1. Copyright Copyright by Joelle Faulks and Cheyenne Wissenbach 2003. This work is the intellectual property of the authors. Permission is granted for this material to be shared for non- commercial, educational purposes, provided that this copyright statement appears on the reproduced materials and notice is given that the copying is by permission of the author. To disseminate otherwise or to republish requires written permission from the author.

2. Outsource This! Broaden Support and Reduce Staff Burnout Colgate University November 7, 2003

3. Introduction Project: Outsource Colgate’s IT Help Desk A bit about Colgate University A bit about ITS

4. Outline Background Gathering information Expectations… Selection Implementation Refinement Assessment (Reality) What’s next?

5. Background: Desktop Support Team, Spr. 2002 Helpline (help desk) Hardware Repair Humanities TSA Social Sci. TSA Natural Sci. TSA Director of DST Installation Team

6. Background: Problems Users –Expectations not being met DST –Helpline staff burnout –Increasing need for off-hours help CIO –Resource/IT staff distribution Adding positions very limited

7. Background: The decision to outsource How’d it become an option How was it communicated Perceptions of the idea: –CIO: economies of scale Extended hours of service –DST: mixed –Users: mixed

8. Gathering information… John Stinson, Onset Consulting group –What’s out there? Types of call centers Key questions –What will best fit our needs? Never looked at on-site support options Focused on off-site call centers

9. Gathering information… ITS looked at 4 companies –Advantage Communications –PC Helps –Nexus –Intellimark Presentations – open to ITS & community

10. Selection Presentations –Open invitation –DST: set of questions –DST: detailed notes Selection meeting –Open invitation –Organized comparison

11. Expectations Expected… –Ramp-up time –Clear communication to community –New Help Desk would handle 60% of calls –No DST staff members tied to phone Alleviate Help Desk burnout

12. Implementation Late January 2003, switchover Information Transfer Escalation Strategy Effects of Reorganization

13. Refinement Ongoing process… Information Transfer Escalation Strategy Effects of Reorganization

14. Total # of Tickets Logged

15. Resolution Rates 2003

16. Assessment : Reality Reality… Ramp-up longer than expected Communication was clear, but unnoticed % of calls handled less than 60, averaged 48% –Misconception of types of calls we initially rec’d Still have one DST staff tied to phone –Has helped burnout, but not there yet… Expected… Ramp-up time Clear communication to community New Help Desk would handle 60% of calls No DST staff members tied to phone –Alleviate Help Desk burnout

17. Assessment: Keep it simple Reorganization of Entire ITS –Moved One Installer to other Team –Moved One TSA to other Team –Moved One Helpline Staff to other Team –Dropped TSA Model

18. Assessment Desktop Support Team, Spr. 2002 Helpline (help desk) Hardware Repair Humanities TSA Social Sci. TSA Natural Sci. TSA Director of DST Installation Team

19. Assessment: Desktop Support Team Now Outsourced Help Desk ? Hardware Repair Director of DST Installation Level 2 Support

20. Assessment: Keep it simple Reviewed/Changed Hardware Vendor Budget Process Prevented Machine Replacement Rollout Process

21. Assessment: Even more variables One Staff Person Left to New Position Viruses Saturation of Network Not Printing Long Phone Hold Times High Amount of Abandoned Calls Changing Expectations of TSA Model

22. Assessment: Implementation Database Issues Middleman Highly Paid Clerical/Triage Staff

23. Assessment: Lessons Learned Make One Change at a Time Dedicated Person Managing Review More Frequently Regular Meetings with Support Staff Reduce Clerical/Middleman Don’t Remove Excess Staff until Stable Onsite Visit BEFORE Go Live Build in Flexibility to Cover Busy Periods

24. Assessment: What Did We Do Right? Outsourced Consultant Spent Up-front Time Preparing Materials Support From The TOP Not Allow Backdoor Entrance Email Relationship

25. Assessment: Did We Reach Goal? Customer Satisfaction Reduce Stress on Staff Better/Quicker Service

26. What Next? Eliminate High Paid Middle Man Easier Use of Database More Automation Built In Better Communication/Training More Control of Call Escalation/Closing

27. Vendor Information Advantage Communications –Prince Edward Island, Canada PC Helps –Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Nexus –Portland, Maine Intellimark –Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania

28. Outline Background Gathering information Expectations… Selection Implementation Refinement Assessment (Reality) What’s next?

29. Questions? Contact information: –Joelle Faulks, jfaulks@mail.colgate.edujfaulks@mail.colgate.edu 315-228-7016 –Cheyenne Wissenbach, cheyenne.wissenbach@yale.edu cheyenne.wissenbach@yale.edu 203-432-7080 –Ross Miller, rmiller@mail.colgate.edurmiller@mail.colgate.edu 315-228-7017 –John Stinson, jstinson@comcast.netjstinson@comcast.net 734-645-6459