Relationships With the Rest of IT
Issue: IT is fundamentally a technical function, dealing mostly with technology, its staff rewarded on the economic value of their specialist knowledge. Conversely, the First Line deals with largely non-technical users. This placing of a non-technical function within a technical department can cause difficulties of recognition, procedure and work prioritisation. Often, these directly impact service quality and performance, delaying call resolutions. The ITIL solution of appointing a low-ranking service to police developers and network staff - is superficial and often unworkable.
Approach: While IT’s focus stays on technology, this problem will persist. The change must begin somewhere, with a definition of the purpose of IT support, of which technology is only a means. IT support is the point at which IT influences the continued productivity of the user, and that continuity’s essential contribution to the purpose of the business.
I can help: I can give your First Line and IT specialist managers a workshop on how to recognise the business importance of IT support and the £millions it typically contributes - along with helping them to define a support process that minimises the IT burden while maximising service quality.