2007 results
STI has been successfully providing Helpdesk training since 1989. As well as our own courses we also ran HUG (Helpdesk User Group) and HDI (Help Desk Institute) courses, on their behalf, between 1997 and 2002. This means that we have been involved with a huge number of UK based IT Helpdesks. This has given us a great insight into the challenges these Helpdesks face and the solutions that have been attempted and employed.  However, there is always more to learn!

As you may be aware, survey results for 2003, 2004 and 2006 are available on our website. Our next scheduled survey was 2008.  However, client demand has led to us carrying out the 2007 survey.

Surveys were completed by attendees on our courses, thorough the website and by some direct mailing.
The results cover a wide range of pubic and private sector organisations. A small cross section of respondents includes:

Argos
Atkins Group
Birmingham University
British Transport Police

In Practice Systems
Link 21 

Mourant
MOD (Various)

Northern Rock
Open University 
Renfrewshire Council
Simply Health

The total number of respondents was 322.  As usual, we have compiled the results and added some comments and observations.  We largely use the same questions each year as a means of tangibly identifying trends and change. However, we have included two new questions this year that were requested by clients.

We hope that you will find this survey an interesting and useful resource when considering your own IT Helpdesk. Look at www.sti-ltd.co.uk for old surveys.

We would like to sincerely thank everyone that took time out to respond.

If you would like to take part in the next STI IT Helpdesk Survey, or have a question that you would like asked, please email your details to enquiries@sti-ltdco.uk with a subject of IT Helpdesk Survey.    Survey material may only be reproduced with the written permission of STI Ltd.

What do you call your Helpdesk?
Helpdesk/Help Desk
54%
Service Desk
32%
Support Desk
6%
Other answers included Service Centre, Action Desk, Response Desk, Incident Desk, Service Line, Service Point and IT Direct.

What type of Helpdesk do you have?
Non Technical
18%
Technical
66%
Expert
16%
Non Technical was defined as passing virtually all calls on for others to resolve. Technical as resolving a reasonable % without referral and Expert as resolving a very high % without referral. More Technical "Non Technical" and "Expert" than 2006.

What services does your Helpdesk support?
IT Only
38%
IT and Telephony
56%
IT and Other
12%
2007 shows continued growth in Helpdesk supporting more than just IT.

What is the (full service) availability of your Helpdesk?
24/7
24%
M-F
60%
6 Days
18%
8-6
16%
Slight increase in number of 24/7 Helpdesks and 0900-1800 still the most commonly offered availability.

Do you have a Helpdesk website or intranet site?
Yes
88%
No
6%
Plan To
6%
Many Helpdesks now encouraging customers to visit website before calling.

Can customers log calls on-line?
Yes
56%
No
24%
Plan To
20%
Continues uptake here and very practical for dealing with simple, straightforward issues. Many Helpdesks report having to make outgoing calls to go through issues reported by the customer. This can add time to the process and a degree of inefficiency. We believe that most customers would currently prefer to talk to someone rather than log their own calls.

What percentage of staff routinely wear a headset?
Overall Staff That Wear
a Headset
89%
Helpdesks Where All Staff
Wear A Headset
71%
Helpdesks Where No Staff
Wear A Headset
6%
Headset technology has come on greatly in recent years and most new starters would probably have no issues with using one.

What is your telephone call answering target?
None
18%
<3 Rings
12%
<10 Secs
18%
90% <15 Secs
8%
Call answering defined as the customer getting to speak to someone. A speedy answer is important as it is part of the vital first impression formed by the customer.

What elements make up your standard telephone greeting?
No Standard Greeting
6%
"Good Morning/Afternoon, Helpdesk" 24%
"Good orning/Afternoon, Helpdesk, Give Name" 50%
"Good Morning/Afternoon,
Helpdesk, Give Name,
How May I Help You?" 9%
Percentage Giving Name
As Part Of Greeting
69%
Those Asking "How May I Help You?" As Part Of The Greeting 9%
There does seem to be a steady move towards making the greeting shorter. This should help in making it sound brighter and less stale.

Do you have a call abandonment target?
None
51%
<5%
32%
<10%
9%
<15%
2%
More people measuring abandoned calls than in 2006. Most common targets the same.

Do you have an initial call duration target?
None
67%
<5 Mins
7%
<10 Mins
21%
<15 Mins
43%
More people targeting call duration than in 2006.

Is every call to the Helpdesk logged?
Yes
82%
No
5%
Try To
13%
As ever we suspect that the “Yes” answer may involve a little wishful thinking.

Do you give a call ref/no if initial call is unresolved?
Yes
70%
No
10%
Try To
20%
Many Helpdesks now giving/confirming the cell reference by email. This might also include the cell description and relevant SLA terms for the customer's information.

Do you give a call ref/no if initial call is resolved?
Yes
10%
No
80%
Try To
10%
A slight decrease in the “Yes” answer from 2006 and still not considered worthwhile by the vast majority of respondents.

Who has authority to close down calls?
Helpdesk Only
63%
Other Support Groups
37%
Not much change here. Most respondents, allowing other support groups to close down
calls, tend to have OLA’s in place to ensure that this is properly done.

Is customer agreement to call closure sought?
Always
56%
Usually
28%
Sometimes
13%
Never
3%
More respondents doing this than in 2006. We suspect mostly via email.

