “dear”) • Being drawn into an argument with a frustrated customer |
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5.16.6 Customer Management Skills - how to use silent time effectively
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• Complete your current incident including documentation, investigation, and follow-up
• Build rapport by engaging in informal communication • Train the customer in order to raise their level of competency • Review the incident’s history • Communicate with the customer regarding new releases or new service offerings |
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5.16.7 Customer Management Skills - Describe ways to handle and redirect issues related to nonsupported items
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• Maintaining a positive service attitude • Explaining what services are offered and/or supported • Providing alternatives to handle non-supported issues |
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5.16.8 Customer Management Skills - List the steps for putting a customer on hold
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1. Ask the customer for permission.
2. Provide a valid reason why. 3. Give the customer a reasonable time frame to expect someone to return to the call. 4. Wait for a response—remember that the customer’s perception of hold time is much greater than the actual hold time. 5. Thank the customer for holding when you return to the call. |
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5.16.9 Customer Management Skills - Steps for transferring a call
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1. Let the customer know the reason for the transfer and get the customer’s agreement.
2. Ensure that the customer has your name and number in the event the call does not transfer successfully. 3. Place the customer on hold while calling the receiving party. 4. Explain the circumstances of the call and transfer all relevant information so that the customer will not have to repeat him/herself. 5. Verify that the receiving party is able to assist. 6. Connect the customer to the receiving party in a three-way call and introduce the customer. |
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5.16.10 Customer Management Skills - List the steps for closing a call
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1. Summarize — use the customer’s name and summarize the incident or service request’s resolution. Confirm that the incident/service request has been resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.
2. Ask if the customer has any other questions. 3. Thank the customer—use a standard closing and thank the customer. 4. Allow the customer to hang up first. 5. Document — provide written confirmation to the customer and update the incident or service request documentation with the appropriate information. |
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5.16.11 Customer Management Skills - The benefits of customer management
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• Optimized talk time
• Faster incident resolution times • Improved support center productivity • Establishing credibility for the support center • Increased confidence of the analyst • Enhanced image of the support center in the mind of the customer • Increased level of customer satisfaction |
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5.17.1 Active Listening - Principles of active listening
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• Be emotionally and physically prepared to listen
• Do not interrupt • Pause before replying • Minimize distractions • Document and reference notes • Acknowledge and focus on the speaker with verbal prompts (“yes,” “uh-huh,” etc.) • Paraphrase for clarification • Repeat for verification • Listen for ideas and images, not just words |
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5.17.2 Active Listening - Benefits of active listening
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• More effective incident analysis
• More effective response and resolution to the incident or service request • Increased customer satisfaction • Established credibility for the analyst and the support center • Optimized call time • Reduced stress for the analyst and the customer |
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5.17.3 Active Listening - Define paraphrasing
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Paraphrasing means to repeat what the customer said in your own words in order to.
• Give the customer the chance to agree or disagree with your understanding • Show the customer that you are listening and that you understand |
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5.17.4 Active Listening - following are barriers to active listening
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• Pace and rate of speech that is too rapid
• Previous experience with the service support center or customer • Background, education, and training • Accent • Language • Asking the wrong questions • Using inappropriate terminology • Background noise • Conversing about outside distractions such as weather, current events, or illness |
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5.18.1 Relationship Building and Communication Skills - To establish and maintain effective relationships with your customers
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• Manage their expectations
• Build rapport • Be empathetic • Provide consistent service • Understand how your systems or technology impacts your customer’s business • Publicize the support center’s accomplishments • Maintain a service attitude • Meet the customer’s psychological needs first, and then their business needs • Take ownership • Be confident |
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5.18.2 Relationship Building and Communication Skills - Matching the customer’s communication style is important because it
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• Increases comprehension and understanding
• Increases the level of customer satisfaction • Increases the confidence of the customer in the analyst and the support center • Reduces call time |
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5.18.3 Relationship Building and Communication Skills - Match a customer’s communication style by
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• Understanding the customer’s level of proficiency • Matching the customer’s vocal elements, if/when appropriate • Matching the customer’s vocabulary • Using the same level of technical terminology as the customer |
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5.18.4 Relationship Building and Communication Skills - Define a filter
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A filter is an internal bias or personal viewpoint based on one’s experiences, values, culture, education level, language difference, or geography. Filters often lead to miscommunication and can affect communication negatively.
