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Coffee Chat on May 17 at 11:00 AM EST: Successfully implementing self-service within an organization

Coffee Chat on May 17 at 11:00 AM EST: Successfully implementing self-service within an organization
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akshara.sruthi
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Hey everyone! In another 10 minutes, we’ll begin this discussion with @manns.

So let’s do a roll call now :D 

Say hello if you’re going to tune in here.  

I’m tagging all our usual folks to chime in: @keefe.andrews @zachary.king @Alefre @ErikAlmSynerity @GlennA @Sebastian_S @liamjordanmartin @OmerPaz @BrynCYDEF @Nezeki @Jerome.Haynes @Stratto @ggallaway @patricksawyer @ekrasner @michael.fong @m.rieder @IJR @MartinDG @raymondcanilao @Julie @fredddd @JCC @ShawnaJ @alyssia.correa @rashmi.nag @rhea.desouza @annapoorna.v @Arvind Ramamurti @finn @KeithW, @Brok, @Getjayesh

Isaac Thomas
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This is bound to be an exciting event. @manns knows his stuff! I unfortunately won’t be able to make it due to the pursuit of an ITIL 4 certification today. I’ll be in class learning more about ITSM. Enjoy yourselves and I will come back and check out all the amazing content!

Take care!

:( you’ll be missed @zachary.king … Do add you comments later… We’ll have this thread active through this week!!! 

-- Isaac
Malone
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Hello Everyone!

foxcubmama
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Here’s my first prompt for the day and @manns will chime in with his expertise. 

Q1: Which challenges and opportunities drove your organization to adopt IT self-service capabilities?

To answer a question, tag the answer with the corresponding number. For example, if you are answering the first question Q1, start your answer with A1 and use the Quote option 

 

A1 We are on the cusp of adopting IT Self-service capabilities - we are testing the waters so to speak, so I’m hopeful that this discussion will give me some good insight.

manns
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Here’s my first prompt for the day and @manns will chime in with his expertise. 

Q1: Which challenges and opportunities drove your organization to adopt IT self-service capabilities?

To answer a question, tag the answer with the corresponding number. For example, if you are answering the first question Q1, start your answer with A1 and use the Quote option 

 

A1. I’m not being lazy (well, maybe a little), but I wanted others to chip in a few things first on this question :)

Cheers, Stephen || https://ITSM.tools
W
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This is my second day on the job to help my company integrate an IT self service system to better serve our customers and reduce the workload of our employees who have been using a few different systems in the past. I’m eager to see everyone’s wise words on how to implement these systems effectively!

Isaac Thomas
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Here’s my first prompt for the day and @manns will chime in with his expertise. 

Q1: Which challenges and opportunities drove your organization to adopt IT self-service capabilities?

To answer a question, tag the answer with the corresponding number. For example, if you are answering the first question Q1, start your answer with A1 and use the Quote option 

 

A1. I’m not being lazy (well, maybe a little), but I wanted others to chip in a few things first on this question :)

The most common challenge that I have come across is ADOPTION. Change management has and always will be the first roadblock… What has worked for some organizations are Communicating the value it brings, the ease, and the additional coffee breaks that one can now afford… 

Your thoughts? 

-- Isaac
manns
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All the responses so far are amazing.

Here’s the second question. @manns - there you gooo! 

Q2: How would you rate your self-service success to date, and why?

As always, use the Quote option.

A2. I’ve various sets of self-service success stats to share here.

In 2017, the Service Desk Institute (SDI) found that:

“The increase in the adoption of self-service tools is undoubtedly due to the range of associated benefits that comes with the implementation of such a solution, most commonly reduced support costs, increased customer satisfaction, and a round-the-clock support channel. However, the number of organizations that have realized these benefits and have achieved the anticipated return on investment (ROI) are few, less than 12% according to recent SDI research.”

It validated what we knew and people didn’t want to talk about.

Cheers, Stephen || https://ITSM.tools
keefe.andrews
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Here’s my first prompt for the day and @manns will chime in with his expertise. 

Q1: Which challenges and opportunities drove your organization to adopt IT self-service capabilities?

To answer a question, tag the answer with the corresponding number. For example, if you are answering the first question Q1, start your answer with A1 and use the Quote option 

 

A1. I’m not being lazy (well, maybe a little), but I wanted others to chip in a few things first on this question :)

The most common challenge that I have come across is ADOPTION. Change management has and always will be the first roadblock… What has worked for some organizations are Communicating the value it brings, the ease, and the additional coffee breaks that one can now afford… 

Your thoughts? 