Do you have a formal complaints procedure?
Yes
66%
No
12%
Plan To
22%
Many people using their Helpdesk website to facilitate customer complaints or comments. Maybe a "comments" box is better than a "complaints" box.

Do you have formal SLA's with customers?
Yes
88%
No
7%
Plan To
5%
Numbers still rising – seen as a “must” by many service providers.

Is "staleness" an issue with helpdesk staff?
Always
25%
Usually
28%
Sometimes
45%
Never
2%
Staleness an issue for 96% of Helpdesk staff.  This is up on 2004 (93%).

If so, after how long typically?
<6 Months
13%
6-12 Months
19%
1-2 Years
54%
2 Years +
16%
The big challenge here is the fact that people who have gone stale, rarely see it in themselves. Ultimately, it is possible for a whole team to become stale!

Is stress an issue with helpdesk staff?
Always
21 %
Usually
29%
Sometimes
46%
Never
4%
Stress is an issue for 96% of Helpdesk staff. The 2004 figure was 93%.

If so, after how long typically?
<6 Months
33%
6-12 Months
35%
1-2 Years
31%
2 Years +
1%
Stress is clearly an issue to be aware of and addressed.

What is the staffing breakdown on your Helpdesk?
Male Full Time Staff
61%
Female Full Time Staff
39%
Male Part Time Staff
28%
Female Part Time Staff
72%
Average Number Of Full Time Staff 6.4%
Average Number Of Part Time Staff 1.3%
Average number of full time down on 2004 and part time staff up. Percentage of full time male staff still rising. Our 1997 survey had full time males at 40% and females at 60%!

What is the age range of staff?
17-20
2%
21-25
35%
26-29
30%
30-39
26%
40+
7%
The number of staff in the 20-30 range has gone up and the number in 30+ has gone down again. We suspect that some employers believe that younger staff cope better with new and changing technology.

What is the average number of incoming calls per week?
Average Per Helpdesk
1968
Average Per Staff Member
279
We conclude that staff now deal with an average of 9 "calls" per hour. This compares with 8.1
in 2006 and 7.1 in the 2004 survey.


What is the average number of outgoing calls per week?
No Record Kept
32%
Average By Helpdesks That Keep Records
374
The average number of outgoing calls down as the number of outgoing emails increases.

What is the average number of incoming and outgoing Helpdesk emails per week?
Average Per Helpdesk Incoming 512 Outgoing 557
Average Per Staff Member incoming 73 Outgoing 79
Email usage still increasing year on year. A few Helpdesks are only accepting customer contact by email.

What is the average number of outstanding calls/tickets/incidents?
Average Per Helpdesk
198
Average per staff member
28
Results up on 2006 and tie in with increased call rates and reduced staff numbers.

What reports are regularly produced?
None
6%
Daily
55%
Weekly
48%
Monthly
94%
All 3
41%
2007 shows a reduction in daily and weekly report production. If there are fewe staff available, something has to give.

What cooperation do you get from other in-house teams?
Excellent
6%
Good
58%
OK
25%
Poor
11%
An improvement on recent years. Perhaps as a result of increased uptake of OLA's?

Do you have OLA's with other in-house teams?
Yes
48%
No
22%
Plan To
25%
Unaware Of SLA's
5%
Operational Level Agreements define agreed working practices between service teams. They are now seen as a "must" by many IT service providers.

Allocate 100% (eg 40/40/20)
to show how vital elements are to a successful Helpdesk:
People (The Staff) 62%
Processes (Working Practices) 26%
Tools (Telephony, S/W etc) 12%
People still thought of as being the most important element of a successful Helpdesk. you could have the best working practices and most sophisticated tools, but without the right people service provision may still not be good.

In what esteem is your Helpdesk held by customers?
High
24%
Medium
65%
Low
11%
89% of customers holding the Helpdesk in medium or high esteem is actually down on 2006. This may again be linked to increased call rates and reduced staff members. We find that customers often want to talk to "someone" rather than "some thing".

In what esteem is your Helpdesk held by management?
High
45%
Medium
48%
Low
7%
Management esteem considered to have increased in the last year. Maybe we have reached a stage where many of today's managers have actually worked on a Helpdesk. It is important that "management" measure Helpdesk value in terms of quality as well as quantity. An endless array of impressive statistics does not guarentee that customers are entirely happy with the service that they recieve.

In what esteem is your Helpdesk held by other support staff?
High
16%
Medium
44%
Low
40%
Interestingly, both “High” and “Low” scores have gone up since 2004 - apparently, less sitting on the fence by other support staff! There does seem to be a conflict between having a wide breadth of knowledge (Helpdesk?) as opposed to having specialist knowledge, but in a narrower field (other support teams?).

How do you gauge your Helpdesk status over the last two years?
Rising
62%
Falling
22%
The Same
16%
As in all recent surveys, most respondents feeling that their Helpdesk status is rising. However, the number seeing it as falling is also growing each year. Perhaps this ties in with reduced staff numbers dealing with increased call rates.

What is the most common reason for IT customers contacting the Helpdesk?
Hardware
12%
Software
19%
Network
14%
Passwords
16%
User Error
23%
Other
16%
There is more " help" available than ever these days, but User Error the most common reason for calling. Perhaps this reflects a lack of customer training.