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5.18.5 Relationship Building and Communication Skills - Communication process consists of six steps
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1. Idea/Concept – feelings, emotions, or a motivation to act 2. Encoding – the selection of the appropriate words to best express a given thought or concept 3. Transmission – the brain sends a signal to the vocal cords and the mouth to speak 4. Receiving – sound waves are received as electrical impulses by the receiver 5. Decoding – the brain processes the message 6. Interpretation – the most critical step in the process, this is when the person receiving the message puts meaning behind it |
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5.19.1 Customer Differentiating - Customer differentiating means understanding that
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• 75% of customer satisfaction consists of meeting the customer’s psychological needs
• Only 25% of customer satisfaction consists of meeting the customer’s business needs • Unresolved psychological issues can have a negative affect on incident solving and create customer dissatisfaction |
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5.19.2 Customer Differentiating - Define customer competency
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Customer competency is the customer’s ability to understand and perform a task.
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5.19.3 Customer Differentiating - The customer competency levels are
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• Unconscious Incompetence; This individual neither understands or knows how to do something, nor recognizes the specific area of their deficiency.
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5.19.3 Customer Differentiating - The customer competency levels are
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• Conscious Incompetence; Though the individual does not understand or know how to do something, he or she does recognize the deficit, without addressing it.
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5.19.3 Customer Differentiating - The customer competency levels are
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• Conscious Competence; The individual understands or knows how to do something; however, demonstrating the skill or knowledge requires a great deal of concentration.
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5.19.3 Customer Differentiating - The customer competency levels are
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• Unconscious Competence; The individual has had so much practice with a skill that it becomes “second nature” and can be performed easily (typically without concentration).
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5.19.4 Customer Differentiating - To increase communication effectiveness, adapt to a customer’s competency level by
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• Asking open-ended questions initially to gain elaboration as well as an understanding of competency level
• Actively listening to the words used in order to ascertain the customer’s level of technical competency • Changing your vocabulary to mirror the level of the customer’s terminology |
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5.19.5 Customer Differentiating - Encourage and praise the customer’s attempts at resolving the incident by
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• Always focusing on positive aspects of steps taken
• Praising their attempts without sounding condescending • Seeking clarification of any misunderstandings • Relating their actions to ones you have—or would have—taken in similar situations, to validate the customer’s self-esteem and build a feeling of teamwork between you and the customer |
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5.20.1 Conflict and Negotiation - The principles of negotiating with a customer
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• Seeking a win-win solution
• Determining the customer’s real need and where they may be willing to concede • Determining what you must achieve and where you are willing to concede • Acknowledging the benefit of the customer’s ideas • Explaining the support center’s concerns with the customer’s proposal • Offering alternatives or compromises • Putting yourself in the customer’s place |
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5.20.2 Conflict and Negotiation - Explain the difference between assertiveness, aggressiveness, and passiveness
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Assertiveness; • Demonstrates knowledge of your rights and the rights of others
• Demonstrates respect for the rights of all • Is generally the healthiest attitude Aggressiveness; • Demonstrates a disregard for the rights of others • Generally results in confrontation and elevated stress Passiveness; • Demonstrates respect only for others’ rights • Can result in elevated levels of stress |
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5.20.3 Conflict and Negotiation - Common customer emotions or actions an analyst may have to deal with include
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• Frustration
• Anger • Defensiveness • Acting judgmental • Irritation • Impatience • Ignorance • Incorrect assumptions |
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5.20.4 Conflict and Negotiation - Explain the difference between empathy and sympathy
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Empathy - identification with and understanding of another’s situation, feelings, and motives.