For adoption of any new technology I like following the framework in the book “Switch” by Chip and Dan Heath. In a nutshell you need to: 

  1. Have a logical reason for why we are doing this change. (example: will help us close more business with customers and make more $$$)
  2. Have an emotional reason for the change. (example: We are going to help our work friends combat burnout)
  3. Shape the path, make it easier to change (making the new solution easier to adopt or a default option when someone begins a process)
Isaac Thomas
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Here’s my first prompt for the day and @manns will chime in with his expertise. 

Q1: Which challenges and opportunities drove your organization to adopt IT self-service capabilities?

To answer a question, tag the answer with the corresponding number. For example, if you are answering the first question Q1, start your answer with A1 and use the Quote option 

 

A1. I’m not being lazy (well, maybe a little), but I wanted others to chip in a few things first on this question :)

The most common challenge that I have come across is ADOPTION. Change management has and always will be the first roadblock… What has worked for some organizations are Communicating the value it brings, the ease, and the additional coffee breaks that one can now afford… 

Your thoughts? 

For adoption of any new technology I like following the framework in the book “Switch” by Chip and Dan Heath. In a nutshell you need to: 

  1. Have a logical reason for why we are doing this change. (example: will help us close more business with customers and make more $$$)
  2. Have an emotional reason for the change. (example: We are going to help our work friends combat burnout)
  3. Shape the path, make it easier to change (making the new solution easier to adopt or a default option when someone begins a process)

@foxcubmama … Really interesting thought prompts here...

-- Isaac
manns
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A2. (part 2) Last year, we ran a State of IT Self-Service survey with Freshworks to ascertain how well the IT industry has moved on from these SDI findings.

It found that both email and self-service are now more popular methods – in terms of channel availability – for accessing IT service and support capabilities than telephone:

  • Email – offered by 84% of organizations
  • Self-service portal – 82%
  • Telephone – 76%

In terms of success, only 21% of organizations reported that the expected ROI for their IT self-service investment was achieved. It’s a better level than the 2017 stat but not close to where it should be.

Cheers, Stephen || https://ITSM.tools
manns
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Here’s my first prompt for the day and @manns will chime in with his expertise. 

Q1: Which challenges and opportunities drove your organization to adopt IT self-service capabilities?

To answer a question, tag the answer with the corresponding number. For example, if you are answering the first question Q1, start your answer with A1 and use the Quote option 

 

A1. I’m not being lazy (well, maybe a little), but I wanted others to chip in a few things first on this question :)

 

@manns 

A1. We are finding that many of our team members are asking for self service capabilities and they like being able to solve their own requests in terms of getting equipment or approvals. We also found that we can standardize the inputs that we want from our team members which expedites our service request processing. 

@keefe.andrews, that’s interesting… Are you looking at some Performance Parameters to quantify any of the benefits while standardizing inputs? If yes, would love to hear some stats around this!!! 

@Isaac Thomas one of the biggest time savers we recognized was with our employee onboarding process. Using the Service Catalog and workflow automator we took a process that took 30 minutes down to just one or two minutes. With an average of 50 new hires a year (lots of internships) we are saving 25 work hours a year. 

@keefe.andrews plus it delivers a great service experience to these new employees :)

I remember a decade ago speaking with a bank where new employees had to wait 6 weeks for a working laptop :/

Cheers, Stephen || https://ITSM.tools
manns
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Next prompt for the day, @manns 

Q3: What are the most significant issues you faced in introducing your self-service capabilities?
 

A3. There are some common reasons why self-service hasn’t attained the anticipated level of success in organizations (the root causes). These are in no particular order:

  • A lack of organizational change management, including selling the “what’s in it for me?” to employees, marketing the capability, and ongoing education
  • Employees might still prefer the human touch
  • Self-service introduction is seen as a way to cut costs, not to help employees better
  • Self-service takes too long to use, and calling the IT service desk is quicker
  • Not easily accessible
  • ITSM tool capabilities are outdated or ill-conceived
  • Self-service is challenging to use, and the corporate capability doesn’t live up to consumer-world-driven expectations of self-service

The aforementioned Freshworks survey also found that (and this is the IT, not employee perspective):

  • 16% of respondents stated their IT self-service portal is “Great – Our employees love using it”
  • 43% stated that it is “OK – Our employees aren’t fans but still use it”
  • 14% stated it is “Poor – Our employees avoid using it.”

So, too many organizations are not doing the right things to encourage self-service adoption (and the benefits this brings).

But people are learning and benefitting as the successes and mistakes of others are shared :)

Cheers, Stephen || https://ITSM.tools
keefe.andrews
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Next prompt for the day, @manns 

Q3: What are the most significant issues you faced in introducing your self-service capabilities?
 

