Outsource the Service Desk
If your outsourcing project is driven by cost alone, you will fail.
- Significant administrative work and up-front costs are required to outsource the service desk, and poor planning often results in project failure and decreases in end-user satisfaction.
- A complete turnover of the service desk can result in lost knowledge and control over processes.
- The service desk represents all of IT. Its processes are critical to the effective and timely delivery of IT services.
Our Advice
Critical Insight
- If you are outsourcing only to save money, you will fail. The goal of outsourcing should be to improve key service metrics, not reduce costs.
- Don’t sweep your service desk problems under the outsourcing rug. Poor processes won’t disappear by outsourcing; they’ll merely be relocated. Take the time to define processes and standardize workflows before outsourcing.
- Don’t let the outsource service provider dictate your services and service levels. Set clear expectations for service up-front, and have an exit strategy in case service levels are not met.
Impact and Result
- Outsourcing should ultimately be motivated by the end-user experience; cutting costs should not come at the expense of a drop in service quality.
- A maturity assessment will help determine whether or not outsourcing is applicable for the current state of your service desk.
- Design a comprehensive outsourcing strategy in order to support the development of a detailed RFP.
- Evaluate RFP responses using a detailed interview process. Working with your top candidate before you sign a contract will allow you to determine a cultural match between both parties.
Outsource the Service Desk Research & Tools
Start here – read the Executive Brief
Read our concise Executive Brief to find out why you should focus on value when outsourcing your service desk, review Info-Tech’s methodology, and understand the four ways we can support you in completing this project.
1. Assess service desk maturity and outsourcing feasibility
Determine whether outsourcing is the correct choice for improving your service desk.
2. Build outsourcing strategy and RFP
Create a detailed outsourcing strategy and capture that message in a comprehensive RFP in order to secure a quality group of respondents.
3. Execute and manage the transition
Evaluate your RFP responses and make your selection, then complete the transition to an outsourced service desk.
Member Testimonials
After each Info-Tech experience, we ask our members to quantify the real-time savings, monetary impact, and project improvements our research helped them achieve. See our top member experiences for this blueprint and what our clients have to say.
10.0/10
Overall Impact
$50,000
Average $ Saved
90
Average Days Saved
Client
Experience
Impact
$ Saved
Days Saved
Adler University
Guided Implementation
10/10
$50,000
90
Cross Country Mortgage, Inc.
Guided Implementation
10/10
$29,923
2
CNX
Guided Implementation
9/10
$12,733
2
Lamb Weston
Guided Implementation
8/10
$12,733
2
Graymont Limited
Guided Implementation
10/10
N/A
20
Ministry of Government & Consumer Services - Government Services Integration Cluster
Guided Implementation
10/10
$25,000
20
Onsite Workshop: Outsource the Service Desk
Onsite workshops offer an easy way to accelerate your project. If you are unable to do the project yourself, and a Guided Implementation isn't enough, we offer low-cost onsite delivery of our project workshops. We take you through every phase of your project and ensure that you have a roadmap in place to complete your project successfully.
Module 1: Prepare Your Service Desk for Outsourcing
The Purpose
- Assess your service desk maturity.
- Develop a plan for preparing for outsourcing.
- Assess the cost of outsourcing.
Key Benefits Achieved
- Improved service desk maturity.
- Clear definition of outsourcing project structure.
- Understanding of total cost of outsourcing.
Activities
Outputs
Assess service desk maturity.
- Service Desk Maturity Assessment
Design your tiered service desk.
- Service Desk Cost Estimate
Create an outsourcing decision matrix.
Complete a service desk feasibility assessment.
Module 2: Develop Your Outsourcing Strategy
The Purpose
- Prepare an outsourcing strategy based on the current and future state of the service desk.
- Identify goals and objectives, risks, constraints, and metrics.
Key Benefits Achieved
- A clear vision for what your outsourced service desk seeks to achieve and how you are going to achieve it.
Activities
Outputs
Identify roles and responsibilities.
- Outsourcing Strategy
Identify goals and objectives.
Outline potential risks and constraints.
Define tension metrics to balance reporting.
Module 3: Develop Your Outsourcing RFP
The Purpose
- Build a comprehensive RFP based on the outputs of your strategy and the activities in this module.
Key Benefits Achieved
- Identification of current and future requirements.
- Distinction made between outsourced and retained services.
- Detailed RFP to ensure respondents are the right-sized fit.
Activities
Outputs
Identify current and future requirements.
- Service Desk Outsourcing RFP
Outline ITSM solution requirements.
Define in-house and retained service desk functions.
Complete RFP.
Module 4: Select a Managed Service Provider and Manage the Transition
The Purpose
- Develop a process for evaluating RFP responses, selecting an outsourcing partner, and managing the transition.
Key Benefits Achieved
- Defined evaluation process for RFP responses.
- Clear exit conditions.
- Identification of roles for both parties involved.
Activities
Outputs
Develop interview questions for candidate managed service providers and client references.
- MSP Interview Script
- Client Reference Interview Script
Score RFP responses.
- RFP Scoring Summary
Identify roles and responsibilities.
Develop exit strategy.
- Exit Strategy
About Info-Tech
Info-Tech Research Group is the world’s fastest-growing information technology research and advisory company, proudly serving over 30,000 IT professionals.
We produce unbiased and highly relevant research to help CIOs and IT leaders make strategic, timely, and well-informed decisions. We partner closely with IT teams to provide everything they need, from actionable tools to analyst guidance, ensuring they deliver measurable results for their organizations.
What Is a Blueprint?
A blueprint is designed to be a roadmap, containing a methodology and the tools and templates you need to solve your IT problems.
Each blueprint can be accompanied by a Guided Implementation that provides you access to our world-class analysts to help you get through the project.
Need Extra Help?
Speak With An Analyst
Get the help you need in this 3-phase advisory process. You'll receive 9 touchpoints with our researchers, all included in your membership.
Guided Implementation #1 - Assess maturity and feasibility
- Call #1 - Define the structure of your service desk and identify service desk agent skills and gaps.
- Call #2 - Complete service desk maturity assessment and analyze results.
- Call #3 - Complete service desk efficiency assessment and analyze results; use results of both assessments to determine whether outsourcing is appropriate.
Guided Implementation #2 - Build strategy and RFP
- Call #1 - Identify goals and objectives of outsourcing; define roles and responsibilities for the project.
- Call #2 - Identify key success metrics; outline strategy for the outsourcing project.
- Call #3 - Identify current and future requirements from an MSP; use requirements to complete a detailed RFP to issue to MSPs.
Guided Implementation #3 - Execute and manage transition
- Call #1 - Evaluate RFP responses using the scoring tool.
- Call #2 - Complete the script of interview questions to ask MSPs and references.
- Call #3 - Choose MSP and discuss plan for managing the transition and defining an exit strategy before signing the contract.
Contributors
- Rob Morano, Co-Founder, The Hackerati, Inc.
- Vince Voiro, Senior Analyst, Kepler Group
- Gerry Veugelaers, Service Delivery Manager, New Zealand Defense Force
- Gautam Bangalore, Business Analyst, Optus
- Jeremy Gagne, Application Support Delivery Manager, Allegis Group
- Carol Schaner, Service Desk Supervisor, Allegis Group
- Keith Larsen, Managing Consultant, Comtek Group
- Victoria Helps, Service Manager, Ravensdown
- Michael Dean, Director of User Support Services, Des Moines University
- Michael Lenhardt, Account Executive, TUC Managed IT Solutions