Sympathy - (1) (a) A relationship between people or things in which whatever affects one correspondingly affects the other, (b) Mutual understanding or affection; (2) A feeling or expression of pity or sorrow for the distress of another; (3) Harmonious agreement/ accord. |
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5.20.5 Conflict and Negotiation - The benefits of demonstrating empathy toward the customer
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• Increases customer confidence in the support center
• Creates rapport with the customer • Helps the customer focus and block out distraction • May result in the customer providing unsolicited, unexpected, and helpful information • May result in the incident being resolved quicker |
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5.20.6 Conflict and Negotiation - Signs that a conflict is developing
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• A change in the customer’s rate, volume, tone of voice, or verbiage
• The customer becomes withdrawn, gives little or no feedback • The use of words showing emotion such as; - Tired of, - Displeased, - Need, - Frustrated, - Afraid, - “You guys”, - Always, - Never, • The use of words indicating priority or severity such as; - Important, - Critical, - As soon as possible (ASAP) |
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5.20.7 Conflict and Negotiation - Identify techniques to reduce and eliminate conflict
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• Active listening
• Let the person vent and refrain from interrupting the customer • Be empathetic • Be respectful • Offer assistance • Find a resolution or identify the next step • Remain positive and confident • Set and manage the customer’s expectations • Use the person’s name |
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5.20.8 Conflict and Negotiation - Identify strategies to use when handling an irate customer
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• Let the customer vent and do not interrupt
• Do not be drawn into an argument • Be empathetic • Recognize that the customer’s anger is not personal • Be respectful and polite, but do not let the customer make unreasonable demands • Offer assistance—recommend creative solutions • Remain positive and confident |
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5.20.9 Conflict and Negotiation - Identify strategies to use when handling an emotional customer
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• Use the customer’s name to gain focus
• Empathize with the customer • Get the customer to focus on the incident or service request, not the emotion • Reassure the customer that this situation is not insurmountable and that you will resolve it together |
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5.20.10 Conflict and Negotiation - Identify strategies to use when handling a rambling customer
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• Wait a reasonable time for the customer to finish, but politely interrupt if the rambling goes on too long
• Acknowledge the customer and the information • Take control of the conversation by; - Using the customer’s name to gain their attention and focus - Using closed-ended questions to gain specific information • Tell the customer that you will need to finish the conversation so that you can start resolving the issue |
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5.20.11 Conflict and Negotiation - List steps to disengage from a customer who refuses to disengage
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1. Use closed-ended questions to steer the call toward closure.
2. Set the expectation for the next contact. 3. Recap the customer’s actions. 4. Recap the support center’s actions (i.e., the steps taken). 5. Thank the customer, say goodbye and mean it; however, allow the customer to hang up the phone first. 6. Provide the customer with written documentation of the incident. |
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5.20.12 Conflict and Negotiation - Explain why demonstrating confidence is important
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• Establishes credibility
• Encourages repeat customers • Enhances the reputation of the support center • Increases customer satisfaction • Puts you in control of the situation |
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5.20.13 Conflict and Negotiation - List techniques for demonstrating confidence over the phone
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• Using words that convey assurance
• Speaking in a positive tone of voice • Smiling when on the phone • Using your available resources • Identifying the next steps needed for resolution • Taking ownership of the situation |
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5.21.1 Documentation - Explain the importance of documenting processes and procedures
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• Helps to ensure consistent service
• Facilitates future handling of similar incidents • Creates a resourceful atmosphere by making information readily available to others for future reference • Enables new staff to become competent more quickly • Builds confidence for professional call handling • Encourages adherence to policies and procedures • Enables a support center to more readily adapt to change • Enables continuous improvement over time |
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5.21.2 Documentation - List the reasons for logging all incidents or service requests
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• Creates an audit trail of customer interactions
• Provides volume and trending information for better staffing and scheduling • Provides call frequency information • Provides data that can be used to perform root cause analysis • Provides data for other team members who may be called upon to assist or who may encounter a similar situation in the future • Provides reusable content for a knowledge base • Allows the support center to create an information checklist or FAQ |
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5.21.3 Documentation - Identify what information should be documented for incidents
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• The customer’s name (department, company, or organization)
