Part 1: Service Desks' biggest challenge

Most of Sweden's IT managers believe web-based self-service provides effective support. They also think the biggest challenge is to get users to solve their problems using web-based self-service instead of contacting support staff.

80 percent of Sweden's IT managers believe self-service solutions play an important part in effective support, according to a survey that ComAround carried out in 2013. And 43 percent of Sweden's Service Desks have web-based self-service as an element in the support they provide for their users. The most common reasons are because they consider it:

• being cost-effective
  
• relieves pressure on support staff
• makes support more accessible to users
  

Difficult to break users' habits
When I meet our customers' IT managers, they often tell me that they recognise the benefits of the concept of Zero Level support and web-based self-service. But they find it difficult to get users to help themselves using the self-service solution, rather than contacting the Service Desk support staff. In many companies and organisations, users are accustomed to phoning, emailing or chatting with support staff when they have a problem. Changing those habits can be difficult. In other words, buying a self-service solution is not enough to alter users' behaviour. Choosing the right support strategy is fundamental to success in getting users to help themselves using web-based self service.

New series of blog articels
An upcoming series of blog articles will give you tools that will help you successfully increase the use of web-based self-service:
Part 2: Support strategy and structure provide the fundamental means of control
Part 3: Dedicated management and managers contribute to the increased use of web-based self-service
Part 4: Service Desks' understanding of the change process provides tools for changing users' behaviour
Part 5: Accessible self-service solution provides access wherever users are located
Part 6: Marketing the self-service solution increases its uptake by users