Making a Difference: How ISO20000 Can Help Form Good Habits in Customer Service

“Good habits formed early make all the difference”. This quote by Aristotle is very relevant to the culture and operations at a Service Desk that really wants to make a difference in Customer Service. Read on and I’ll show you why.

By Richard West, Service Desk Manager, Marval Software

A few years back (actually, a good 12 years back), we were accredited against an ISO20000 Quality Certification. organizations that have been through the accreditation process are aware that ISO2000 requires specific processes to be followed, to ensure a standardized approach and consistent level of quality for the accredited operations. Our Service Desk has adopted well-established, certified processes which apply to all our operations - and everyone handling them.

As Marval Software grows (and we have grown a lot within the last decade), we are always looking to welcome new Analysts to our Global Service Desk team. Our training program, which utilises many ISO20000 certified processes, helps our new starters establish good habits from the very first day and be able to deliver great service towards a measured standard.

Knowing they follow a well-established, certified process, our Analysts soon gain in confidence and become an integrated member of our team faster. The certification provides them with the authority to say “we do it this way, because it’s proven that it works”; and allows the Analysts to talk to customers with a level of knowledge which is measured, tested and audited.

On top of easy integration of new members, our organization can be confident that our Analysts are trained properly, share the same culture and ethos and are aware of how important customer service excellence is for our team. The team works better together towards the same goal; we are more collaborative, more productive and more satisfied with our results. Every win is a team win and every little misstep is an opportunity to go back to basics and be reminded that our processes are there for a reason: to protect our customers, our team and our organization and help us deliver service excellence.

The main benefits lie with the customers, of course, who are treated by individuals who follow a common and consistent approach. Customers know that they will receive the same level of responsiveness, effectiveness and support at any given moment and any interaction they have with our Global Service Desk, while their requests will be managed by well-trained and skillful professionals.

Against what many may believe, processes are not a burden to individuals’ initiative. The amazing thing about processes is that people can still bring in their personality, their skills and ideas, and use them with confidence, knowing that nothing could possibly go wrong so long as they stay within the well-established framework. Processes actually help release our best selves and provide a service which is personalized, not just for the customer but for the Analyst too.

Good habits formed early do make all the difference. Our training program helps our new starters form good habits, by establishing a proven routine that ensures they will be successful in their roles, praised for their accomplishments and recognised for their contribution. And that’s what makes all the difference to our people, our organization and, most importantly, to our customers.