Can customers view their their own open calls on-line?
Yes
79%
No
14%
Plan To
7%
This can save the customer the hassle of queing to get through and frees up time for Helpdesk analysts. Call logging must be clear, concise, tactful and logs should be regularly updated. This facility also helps meet the emotional "need to know" of the customer.


2006 results

STI has been successfully providing Helpdesk training since 1989. As well as our own courses we also ran HUG (Helpdesk User Group) and HDI (Help Desk Institute) courses, on their behalf, between 1997 and 2002. This means that we have been involved with a huge number of UK based IT Helpdesks. This has given us a great insight into the challenges these Helpdesks face and the solutions that have been attempted and employed. However, there is always more to learn!

Survey results for 2003 and 2004 are available on our website. From now on, we will be carrying out the
survey every two years. We have always opted for a “nuts and bolts” look at the way UK IT Helpdesks are
set up and operate.

Surveys were completed by attendees on our courses, thorough the website and by some direct mailing.
The results cover a wide range of pubic and private sector organisations. A small cross section of respondents include:
Open University
Oxford City Council
Strathclyde Police
iHotdesk

MOD (various sites)
E & N Herts NHS

McGraw Hill
ODPM

Dorset County Council
GCB
Norwich Union
Northern Rock

The total number of respondents was 297.  As usual, we have compiled the results and added some comments and observations. The 2006 survey gives a fascinating insight into the everyday life of working on an IT Helpdesk. There is more technology about in 2006 and increased use of websites for self logging and customer access to open calls.  However, most respondents still believe that having good people is the key to success.

We hope that you will find this survey an interesting and useful resource when considering your own IT Helpdesk.

We would like to sincerely thank everyone that took time out to respond.

If you would like to take part in the next STI IT Helpdesk Survey, or have a question that you would like asked, please email your details to info@sti-ltd.co.uk with a subject of IT Helpdesk Survey. Survey material may only be reproduced with the written permission of STI Ltd.

© 2006 Copyright STI Ltd.

What do you call your Helpdesk?
Helpdesk/Help Desk
57%
Service Desk
29%
Support Desk
7%
Other answers included Service Centre, Action Desk, Customer Services, Incident Desk and Service Point.

What type of Helpdesk do you have?
Non Technical
19%
Technical
63%
Expert
18%
Technical was defined as passing virtually all calls on for others to resolve. Technical as resolving a reasonable % without referral and Expert as resolving a very high % without referral. More "Non Technical" and "Technical" and less "Expert" than 2004.

What services does your Helpdesk support?
IT Only
42%
IT and Telephony
49%
IT and Other
8%
Helpdesks now supporting extra such as building facilities.

What is the (full service) availability of your Helpdesk?
24/7
23%
M-F
61%
6 Days
17%
8-6
13%
More ITHelpdesks now supporting extra services such as building facilities

Do you have a Helpdesk website or intranet site?
Yes
81%
No
9%
Plan To
10%
A big growth area since 2004. Most people using affordable and manageable technology.

Can customers log calls on-line?
Yes
49%
No
32%
Plan To
19%
The technology to allow this is now well established.  Though it does run the risk of losing some customer interaction, there may be some savings in staffing achievable. Helpdesks with “paying” customers often report that they miss out on a business opportunity by not “personally” taking  problems and requests from customers.

Do you operate a telephone call queuing system?
Yes
76%
No
18%
Plan To
6%
It would be very rare, these days, to ring a major organisation and get no answer. Though considered better than no answer, queuing is still disliked by most customers. If they have to queue, perhaps the customer can be advised of the website, given the option of leaving a message or encouraged to send an email?

What percentage of staff routinely wear a headset?
Overall Staff That Wear
a Headset
84%
Helpdesks Where All Staff
Wear A Headset
67%
Helpdesks Where No Staff
Wear A Headset
9%
Headset technology has come on greatly in recent years and most new starters would probably have no issue with using one at all.

What is your telephone call answering target?
None
21%
<3 Rings
14 %
<10 Secs
16%
90% <15 Secs
6%
Three rings no longer the most commonly reported call answering target. This is probably as a result of the use of more sophisticated technology.  The other results shown are the most popular targets reported by respondents.

What elements make up your standard telephone greeting?
No Standard Greeting
7 %
"Good Morning/Afternoon, Helpdesk" 22%
"Good orning/Afternoon, Helpdesk, Give Name" 50%
"Good Morning/Afternoon,
Helpdesk, Give Name,
How May I Help You?" 14%
Percentage Giving Name
As Part Of Greeting
69%
Those Asking "How May I Help You?" As Part Of The Greeting 14%
Slight decline, since 2004, in giving name or offering assistance as part of the greeting. Many people believe that the longer a greeting is, the more likely it is to sound “stale”.

Do you have a call abandonment target?
None
52%
<5%
29%
<10%
8%
<15%
2%
More people measuring abandoned calls than in 2004.  Most common targets the same.

Do you have an initial call duration target?
None
68%
<5 Mins
6%
<10 Mins
19%
<15 Mins
3%
More people targeting call duration than in 2004.

