A Race Against Time

By Dean Johnson, Application Support Analyst, Marval Software

The phone rings - and the race begins. When you work at a busy Service Desk, the day can be a race against time. The moment you log the customer’s call in the system, the clock starts ticking. The time spent is recorded against each request and, as a team, we aim to deal effectively with the request as quickly as possible and keep our customers happy with a rapid resolution of their problem. Each call is different, each customer is different and so are their needs. Fortunately, I have the customer’s history available from the very first moment, so I can have a look at their profile, check their background and amend my approach accordingly.

For most customers (in fact, for all of them), being offered personalized service is a pleasant surprise. Not many organizations can pride themselves in providing personalized service from the first moment. We can and, I’m telling you, customers always react positively to it (who wouldn’t?).

While the customer is in a happy place, I have a puzzle to piece together. It may be an easy one which will take a few steps, a complicated jigsaw which will require escalation, or anything in between. Having the customer’s previous communications at hand certainly helps assess whether this incident is going to be resolved in minutes, or it may require more time. Since at our Service Desk all incidents (and any identified problems) are recorded, documented and updated, any relevant information is at my disposal for use any given moment. At the same time, I employ all the smart and easy-to-use features Marval MSM provides (chat, knowledge articles, self-service portal, to name a few), to enhance my approach with acquired knowledge. Knowing I am not missing any crucial pieces of information which would help me provide a rapid and accurate solution, I have the confidence to manage the incident and answer any of the customer’s questions.

Of course, to be able to put the bits and pieces together and respond effectively, that requires some trouble-shooting skills. It also requires pre-agreed, well-established and proven policies and processes in place, which shall be understood and followed. But most of all, it requires confidence, passion and commitment to providing excellent service.

I am lucky to be part of a team that has all the above (skills, processes, confidence, passion and commitment). We also have good team spirit and an open environment where we are encouraged to raise our voice and share our experience, tips, concerns and ideas.

The phone rings, the race against time begins; and that’s the start of another great day in the office, with great people and focus on great customer service. It’s another great day at Marval Software.