• The contact name, if different from the customer name • Contact information (i.e., phone number and e-mail address) • The business impact and urgency of the issue • The priority of the incident or service request • The customer’s description of the incident or service request • The environment in which the incident exists • All information pertaining to attempted resolutions • Details of the interaction with the customer relating to the incident or service request • The steps taken during contact with the customer • The steps that will be taken after contact with the customer • The next contact date • The commitments made to the customer |
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5.21.4 Documentation - Using proper grammar and spelling
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• Reflects well on the organization and the analyst
• Contributes to Knowledge Management by allowing information to be reused without extensive editing • Demonstrates professionalism • Provides clarity in the event other support personnel need to work on the incident or service request • Reduces misunderstandings and distractions |
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5.21.5 Documentation - List behaviors to avoid when documenting incidents
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• Using acronyms
• Using emoticons, such as ;) • Using slang or regional phrases • Documenting negative references about customers Record the facts without adding personal opinions that do not add value. Write as if the customer will read what you’ve written. |
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5.22.1 Problem Solving - Explain creative thinking and why it is important for problem solving
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• Provides additional perspectives, such as identifying points of failure that may be causing a problem
• Helps identify more options for resolving an issue • Can improve the ability to meet the unique needs of each customer |
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5.22.2 Problem Solving - Explain critical thinking and why it is important for problem solving
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• Helps the analyst identify points of failure that may be causing a problem
• Aids an analyst in identifying weaknesses in a proposed solution, and where it can be made better Critical thinking requires active listening as well as listening with empathy. |
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5.22.3 Problem Solving - Explain the difference between deductive reasoning and inductive reasoning
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• Deductive reasoning—“focus on the facts”—is a step-by-step approach to solving problems, used when you are familiar with the problem area.
- Based on process of elimination - Entails taking logical steps • Inductive reasoning—“based on intuition”—is an experimental approach used when the problem is unfamiliar. - Based on trial and error - Entails research |
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5.22.4 Problem Solving - Difference between open-ended and closed-ended questioning. Open-ended questioning
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• Invites elaboration or narrative
• Is intended to draw out information |
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5.22.4 Problem Solving - Difference between open-ended and closed-ended questioning. Closed-ended questioning
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• Seeks “yes,” “no,” or limited responses
• Focuses on the customer • Is intended to validate or obtain specific information • Is used to control a conversation |
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5.23.1 Escalation - Describe escalation. Two types of escalation are possible in a support center
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• Functional escalation—moving an incident or service request laterally to a specialist more appropriate to the incident • Hierarchical escalation—moving an incident or service request upwards to a higher authority |
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5.23.2 Escalation - Identify reasons for escalation
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• You have exhausted your resources.
- You have exhausted your skills, expertise, and available resources, and additional technical expertise is required - Deskside support is required • The impact of the incident upon the customer’s business is high/critical. - No existing workaround is available - The incident or service request has a critical impact on the business • The customer is abusive or demands it. • The SLA dictates an escalation. - An incident or service request is approaching breach of a service level commitment or exceeds that commitment |
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5.24.1 Status Reports - Explain the importance of keeping the customer informed of changes in status
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• The customer may provide new information affecting resolution efforts
• By being informed, the customer can plan other activities more intelligently based on the resolution time • The customer knows that someone is addressing the situation and appropriate resources are being used • It increases customer satisfaction and manages the customer’s expectations • It increases employee productivity due to a reduction in the number of status updates • It minimizes the incidences of escalation |
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5.24.2 Status Reports - List the steps for providing live status updates to customers
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1. Identify yourself and your support center.
2. Specify the incident to which you are referring. 3. Describe the current status of the incident. 4. Mention the next steps or tasks scheduled, the time frame, and the next status update. (Note- It is not acceptable to say that you will only call when you have found something.) 5. Document tasks that are required of the customer and those that are required of the support center. |
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5.24.3 Status Reports - Explain the steps for leaving a voicemail status update
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1. Leave your name, the date and time of the call, and your contact information (including organization and support center).