Is every call to the Helpdesk logged?
Yes
86%
No
5%
Try To
9%
We still suspect that the “Yes” answer may involve a little wishful thinking.

Do you give a call ref/no if initial call is unresolved?
Yes
68%
No
12%
Try To
20%
We consider this good practice. We liken this to giving the customer a receipt, a token that proves their problem/request has been formally noted.

Do you give a call ref/no if initial call is resolved?
Yes
12%
No
78%
Try To
10%
A slight increase in the “Yes” answer over 2004. However, still not considered worthwhile by the vast majority of respondents.

Who has authority to close down calls?
Helpdesk Only
64%
Other Support Groups
36%
Very similar result to 2004. Most respondents, allowing other support groups to close down
calls, tend to have OLA’s in place to ensure that this is properly done.

Is customer agreement to call closure sought?
Always
54%
Usually
27%
Sometimes
13%
Never
6%
More respondents doing this than in 2004. We suspect mostly via email.

Do you have a formal complaints procedure?
Yes
62%
No
16%
Plan To
22%
Many people using their Helpdesk website to facilitate customer complaints or comments.

Do you have formal SLA's with customers?
Yes
86%
No
9%
Plan To
5%
Numbers still slowly rising – seen as a “must” by many service providers.

Is "staleness" an issue with helpdesk staff?
Always
25%
Usually
26%
Sometimes
45%
Never
4%
Staleness an issue for 96% of Helpdesk staff. This is up on 2004 (93%).

If so, after how long typically?
<6 Months
15%
6-12 Months
19%
1-2 Years
48%
2 Years +
18%
In some jobs it may not be a serious issue, in front line service provision it certainly is!

Is stress an issue with helpdesk staff?
Always
19%
Usually
27%
Sometimes
50%
Never
4%
Stress still on the rise for Helpdesk staff. The 2004 figure was 93%.

If so, after how long typically?
<6 Months
32%
6-12 Months
34%
1-2 Years
33%
2 Years +
1%
Stress is clearly an issue to be aware of and addressed.

What is the staffing breakdown on your Helpdesk?
Male Full Time Staff
59%
Female Full Time Staff
41%
Male Part Time Staff
30%
Female Part Time Staff
70%
Average Number Of Full Time Staff 6.8%
Average Number Of Part Time Staff 1.6%
Average number of full time down on 2004 and part time staff up. Percentage of full time male staff still rising. Our 1997 survey had full time males at 40% and females at 60%!

What is the age range of staff?
17-20
2%
21-25
32%
26-29
29%
30-39
27%
40+
10%
The number of staff in the 20-30 range has gone up and the number in 30+ has gone down.
Maybe, career paths after Helpdesk are becoming established.


What is the average number of incoming calls per week?
Average Per Helpdesk
1924
Average Per Staff Member
221
Assuming staff spend an average of 31 hours per week call handling, they deal with an average of 8.1 calls per hour. The figure was 7.1 in 2004 survey.

What is the average number of outgoing calls per week?
No Record Kept
28%
Average By Helpdesks That Keep Records
406
The average number of outgoing calls down by about 22% on 2004. This is surely as a result of increased use of email?

What is the average number of incoming emails per week?
Average Per Week
464
Average Per Staff Member
61
Both results up by over 70% on 2004. A few Helpdesks are only accepting customer contact by email. Email etiquette is still to be clearly defined, is text speak acceptable?

What is the average number of outgoing emails per week?
Average Per Helpdesk
537
Average Per Staff Member
71
Both of these results have almost doubled since 2004. Many Helpdesks are now automatically sending emails to customers to confirm call logging and closure.

What is the average number of outstanding calls/tickets/incidents?
Average Per Helpdesk
184
Average per staff member
24
12% of respondents did not know the average number of outstanding calls/tickets/incidents.

What reports are regularly produced?
None
5 %
Daily
58%
Weekly
49%
Monthly
94%
All 3
42%
These results quite similar to 2004. Some Helpdesks are including the results of regular customer surveys in their weekly and monthly reports.

What cooperation do you get from other in-house teams?
Excellent
4 %
Good
56%
OK
27%
Poor
13%
Results for this year down on 2004. Good teamwork must extend beyond the Helpdesk.

Do you have OLA's with other in-house teams?
Yes
44%
No
28%
Plan To
18%
Unaware Of SLA's
10%
Operational Level Agreements define agreed working practices between service teams. The “take up rate” is up on 2004. A successful Helpdesk needs consistent support and commitment from all IT teams.

Allocate 100% (eg 40/40/20)
to show how vital elements are to a successful Helpdesk:
People (The Staff) 58%
Processes (Working Practices) 29%
Tools (Telephony, S/W etc) 13%
People still thought of as being the most important element of a successful Helpdesk. Remember – you can make people do this sort of work, but you can’t make them do it well. They need to be motivated and want to be part of a successful team.

In what esteem is your Helpdesk held by customers?
High
26%
Medium
66%
Low
8%
92% of customers holding the Helpdesk in medium or high esteem appear a good result.
It is said that “perception equals reality”. Maybe you are only as good as your last call? Regular customer surveys should help get a more tangible view on customer satisfaction.


In what esteem is your Helpdesk held by management?
High
43%
Medium
49%
Low
8%
Management have a real responsibility to motivate Helpdesk staff. This involves showing
support and commitment at all times and remembering that people in the front line are most
likely to get shot at.


