Service desks struggling to support and accommodate new technologies should always remember a core directive of service delivery: never lose touch with your customers.

Referring to the rise of BYOD and mobile technologies, Laurence Coady, owner of service desk technology provider Richmond Systems acknowledges the challenge of supporting a growing number of queries, but says that communication is the key for ensuring the right services are being delivered.

“At Richmond, we practice what we preach in terms of listening to our customers.  Yes, we put huge effort into testing our software, but we know there will be issues.  The key for us is wanting to know what these problems are because it’s an opportunity for us to improve.  We find it’s not always faults, but instead customers struggling to grasp new features, and by helping them learn to use our software effectively, we can then improve what we deliver.  Service desks need to have the same attitude: never lose touch with your customers.”

Coady also urges service desks not to be frozen by fear when attempting to deal with ‘alien‘ technologies, because there are firm guides already in place.  “An iPad or an Android device are essentially just IT assets, and just as you would asses the risk of any new hardware or software change by referencing ITIL, BYOD and mobile can be treated in the same way.  If in doubt, once again, speak to the customers. If they are using their own technology, if you can understand why, you can adjust accordingly.”