2. Provide a reference number. 3. State the purpose of the call. 4. Provide an updated status concerning the incident or service request and reset the customer’s expectations. 5. Describe any action requested from the customer, or provide details on the next steps planned by the support center. |
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5.25.1 Customer Service - Identify the characteristics of a positive service attitude
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• Taking ownership of the incident or service request and seeing it through to resolution
• Conveying empathy and a sincere willingness to help • Maintaining a positive attitude, especially in times of change • Treating all customers with respect and courtesy • Listening actively • Referring to an incident as “ours” rather than “yours” • Operating within business guidelines while assisting the customer |
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5.25.2 Customer Service - List the benefits of a positive service attitude
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• Setting the customer’s expectations
• Creating a positive impression of the support center • Encouraging customer loyalty and repeat business • Setting an example for other support staff to follow, promoting exemplary behavior throughout the support center • Enhancing the quality of future contacts with the customer • Helping the analyst to gain the customer’s confidence and trust |
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5.25.3 Customer Service - Identify the characteristics of providing consistent service
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• Providing all customers with the same quality of service
• Assigning priority levels consistently, in accordance with the SLA • Enforcing standard policies and procedures while meeting customers’ needs |
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5.25.4 Customer Service - Identify the characteristics of excellent customer service
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• Actively listening to the customer
• Demonstrating empathy and acknowledging an understanding of emotions • Realizing that customer’s needs and expectations may change, and remaining flexible in order to meet those expectations while working within the organization’s guidelines • Proactively keeping customers informed of status through phone, Web, or e-mail updates • Taking initiative to resolve incidents, going above and beyond ordinary effort when necessary • Proactively following-up with a customer to ensure a solution remains successful • Delivering an extra measure of service when expectations have been missed in the past (e.g., knowledge transfer, productivity tip, etc.) |
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6.1.1 Metrics and Measurements - Define metric
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A metric in support is any measurement of performance or efficiency. A metric is a measure of an organizations activities and performance as it relates to the management of a process, IT service, or activity.
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6.1.2 Metrics and Measurements - Identify types of metrics
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• Performance indicators are measures of performance.
• Key performance indicators (KPIs) are a measure of progress toward achieving one’s goals and objectives. KPIs are specific to the goals of the organization. |
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6.1.3 Metrics and Measurements - Describe the importance of using metrics
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• Specify required performance levels
• Track individual and team performance • Plan for headcount • Allocate resources • Identify the need for service improvements • Acknowledge success and accomplishments • Identify required resources for staffing and scheduling • Determine the schedule • Measure analyst performance • Understand overall organizational performance |
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6.1.4 Metrics and Measurements - Identify common measurements used in the support center
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• Abandon Before Answer (ABA) (i.e., abandon rate)
• Average Speed to Answer (ASA) (sec/min) • First Contact Resolution (FCR) • First Level Resolution (FCL) • Average Handle Time (AHT) • Availability • Occupancy • Utilization • Average Hold Time • Incidents Handled and Closed per Analyst (#, %) • Incidents by Priority/Severity/Type or Category (#, %) • Customer Satisfaction Level (% , X/Y) • Employee Satisfaction Level (% , X/Y) • Unit Cost—$ per incident, $ per analyst, |
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6.1.5 Metrics and Measurements - Common metrics and their purpose
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• Abandon before Answer (ABA)- The percentage of customers that terminate a call (i.e., hang up) before the call is answered. ABA is a leading indicator that is used to manage staffing levels and scheduling.
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6.1.5 Metrics and Measurements - Common metrics and their purpose
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• Average Speed to Answer (ASA)- The average amount of time that a customer is waiting in a queue before the call is answered. ABA measurements are leading indicators that are used to evaluate and adjust staffing and scheduling levels.
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6.1.5 Metrics and Measurements - Common metrics and their purpose
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• First Contact Resolution (FCR)- The percentage of incidents resolved upon initial contact with the customer. The FCR rate is a leading indicator used to measure the knowledge level of the analyst and to measure the relative complexity of incidents.