In what esteem is your Helpdesk held by other support staff?
High
14%
Medium
48%
Low
38%
Interestingly, both “High” and “Low” scores have gone up since 2004 - apparently, less sitting on the fence by other support staff! There does seem to be a conflict between having a wide breadth of knowledge (Helpdesk?) as opposed to having specialist knowledge, but in a narrower field (other support teams?).

How do you gauge your Helpdesk status over the last two years?
Rising
72%
Falling
14%
The Same
14%
As in 2004, most respondents feeling that their Helpdesk status is rising. However, the number seeing it as falling has more than doubled in that time. Perhaps, this reflects a slow down in Helpdesk development and momentum. Maybe, the Helpdesk has now become just “part of
the furniture”?



2004 results
STI (Strategic Technology Initiatives) has been a provider of Helpdesk training and consultancy since 1989. We believe that we offer the longest established Helpdesk training in the UK and probably Europe.


As well as our own courses, we also ran HUG (Helpdesk user Group) and HDI (Help Desk Institute) training courses, on their behalf, between 1997 and 2002. This means that we have been involved with a huge number of UK based Helpdesks. This has given us a great insight into the challenges these Helpdesks face and the solutions that have been attempted and employed. However, there is always more to learn!

After a gap of several years, we resurrected our yearly IT Helpdesk Survey in 2003. Results from 2003 are still available on our website. We decided to make our survey a “nuts and bolts” look at the way UK IT Helpdesks are set up and operate.

Surveys have been despatched by email, by post and completed by attendees on our courses. The results cover a widespread range of public and private sector organisations. A cross section of respondents includes:


British Telecom
Oxford Co-op
National Blood Service
National Lottery
Powergen
MOD (various)
Shelter
AXA
DFT
Nationwide
NHS Trusts
University of Reading

The total number of respondents was 274. We have compiled the results and added our own comments or observations. The 2004 survey gives a fascinating insight into the everyday life of working on an IT Helpdesk. Who is to say what is the best way to organise and run an IT Helpdesk? The resources available can vary dramatically from one IT Helpdesk to another.

We hope that you will find this survey an interesting and useful resource when considering your own helpdesk.

We would like to extend our sincere gratitude to everyone that took time out to respond.

If you would like to take part in the next STI IT Helpdesk Survey, please email your details to
enquiries@sti-ltd.co.uk, with a subject of IT Helpdesk Survey.


What do you call your Helpdesk?
Helpdesk/Help Desk
59%
Service Desk
24%
Support Desk
9%
Other answers included Service Centre, Action Desk, Customer Services, Incident Desk and Service Point.

What type of Helpdesk do you have?
Non Technical
16%
Technical
61%
Expert
23%
Non Technical was defined as passing virtually all calls on for others to resolve, Technical as resolving a reasonable % without referral and Expert as resolving a very high % without referral. Responses were similar to 2003.

What services does your Helpdesk support?
IT Only
51%
IT and Telephony
46%
Some IT Helpdesks also reported supporting building services and facilities as well as retail and cash dispensers.

What is the (full service) availability of your Helpdesk?
24/7
21%
M-F
62%
6 Days
17%
8-6
13%
Compared to 2003 - slight increase in number of 24/7 Helpdesks and 0800 1800 has become most commonly offered availability.

Do you have a Helpdesk website or intranet site?
Yes
70%
No
19%
Plan To
11%
The growth area often offering customers self help and guidance.

Can customers log calls on-line?
Yes
44%
No
42%
Plan To
14%
Many Helpdesks report that a call still has to be made to the customer to discuss/clarify their reported problem or request. Many Helpdesks use templates to offer guidance to customers logging their own calls.

Do you operate a telephone call queuing system?
Yes
66%
No
32%
Plan To
2%
Every customer that calls wants to talk to someone quickly. Hence a queuing system is never likely to be very popular. However, most people believe it to be better than the customer getting an engaged tone or even worse unanswered.

What percentage of staff routinely wear a headset?
Overall % of Headset Wearers
76%
Helpdesks Where All Staff Wear A Headset
58%
Helpdesks Where No Staff Wear A Headset
14%
We do recommend the use of a good headset. Better posture is likely amongst headset users.
Cordless headsets are proving very popular. Many IT Helpdesk staff have told us they like being able to stand up and feel less stressed when using a cordless headset.

What is your telephone call answering target?
None
24%
<3 Rings
20%
<10 Secs
15%
<15 Secs
9%
We are surprised that 24% of IT Helpdesks do not have a call answering target. We believe that the callers first expectation is a prompt answer. Most IT Helpdesks do now measure performance in seconds rather than rings.

What elements make up your standard telephone greeting?
No Standard Greeting
4%
"Good Morning/Afternoon,
Helpdesk"
20%
"Good orning/Afternoon,
Helpdesk, Give Name"
51%
"Good Morning/Afternoon,
Helpdesk, Give Name,
How May I Help You?"
16%
Percentage Giving Name
As Part Of Greeting
72%
Percentage Asking
"How May I Help You?"
As Part Of The Greeting
18 %
We believe that the longer a greeting is, the more likely it is to sound stale. It is surely best for each IT Helpdesk to define its’ own standard greeting.

