- Tier 2 and 3 specialists lose time and resources working on tickets instead of more complex projects.
- The service desk finds themselves resolving the same incidents over and over, wasting manual work on tasks that could be automated.
- Employees expect modern, consumer-like experiences when they need help; they want to access information and resources from wherever they are and have the tools to solve their problems themselves without waiting for help.
Our Advice
Critical Insight
- It can be difficult to overcome the mindset that difficult functions need to be escalated. Shift left involves a cultural change to the way the service desk works, and overcoming objections and getting buy-in up front is critical.
- Many organizations have built a great knowledgebase but fail to see the value of it over time as it becomes overburdened with overlapping and out-of-date information. Knowledge capture, updating, and review must be embedded into your processes if you want to keep the knowledgebase useful.
- Similarly, the self-service portal is often deployed out of the box with little input from end users and fails to deliver its intended benefits. The portal needs to be designed from the end user’s point of view with the goal of self-resolution if it will serve its purpose of deflecting tickets.
Impact and Result
- Embrace a shift-left strategy by moving repeatable service desk tasks and requests into lower-cost delivery channels such as self-help tools and automation.
- Shift work from Tier 2 and 3 support to Tier 1 through good knowledge management practices that empower the first level of support with documented solutions to recurring issues and free up more specialized resources for project work and higher value tasks.
- Shift knowledge from the service desk to the end user by enabling them to find their own solutions. A well-designed and implemented self-service portal will result in fewer logged tickets to the service desk and empowered, satisfied end users.
- Shift away manual repetitive work through the use of AI and automation.
- Successfully shifting this work left can reduce time to resolve, decrease support costs, and increase end-user satisfaction.
Optimize the Service Desk With a Shift-Left Strategy Research & Tools
Start here – read the Executive Brief
Read our concise Executive Brief to understand why a shift-left strategy can help to optimize your service desk, review Info-Tech's methodology, and understand the four ways we can support you in completing this project.Besides the small introduction, subscribers and consulting clients within this management domain have access to:
- Optimize the Service Desk With a Shift-Left Strategy – Phases 1-3
1. Prepare to shift left
Assess whether you’re ready to optimize the service desk with a shift-left strategy, get buy-in for the initiative, and define metrics to measure success.
- Optimize the Service Desk With a Shift-Left Strategy – Phase 1: Prepare to Shift Left
- Shift-Left Prerequisites Assessment
- Shift-Left Strategy
- Shift-Left Stakeholder Buy-In Presentation
2. Design shift-left model
Build strategy and identify specific opportunities to shift service support left to Level 1 through knowledge sharing and other methods, to the end-user through self-service, and to automation and AI.
- Optimize the Service Desk With a Shift-Left Strategy – Phase 2: Design Shift Left Model
- Shift-Left Action Plan
- Knowledge Management Workflows (Visio)
- Knowledge Management Workflows (PDF)
- Self-Service Portal Checklist
- Self-Service Resolution Workflow (Visio)
- Self-Service Resolution Workflow (PDF)
3. Implement and communicate
Identify, track, and implement specific shift-left opportunities and document a communications plan to increase adoption.
- Optimize the Service Desk With a Shift-Left Strategy – Phase 3: Implement & Communicate
- Incident Management Workflow (Visio)
- Incident Management Workflow (PDF)
Workshop: Optimize the Service Desk With a Shift-Left Strategy
Workshops offer an easy way to accelerate your project. If you are unable to do the project yourself, and a Guided Implementation isn't enough, we offer low-cost delivery of our project workshops. We take you through every phase of your project and ensure that you have a roadmap in place to complete your project successfully.
1 Prepare to Shift Left
The Purpose
Define how shift left would apply in your organization, get buy-in for the initiative, and define metrics to measure success.
Key Benefits Achieved
Defined scope and objectives for the shift-left initiative
Buy-in for the program
Metrics to keep the project on track and evaluate success
Activities
1.1 Review current service desk structure
1.2 Discuss challenges
1.3 Review shift-left model and discuss how it would apply in your organization
1.4 Complete the Shift-Left Prerequisites Assessment
1.5 Complete a RACI chart for the project
1.6 Define and document objectives
1.7 Review the stakeholder buy-in presentation
1.8 Document critical success factors
1.9 Define KPIs and metrics
Outputs
Shift-left scope
Completed shift-left prerequisites assessment
RACI chart
Defined objectives
Stakeholder buy-in presentation
Critical success factors
Metrics to measure success
2 Plan to Shift to Level 1
The Purpose
Build strategy and identify specific opportunities to shift service support left to Level 1 through knowledge sharing and other methods.
Key Benefits Achieved
Identified initiatives to shift work to Level 1
Documented knowledge management process workflows and strategy
Activities
2.1 Identify barriers to Level 1 resolution
2.2 Discuss knowledgebase challenges and areas for improvement
2.3 Optimize KB input process
2.4 Optimize KB usage process
2.5 Optimize KB review process
2.6 Discuss and document KCS strategy and roles
2.7 Document knowledge success metrics
2.8 Brainstorm additional methods of increasing FLR
Outputs
KB input workflow
KB usage workflow
KB review workflow
KCS strategy and roles
Knowledge management metrics
Identified opportunities to shift to Level 1
3 Plan to Shift to End User and Automation
The Purpose
Build strategy and identify specific opportunities to shift service support left to the end user through self-service and to automation and AI.
Key Benefits Achieved
Identified initiatives to shift work to self-service and automation
Evaluation of self-service portal and identified opportunities for improvement
Activities
3.1 Review existing self-service portal and discuss vision
3.2 Identify opportunities to improve portal accessibility, UI, and features
3.3 Evaluate the user-facing knowledgebase
3.4 Optimize the ticket intake form
3.5 Document plan to improve, communicate, and evaluate portal
3.6 Map the user experience with a workflow
3.7 Document your AI strategy
3.8 Identify candidates for automation
Outputs
Identified opportunities to improve portal
Improvements to knowledgebase
Improved ticket intake form
Strategy to communicate and measure success of portal
Self-service resolution workflow
Strategy to apply AI and automation
Identified opportunities to shift tasks to automation
4 Build Implementation and Communication Plan
The Purpose
Build an action plan to implement shift left, including a communications strategy.
Key Benefits Achieved
Action plan to track and implement shift-left opportunities
Communications plan to increase adoption
Activities
4.1 Examine process workflows for shift-left opportunities
4.2 Document shift-left-specific responsibilities for each role
4.3 Identify and track shift-left opportunities in the action plan
4.4 Brainstorm objections and responses
4.5 Document communications plan
Outputs
Incident management workflow with shift-left opportunities
Shift left responsibilities for key roles
Shift-left action plan
Objection handling responses
Communications plan