A3. There are some common reasons why self-service hasn’t attained the anticipated level of success in organizations (the root causes). These are in no particular order:

  • A lack of organizational change management, including selling the “what’s in it for me?” to employees, marketing the capability, and ongoing education
  • Employees might still prefer the human touch
  • Self-service introduction is seen as a way to cut costs, not to help employees better
  • Self-service takes too long to use, and calling the IT service desk is quicker
  • Not easily accessible
  • ITSM tool capabilities are outdated or ill-conceived
  • Self-service is challenging to use, and the corporate capability doesn’t live up to consumer-world-driven expectations of self-service

The aforementioned Freshworks survey also found that (and this is the IT, not employee perspective):

  • 16% of respondents stated their IT self-service portal is “Great – Our employees love using it”
  • 43% stated that it is “OK – Our employees aren’t fans but still use it”
  • 14% stated it is “Poor – Our employees avoid using it.”

So, too many organizations are not doing the right things to encourage self-service adoption (and the benefits this brings).

But people are learning and benefitting as the successes and mistakes of others are shared :)

 

@manns The points you make around ease of use and communicating the why are spot on. I know personally I am tempted to send out an email about a change, create a training video/host a lunch and learn session, post the training video and call it a day. Part of our job as project leaders is to keep reminding team members about the resources available to them. Also too many projects do not adopt feedback loops during implementation that could help address blind spots or opportunities to make the self service solution easier to use.

akshara.sruthi
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I’m still playing catch-up, you all! 

Q4: How does your organization encourage employees to use its IT self-service portal? In particular, how did/do you market your self-service capabilities?

akshara.sruthi
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Wow - I’m loving all the responses! I’ve just joined in and playing catch-up! Looking forward to reading and learning lots 🤓!!

I’ve been around since the beginning and I’m still playing catch-up for all the responses. @manns, you’re on fire with your three/four part responses to the questions 🔥

 

It’s because I sat and prepared some response posts yesterday :)

Well done! Thank you so much for taking the time to work on this. Really appreciate all these insights from you. 

foxcubmama
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Wow - I’m loving all the responses! I’ve just joined in and playing catch-up! Looking forward to reading and learning lots 🤓!!

@alyssia.correa I’ve a version of FOMO where I keep checking I’ve not missed something :)

@manns - ha ha ha! Can relate!! I keep pressing the refresh button!

#same 😅

akshara.sruthi
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Next prompt for the day, @manns 

Q3: What are the most significant issues you faced in introducing your self-service capabilities?
 

  • Not having enough information on topics to be covered
  • Articles not presented in an easily consumable format or
  • Not writing for the average user in mind
  • A lot feedback can be sought but if it’s not organized, it’s quite difficult to track and implement. ​​​
foxcubmama
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Next prompt for the day, @manns 

Q3: What are the most significant issues you faced in introducing your self-service capabilities?
 

  • Not having enough information on topics to be covered
  • Articles not presented in an easily consumable format or
  • Not writing for the average user in mind
  • A lot feedback can be sought but if it’s not organized, it’s quite difficult to track and implement. ​​​

filing this in my “things to watch out for” folder!!!

rashmi.nag
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I’m still playing catch-up, you all! 

Q4: How does your organization encourage employees to use its IT self-service portal? In particular, how did/do you market your self-service capabilities?

A4. Communication - Empathy - Simplicity - Organization
I feel these are core to encourage employees to use the self-service opportunities they have. 

To deep dive:

  • Communicate the need, benefits and process behind introducing the self-service portal
  • Empathise with the need of your employees and this will help in building and making the self-service portal better - in terms of content, design, steps involved etc. Take feedback and act on it.
  • Simplify as much as possible and make it clear to understand so that the resistance to put it into use is also nil or minimal.
  • Organizing or structing the contents within the self-service portal is key. We do not want yet another content overwhelm which nobody uses. Categorize them efficiently and feature what’s really required and helpful for your employees.
Cheers, Rashmi || Team Refresh Community
foxcubmama
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Amazing coffee chat!! so much good information!

 

Thank you @manns and the freshworks crew for coordinating 😁

Zebb_Seabrook
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I would like a zoom link as well please 

manns
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Is there a registration link?

Hi @ifynwoke this is chat/text-based rather than video-based so the conversations and shared points and data can be viewed and interacted with at any time once or after it starts. If it’s like before, the chat will start here :)

Cheers, Stephen || https://ITSM.tools
manns
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Doing some prep for this today (so I can type faster in teh short time we have). However, is there anything that you’d like to cover that isn’t one of the existing questions? Thanks :)

Cheers, Stephen || https://ITSM.tools
akshara.sruthi
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This is bound to be an exciting event. @manns knows his stuff! I unfortunately won’t be able to make it due to the pursuit of an ITIL 4 certification today. I’ll be in class learning more about ITSM. Enjoy yourselves and I will come back and check out all the amazing content!

Take care!

Good luck with your certification, @zachary.king! 

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