Do you have a call abandonment target?
None
61%
<5%
25%
<10%
5%
<15%
3%
A slight increase in the number of IT Helpdesks measuring abandoned calls in 2004.
These IT Helpdesks mostly seem to have paying customers.

Do you have an initial call duration target?
None
74%
<5 Mins
3%
<10 Mins
18%
<15 Mins
3%
Call duration is of great importance to busy IT Helpdesks. However, is there a danger of concentrating more on quantity than quality?

Is every call to the Helpdesk logged?
Yes
84%
No
5%
Try To
11%
Experience leads us to suspect that the “Yes” answer may involve a little wishful thinking.

Do you give a call ref/no if initial call is unresolved?
Yes
64%
No
14%
Try To
22%
We consider this good practice. We liken this to giving the customer a receipt, a token that proves their problem/request has been formally noted.

Do you give a call ref/no if initial call is resolved?
Yes
11%
No
80%
Try To
9%
Most people consider this a waste of time as the customer is just not interested. Can be useful though, if the problem reoccurs.

Who has authority to close down calls?
Helpdesk Only
66%
Other Support Groups
34%
Organisations that allow other support groups to close down calls, tend to have OLA’s in place to ensure this is properly done.

Is customer agreement to call closure sought?
Always
48%
Usually
26%
Sometimes
16%
Never
10%
This practice does not have to involve a phone call. The process could be carried out via email. We like the idea that the customer agrees closure.

Do you have a formal Helpdesk complaints procedure?
Yes
56%
No
18%
Plan To
26%
Surely every service function should have a formal complaints procedure?

Do you have formal SLA's with customers?
Yes
84%
No
9%
Plan To
7%
We believe strongly in team targets and objectives. SLA’s, if realistic and achievable, can be a valuable motivator.

Is "staleness" an issue with helpdesk staff?
Always
22%
Usually
24%
Sometimes
47%
Never
7%
Staleness occurs when staff lose their "sparkle" and find it more difficult to appear "up for it". Can be difficult to manage and reverse.

If so, after how long typically?
<6 Months
16%
6-12 Months
19%
1-2 Years
44%
2 Years +
21%
Length of service is usually the determining factor. The repetition in any job is likely to lead to an element of staleness.

Is stress an issue with helpdesk staff?
Always
14%
Usually
22%
Sometimes
57%
Never
7%
A big increase in perceived stress levels. This year stress considered an issue for 93% of Helpdesk staff. The 2003 figure was 87%.

If so, after how long typically?
<6 Months
34%
6-12 Months
33%
1-2 Years
32%
2 Years +
1%
Stress clearly an issue that management needs to be aware of and taking steps to counter.

What is the staffing breakdown on your Helpdesk?
Male Full Time Staff
56%
Female Full Time Staff
44%
Male Part Time Staff
32%
Female Part Time Staff
68%
Average Number
Of Full Time Staff 7.4%
Average Number
Of Part Time Staff 1.1 %
Our 1997 survey had full time males at 40% and full time females 60%. Average number of full and part time staff both slightly up on 2003.

What is the age range of staff?
17-20
2%
21-25
30%
26-29
28%
30-39
30%
40+
2%
Our own observations suggest that staff are spending longer in their Helpdesk role. This can have implications for staleness and stress levels.

What is the average number of incoming calls per week?
Average Per Helpdesk
1754
Average Per Staff Member
211
Assuming staff spend an average of 31 hours per week call handling, they deal with an average of 7.1 calls per hour. This reflects more on quantity than quality.

What is the average number of outgoing calls per week?
No Record Kept
36%
Average By Helpdesks That Keep Records
520
The average number of outgoing calls down by about 10% on 2003. This may well be as a result of increased use of email.

What is the average number of incoming emails per week?
Average Per Week
270
Average Per Staff Member
34
Both results up by around 50% compared to 2003. Email clearly becoming an integral part of Helpdesk service provision.

What is the average number of outgoing emails per week?
Average Per Helpdesk
280
Average Per Staff Member
35
Both of these results have doubled compared to 2003. Many Helpdesks now automatically sending emails to customers at time of call closure.

What reports are regularly produced?
None
3%
Daily
54%
Weekly
51%
Monthly
96%
All 3
46%
Most reports contain statistical rather than textual information. Most measures seem to concern quantity rather than quality.

What cooperation do you get from other in-house teams?
Excellent
2%
Good
54%
OK
35%
Poor
9%
There can often be an “us & them” mentality that needs to be addressed. This years results aredisappointingly down on 2003.

Do you have OLA's with other in-house teams?
Yes
32%
No
34%
Plan To
22%
Unaware Of OLA's
12%
Operational Level Agreements involving defining agreed working practices between service teams. The “take up” rate is up on 2003.

Allocate 100% (eg 40/40/20) to show how vital elements
are to a successful Helpdesk:
People (The Staff)
52%
Processes (Working Practices) 32%
Tools (Telephony, S/W etc) 16%
People (the staff) clearly thought of as being the most important element of a successful Helpdesk. Remember – you can make people do this sort of work, but you can’t make them do it well. They need to be motivated and want to be part of a successful team.