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6.1.5 Metrics and Measurements - Common metrics and their purpose
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• First Level Resolution (FLR)- The percentage of contacts resolved at first level, not on the initial contact yet within an established timeframe after research or additional work is conducted. The incident has not been escalated to another tier group for resolution.
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6.1.5 Metrics and Measurements - Common metrics and their purpose
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• Average Handle Time (AHT)- The average time an analyst spends handling an issue. AHT includes the talk time with the customer, any hold time, and after contact/ call work (wrap-up time or ACW). AHT can be used to understand the complexity of requests and is a key component when calculating staffing and training needs.
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6.1.5 Metrics and Measurements - Common metrics and their purpose
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• Availability- The percentage of total time the analyst was logged in and available to take incoming or make outgoing calls. Availability is a leading indicator that is used to measure the analyst’s productivity and that of the support center.
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6.1.5 Metrics and Measurements - Common metrics and their purpose
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• Occupancy- The percentage of total time an analyst is logged in handling or waiting to handle a contact. This includes talk, hold and after contact work.
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6.1.5 Metrics and Measurements - Common metrics and their purpose
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• Utilization- The total percentage of actual time analyst spent handling customers.
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6.1.5 Metrics and Measurements - Common metrics and their purpose
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• Average Hold Time- The average amount of time that a customer is on hold (after the call is answered) and not speaking to an analyst. Hold time is a leading indicator used to evaluate staffing and scheduling.
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6.1.5 Metrics and Measurements - Common metrics and their purpose
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• Number of Incidents in Total and by Analyst- The total volume of incidents or service requests in a given time period. This is used for capacity and resource planning.
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6.1.5 Metrics and Measurements - Common metrics and their purpose
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• Number of Incidents by Priority, Severity, and Type- These are used to determine if issues are being handled in accordance with priority levels and escalation policy. This enables an assessment of trends and identification of root causes.
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6.1.5 Metrics and Measurements - Common metrics and their purpose
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• Customer Satisfaction- The ultimate lagging indicator, and a key measure of the support center’s effectiveness.
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6.1.5 Metrics and Measurements - Common metrics and their purpose
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• Employee Satisfaction- Another important lagging indicator, employee satisfaction is often measured through employee surveys, and impacts the ability of the support center to deliver highquality services.
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6.1.5 Metrics and Measurements - Common metrics and their purpose
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• Unit Cost- The per-cost incident of the support center’s operations (including people, infrastructure, and overhead). Cost per incident is a measure of the support center’s cost-effectiveness.
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6.1.6 Metrics and Measurements - Describe the impact if the average speed of answer (ASA) rate is higher than expected
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• Frustrated customers
• Lower customer satisfaction • Higher abandoned call rate |
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6.1.7 Metrics and Measurements - Explain critical success factors (CSFs)
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Critical success factors are areas (I.e., elements of success) that must happen if an IT service, process, plan, project, or activity is to succeed.
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6.1.8 Metrics and Measurements - Explain what the support center should do when reporting performance results
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• Identify the proper audiences (stakeholders) and the metrics they need or use • Provide a purpose, an analysis of the report (trends, achievements) • Identify considerations such as format and frequency when developing performance reports − Format of the report » Name and numbering scheme » Performance (reporting) period and date produced » Frequency format and style » Availability of report |
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6.1.9 Metrics and Measurements - Identify what the support center should do with the information derived from metrics
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• Establish processes that will regularly gather the data (who, when, sources)
• Set a goal or target for each metric • Regularly compare performance against goals and assess performance • Take actions as necessary to correct and improve performance |
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6.2.1 Balanced Scorecard - Explain the purpose and components of a Balanced Scorecard
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The purpose of the balanced scorecard is to measure how well the organization (or individual) is functioning and to predict future performance.
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6.2.1 Balanced Scorecard - The balanced scorecard
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• Translates complex business information into information that’s understandable to stakeholders
• Fosters alignment of IT and business goals |
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6.2.1 Balanced Scorecard - The four components of the balanced scorecard are
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• Financial
• Customer • Operational Efficiency • Learning and Growth |
