Who Is A Service Desk Manager? A Guide to This ITSM Role

A service desk manager plays a crucial role for businesses. They serve as the point of contact for all related issues.

From managing complaints, suggestions, and compliments to serving as the organization's face to customers, a service desk manager’s top priority is to ensure all operations run smoothly.

With so much responsibility, they must be skilled at many things, including analytical skills and effective communication.

This article will explore the functions and responsibilities of service desk managers, the tools they use, and why they are a vital part of any organization.

What does an IT service desk manager do?

The service desk manager monitors service desk operations daily to ensure users and business teams receive the apportioned support.

Their duties include:

1. IT Service Desk Management

The service desk consists of multiple functions across multiple departments, locations and shifts. Managers require strong people management skills to administer this extensive operation. Some of the primary responsibilities include:

• Hiring 
• Training
• Staff scheduling
• Vendor management
• Budgeting and cost management
• Process definition 
• Tools selection

2. IT Service Operations

The manager is a leader of the ITSM function that processes many service requests. They ensure all SLAs are fulfilled and service-desk clients are satisfied with the support they receive. They are also responsible for :

• Mentoring 
• Escalations
• Executive communications
• Workload balancing
• Continuous improvement
• Monitoring performance monitoring
• SLA compliance
• Managing shift hand-offs

3. Ensuring Uninterrupted Business Operations

One of the primary responsibilities of a service desk manager is to oversee the proper functioning of processes to minimize potential disruption to business activities. They establish and enforce incident management processes, including quick response protocols and escalation procedures, to reduce downtime when problems occur. Some of the duties include:

• Changes and releases
• Disaster recovery planning
• Reorganizations/M&A efforts
• ITSM tool implementation projects

Skills Required to be an IT Service Desk Manager

Service desk manager is a challenging role requiring a high degree of skills and experience. If you are looking to hire one, ensure they have the skills:

1. Knowledge of IT service management practices and frameworks

A service desk manager should know and understand widely recognized frameworks such as ITIL (Information Technology Infrastructure Library), which provides best practices for delivering IT services. Working knowledge of ITSM principles allows the manager to design, implement, and manage processes such as incident management, problem management, change management, and service level management.

2. Effective communication

Daily communications with internal and external groups are vital to a service desk manager’s duties.  They must have excellent communication skills and be great at conveying, understanding, and relying on any incident to and from the service desk.

They typically manage four levels of communication for daily operations between:

• Organization leadership and service desk regarding tactical execution
• Service desk and other business functions regarding service requirements and quality
• Service desk and external entities regarding suppliers and contracts
• Team members to encourage a positive work environment

3. Analytical skills

Service desk managers must be able to visualize any issue, gather information, and resolve it. Even if the service desk manager is involved with high-priority incidents, the IT service desk must continually handle all ticket levels. The service desk must also be able to evaluate the technicians needed to resolve a critical issue without disrupting the day-to-day ticket management process.

Analytical skills are also necessary for the service desk manager to forecast potential challenges and implement mitigation strategies. For example, by reviewing historical data, they can predict peak times for service requests and allocate resources accordingly to maintain service levels.

4. Team building and mentoring

A service desk manager with solid team-building skills can gather individuals with diverse backgrounds, skills, and personalities to work together as a unit. By setting clear expectations, defining roles, and facilitating regular team meetings, the help desk manager ensures everyone is aligned with the team’s objectives.

Mentoring skills are vital for the professional development of the team members. They should provide guidance, share their expertise and offer constructive feedback to help individuals grow in their roles.

5. Conflict management

A service desk manager is pivotal in identifying and addressing conflicts early, mediating between parties, and ensuring fair and effective resolutions. They must understand the root causes of conflicts by maintaining open communication, providing training and guidance on resolution techniques, and enforcing organizational policies to foster a professional work environment.

6. General management

A service desk manager must have the skill to oversee the daily operations of the service desk, ensuring that customer support is delivered efficiently and effectively. Additionally, they must manage a team of service desk agents, providing leadership, training and performance evaluations to ensure high-quality service.

7. Assessing the impact of a situation

A service desk manager must be able to assess a situation's impact by gathering relevant information, including the nature of the issue and its effect on customers or operations. They must also know how to evaluate a situation's urgency and severity and determine whether it aligns with predefined priority levels or requires escalation.

Tools Used by IT Service Desk Managers

Tools are essential to help managers monitor and understand the current circumstances of their organizations. Here is a list of the most common tools used by service desk managers:

1. Ticketing system

The ticketing system is a critical tool for managing work within the service desk. It includes defined roles, work queues, process workflows, and SLA measurement tools. 

With a ticketing system, a manager can:

• Log, track, and monitor customer issues or resolutions from initiation to resolution
• Prioritize tickets based on urgency, impact, and other criteria
• Communicate between support teams and customers by centralizing all interactions within the ticket

2. Knowledge management

Service desk productivity relies on agents’ ability to share information and knowledge. Knowledge management ensures all employees access the same information, leading to accurate service delivery across the organization. Managers use knowledge management to understand common issues, guide staff and promote consistent resolution of everyday issues.

3. Scheduling

A scheduling tool ensures efficient resource allocation and compliance with SLAs. A service desk manager can use this tool to create balanced schedules that align staffing levels with peak demand times, minimize conflicts, and adapt to real-time changes such as surges in service requests.

4. Monitoring systems

Service desk managers use monitoring systems to get real-time IT infrastructure performance and health insights. This allows for proactive issue detection and minimizes downtime. These systems also enable managers to optimize performance by identifying loopholes and allowing prompt incident management.

5. User surveys

User surveys provide direct feedback from customers about their experiences with the service desk. The service desk manager can analyze the survey results to identify areas for improvement, assess customer satisfaction, and understand the effectiveness of current processes and solutions.

6. Data analytics and reporting

A data analytics and reporting tool allows a service desk manager to analyze crucial metrics such as ticket volumes, resolution times, and customer satisfaction. It also allows the manager to identify trends and support informed decision-making by forecasting future needs.

IT Service Desk Manager Roles & Responsibilities: Large Vs Small Organizations

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FAQs

What are the daily tasks of an IT service desk manager?

The daily tasks of an IT service desk manager include:

• Team supervision
• Monitoring ticket system
• Customer interaction 
• Incident management
• Resource management

How can I become an IT service desk manager?

To become an IT service manager, one must gain relevant experience and certifications, such as ITIL, and develop strong leadership, problem-solving and communication skills.

What is the value of an IT service desk manager?

An IT service desk manager is highly valued in organizations as they monitor service desk staff and operations. It is considered one of the most critical functions, and company leaders must have confidence in the manager to carry out operations effectively.