In what esteem is your Helpdesk held by customers?
High
28%
Medium
62%
Low
10%
90% of customers holding the Helpdesk in medium or high esteem seems a good result.
What are the 10% doing to improve on low customer esteem?

In what esteem is your Helpdesk held by management?
High
41%
Medium
51%
Low
8%
These results a little more positive than 2003. Could low management esteem be as a result of inappropriate (or no) target setting?

In what esteem is your Helpdesk held by other support staff?
High
12%
Medium
53%
Low
35%
These results are very similar to 2003 and again disappointing! Most IT Helpdesk staff are required to have great breadth of knowledge. They work under great pressure and often take the “heat” off of other support staff. This should be worthy of the respect of all IT staff.

How do you gauge your Helpdesk status over the last 2 years?
Rising
86%
Falling
6%
The Same
8%
It is again very encouraging to see that for most people the status of their IT Helpdesk is rising. Surely, everyone would agree that they are here to stay and that they provide a vital service.


2003 results
The STI survey was carried out during March 2003. A total of 227 Helpdesks completed our survey and the
results are compiled here. The respondents included a great variety of public and private sector organisations. They also varied in scale from 1 or 2 staff through to over 100.

We hope that you will find the results of use and interest to you and we would like to sincerely thank
everyone that took time out to respond.


What do you call your Helpdesk?
Helpdesk/Help Desk
60%
Service Desk
23%
Support Desk
6%
Other answers included Service Centre, Action Desk, Customer Services, Computer Call and Incident Desk.

What type of Helpdesk do you have?
Non Technical
14%
Technical
61%
Expert
25%
Non Technical was defined as passing virtually all calls on for others to resolve, Technical as resolving a reasonable % without referral and Expert as resolving a very high % without referral.

How long has your Helpdesk been established?
Average Age
9.5 Years
Longest Established
22 Years
Most Helpdesks are now very well established in terms of age. Though there is a continual need to evolve to and meet new requirements.

What services does your Helpdesk support?
IT Only
56%
IT and Telephony
42%
Some IT Helpdesks also reported supporting building services and facilities as well as retail and cash dispensers.

What is the availability of your Helpdesk?
24/7
19%
M-F
64%
6 Days
14%
9-5
14%
24/7 a growing trend as use of the internet and home working increases.

Do you have a Helpdesk website or intranet site?
Yes
66%
No
25%
Plan To
9%
This facility can be used to encourage self help and as a means of broadcasting service messages. The take up is sure to increase.

Can customers log calls on-line?
Yes
42%
No
44%
Plan To
14%
Staff savings to be made here as well as 24/7 availability. Surely most customers would still rather talk to someone?

Do you operate a telephone call queuing system?
Yes
59%
No
39%
Plan To
2%
Cost rather than desire is often cited as a reason for not using sophisticated telephony.
No-one likes queuing but it is better than an unanswered call?

What percentage of staff routinely wear a headset?
Overall % of Headset Wearers
72%
Helpdesks Where All Staff
Wear A Headset 52%
Helpdesks Where No Staff
Wear A Headset 18%
We do recommend the use of a good headset. Better posture is likely amongst headset users.
Cordless headsets are the new must have!

What is your telephone call answering target?
None
29%
<3 Rings
44%
<10 Secs
14%
90% <15 Secs
10%
3 rings still the most common target! We like a % built into the target as all Helpdesks have bad days. This allows for that and can be a motivator.

What elements make up your standard telephone greeting?
No Standard Greeting
4%
"Good Morning/Afternoon,
Helpdesk" 18%
"Good orning/Afternoon,
Helpdesk, Give Name"
54%
"Good Morning/Afternoon,
Helpdesk, Give Name,
How May I Help You?"
19%
Percentage GIving Name
As Part Of Greeting
74%
Percentage Asking
"How May I Help You?"
As Part Of The Greeting
20%
No real industry standard here. We believe each Helpdesk should define its' own standard greeting - to suit the customer base and environment.

Do you have a call abandonment target?
None
63%
<5%
22%
<10%
7%
<15%
5%
Abandoned calls are largely seen as a sign of failure. We believe if a caller rings off within the call answering target that should not count as abandoned.

Do you have an initial call duration target?
None
72%
<5 Mins
4%
<10 Mins
19%
<15 Mins
3%
Call duration is of great importance to busy Helpdesks. The most demanding we know of is to average 70 seconds with a resolution rate of 60%.

Is every call to the Helpdesk logged?
Yes
81%
No
6%
Try To
13%
Difficult to justify extra (current) staff without hard facts and figures. We know of many Helpdesks, with expensive software, that still do not log all calls.

Do you give a call ref/no if initial call is unresolved?
Yes
56%
No
18%
Try To
26%
We consider this good practice. We liken this to giving the customer a receipt, a token that proves their problem/request has been formally noted.

Do you give a call ref/no if initial call is resolved?
Yes
11%
No
80%
Try To
9%
HeHelplpdesk/Help Desk The reason for not doing so, is usually that the customer is just not interested. Can be useful though if the problem reoccurs.

Who has authority to close down calls?
Helpdesk Only
64%
Other Support Groups
36%
Most people like the Helpdesk to be involved from the start through to the finish. Some"other"groups might close their own calls too readily?

Is customer agreement to call closure sought?
Always
44%
Usually
26%
Sometimes
19%
Never
11%
Good customer care - not only does the Helpdesk carry out or manage resolution, it also confirms it. Can the resource required be justified though?

Do you have a formal Helpdesk complaints procedure?
Yes
51%
No
20%
Plan To
29%
Surely every service function should have a formal complaints procedure?

Do you have formal SLA's with customers?
Yes
81%
No
9%
Plan To
10%
Potentially a valuable tool for Helpdesks. Very useful in the management of expectations and the settling of disagreements.

Is "staleness" an issue with helpdesk staff?
Always
13%
Usually
18%
Sometimes
57%
Never
12%
Staleness occurs when staff lose their "sparkle" and find it more difficult to appear "up for it".
These aren't bad people, they have just gone a bit "stale".

If so, after how long typically?
<6 Months
18%
6-12 Months
14%
1-2 Years
38%
2 Years +
30%
Length of service is usually the determining factor. Longer service tends to lead to more likelihood of staleness.

Is stress an issue with helpdesk staff?
Always
9%
Usually
12%
Sometimes
66%
Never
13%
If ever there was a job with potential for stress, this is it. Staff typically deal with negatives day in day out. It definitely gets to some people.

If so, after how long typically?
<6 Months
36%
6-12 Months
31%
1-2 Years
31%
2 Years +
2%
Stress often being a factor when trying to master the job and then as an ongoing concern - though not for everyone apparently.

What is the staffing breakdown on your Helpdesk?
Male Full Time Staff
54%
Female Full Time Staff
46%
Male Part Time Staff
35%
Female Part Time Staff
65%

Average Number Of
Full Time Staff 7.2%

Average Number Of Part Time Staff 9%
A big shift towards male staff here. Our 1997 survey had the split as male 40% and female 60%.
We concur with this trend in our course attendees.

What is the age range of staff?
17-20
1.5%
21-25
27%
26-29
27%
30-39
31%
40+
13.5%
These results suggest that a certain "maturity" is required in the job. A variety in age range may also help create a broader team.

What is the average number of incoming calls per week?
Average Per Helpdesk
1616
Average Per Staff Member
211
The average number per staff member is not a very scientific calculation. However, it does give a reasonable indication of quantity, if not quality.

What is the average number of outgoing calls per week?
No Record Kept
32%
Average By Helpdesks That Keep Records
570
We believe that this is a useful metric as it is another indicator of staff usage. Do not allow yourself to be measured against incoming calls alone.

What is the average number of incoming emails per week?
Average Per Week
182
Average Per Staff Member
24
Another useful metric and likely to be a growth area. Please remember that if an email can be
misunderstood, it will be misunderstood.

What is the average number of outgoing emails per week?
Average Per Helpdesk
133
Average Per Staff Member
17
These all take time and use up resource. The idea is to identify all work tasks and responsibilities and then resource and prioritise them accordingly.

What reports are regularly produced?
None
4%
Daily
52%
Weekly
49%
Monthly
96%
All 3
44%
Clearly a lot of time is spent producing reports. The key is to make sure that they are of value and worthy of the resource required to produce them.

What call logging/problem management software do you use?
Most popular answers:
Remedy
Touchpaper
Heat
Own or PC Database
There were over 30 solutions identified.

What is your opinion of this software?
Excellent
4%
Good
29%
OK
61%
Poor
5%
All solutions had supporters and detractors. No clear favourite emerged.

What cooperation do you get from other in-house teams?
Excellent
3%
Good
58%
OK
35%
Poor
4%
A successful helpdesk is very reliant on good teamwork. This teamwork has to extend beyond the Helpdesk and involve other teams and management.

Do you have OLA's with other in-house teams?
Yes
29%
No
36%
Plan To
21%
Unaware Of OLA's
14%
Operational Level Agreements involving defining agreed working practices between service teams. This should be of benefit to the Helpdesk.

What are your current Helpdesk challenges?
Most popular answers:
Replace HD Software
Increase Fix Rate
Review SLA's
Low Staff Morale
Lack Of Resource
Improve Teamwork
Avoid Outsourcing
Lack Of Budget


What are your future Helpdesk challenges?
Most popular answers:
Replace HD Software
Produce Best
Practice Guide
Introduce On-Line
Call Logging
Implement OLA's
Continuous Service
Improvements
Moving To 24/7 Cover
Upgrade Telephony
On HD
Implement HD
Complaints Procedure


In what esteem is your Helpdesk held by customers?
High
26%
Medium
64%
Low
10%
90% of customers holding the Helpdesk in medium or high esteem seems a good result.

In what esteem is your Helpdesk held by management?
High
39%
Medium
51%
Low
10%
Another apparently good result. It is vital that management should show their interest in the Helpdesk and on the good days, as well as the bad ones.

In what esteem is your Helpdesk held by other support staff?
High
13%
Medium
51%
Low
36%
This result is actually a little better than in our last survey - but still very disappointing. Sometimes, other groups do not appreciate the range of skills, knowledge and experience required to do the job well.

How do you gauge your Helpdesk status over the last 2 years?
Rising
92%
Falling
2%
The Same
6%
This is very encouraging and hopefully a morale booster. As businesses have become increasingly dependent on technology, the role of the IT Helpdesk has become crucial.