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The State of Desktop Support: What You Need to Know Houston, Texas October 12, 2011 1
The State of Desktop Support:What You Need to Know
Houston, TexasOctober 12, 2011
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Rick JoslinHDI
Executive DirectorCertification & Training
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State of Desktop Support
• Desktop support is a strategic function within support organizations.
• Desktop support community is maturing.
• Professional development opportunities will continue to expand value.
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What is Desktop Support?
A support function responsible for the deskside and remote support of IT infrastructure, which include incidents or service requests escalated from the support centeror self-service websites as well as the management of assets commonly assigned to employees.
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General Responsibilities may include:
• Desktop Support• Executive Support• Program/Project
Management• Builds (Depots)• Imaging• Vendor
Management• Service
Management
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On BoardingMoves TerminationsDeploymentsMergers &
Acquisitions Divestitures EventsConnectivity
Polling Question
When did desktop support emerge as business function?– 1960s– 1970s– 1980s– 1990s– 2000s
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A Historical View
• 1946 ENIAC 1 Computer Created• 1953 IBM 701 EDPM Introduced• 1954 FORTRAN – First High-level
Programming Language• 1964 Mouse is Created• 1965 First Supercomputer CDC 6600• 1969 ARPANET Started
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A Historical View
• 1971 Intel Introduces First Microprocessor• 1971 Floppy Drive is Created• 1973 Ethernet Computer Networking• 1974 First Microcomputer by Altair• 1975 IBM introduces the 5100
– 16K of memory ($8,975)– 64K of memory ($17,975)
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A Historical View
• 1977– Commodore PET– Apple II– TRS-80
• 1978 VisiCalc Spreadsheet• 1979 WordStar
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A Historical View
• 1980 First Laptop Computers • 1981 Microsoft DOS / IBM PC, model 5150• 1983 IBM XT / Lotus 1-2-3• 1984 IBM AT• 1984 Apple Macintosh – first GUI• 1985 Microsoft Windows 1.0• 1986 First Plug and Play• 1987 Microsoft Windows 2
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A Historical View
• 1990 Microsoft Windows 3.0 & Microsoft Office
• 1993 Microsoft Windows NT& Microsoft Windows for Workgroups
• 1991 World Wide Web available to the public
• 1993 PDAs introduced• 1998 Widespread use of the Internet• 1999 Plug and Play now common
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• 2000 Windows 2000• 2001 Windows XP• 2004 Mozilla FireFox 1.0• 2005 First Dual-core 64-bit desktop
processors• 2006 Intel Core 2 Processor• 2007 Windows Vista• 2009 Windows 7• 2010 Apple iPad
A Historical View
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The Support Organization
The Support Center Analyst is the VOICE
of the Support Organization.
The Desktop Support Technician is the
FACE of the Support Organization!
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Desktop Support
• Less than 20 Years Old• Tightly Aligned with the Support Center• Second-level Support Partner• Lack of Documented Best Practices• Not Recognized as a Function in ITIL• Certifications available
for Technicians• Community is Emerging
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Desktop Support Certifications
• 1993
• 2003
• 2007
• 2010
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The Desktop Support Research
– 95% of Practitioners and 94% of Outsourcers report having Desktop Support functions in their organizations
– 28% of Support Managers are responsible for both Desktop Support and the Support Center
– 33% of Desktop Support organizations service both internal and external customers• 2011 HDI Desktop Support PSR• 2009 HDI Desktop Support Survey
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Staff Size Support Center
Desktop Support
1-5 26.8% 22.0%6-10 22.0% 27.7%11-20 19.9% 27.0%21+ 29.3% 23.4%
The Desktop Support Research
50% Responded that they have more than 10 staff dedicated to Desktop Support
According to the HDI 2009 Practices & Salary Survey Report
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• No Documented Best Practices
• No Community or Professional Association
• No Conference
• Lack of Professional Development Opportunities
What was the State of Desktop Support?
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HDI Responded
• Extended the HDI Community• Provide a Leadership Networking Forum• Expanded the HDI Annual Conference• Developed Standards and Certifications• Conducted Industry Research
All Focused on theDesktop Support Profession
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Cost per Incident
Average cost per incident when resolved by:Desktop Support $30Support Center Options– Phone $20– Email $15– Chat $15– Web Request $13– Self-Help $ 7– Social Media $ 5
Source: HDI 2010 Practices and Salary Survey
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Polling Question
What percent of a desktop technician’s average day focuses on incident management?– 25%– 40%– 65%– 80%
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Percent of day spent on Incidents
Source: HDI 2010 Practices and Salary Survey
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Who is resolving incidents?
Source: HDI 2010 Practices and Salary Survey
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Why incidents increasing?
59% New customer equipment/devices/applications
51.7% Number of customers38.4% Change in infrastructure33.3% Number of applications31.1% Scope of services28.6% Older equipment25.1% Acquisitions / mergers
Source: HDI 2011 Desktop SupportPractices and Salary Survey
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Why are incidents decreasing?
45.2% Service desk staff competency32.1% Change in infrastructure32.1% Knowledge management29.8% Remote tools for support29.8% Self-help23.8% Number of customers22.6% Customer competency
Source: HDI 2011 Desktop SupportPractices and Salary Survey
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Polling Question
How does your organization measure incidents and service requests.– Incidents and service requests
are measured separately– Distinguish between the them,
do not measure them separately
– Do not distinguish between incidents and service requests
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Incidents versus Service Requests
How does your organization measure incidents and service requests?
46%
23%
31%
Incidents and service requests separately
Distinguish between them, but do not measure them separately
Do not distinguish between incidents and service requests
Source: HDI 2011 Desktop Support Practices and Salary Survey27
How much is being outsourced?
Source: HDI 2010 Practices and Salary Survey
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Top Skills for Desktop Support Technicians
1. Problem solving/ troubleshooting
2. Customer service/ interpersonal skills
3. Ability to work under pressure
4. Time management5. Ability to prioritize6. Creative thinking7. Ability to multitask8. Resourcefulness
9. Ability to work in a team
10.Certifications11.Technical aptitude12.Initiative13.Conflict management14.Self-motivated15.Patience/persistence 16.Ability to take
ownership
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Source: HDI Desktop Support Advisory Board 2010
Training time is consistent with Support Center Staff
Source: HDI 2010 Practices and Salary Survey
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Training heavily focused on Technology
Source: HDI 2010 Practices and Salary Survey
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Desktop Support Technicians stay longer than Level 1 Support Staff
Source: HDI 2010 Practices and Salary Survey
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Polling Question
What is the most important factor when determining salary increases for a desktop support technician?– Customer service skills– Meeting job metrics– Quality of work– Support experience– Technical Knowledge
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Most important factors when determining salary increases are:
1. Quality of Work2. Customer Service Skills3. Meeting Job Metrics or Standards4. Support Experience Overall5. PC Support6. Specific Technical Knowledge
Source: HDI 2010 Practices and Salary Survey
For Desktop Support Technicians
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United States Salary Results
Source: HDI 2011 Desktop Support Practices and Salary Report
Average US SalariesDesktop Support Technician (DST)
Junior Level DST $ 45,162
Senior Level DST $ 58,247
Desktop Support Team Lead $ 59,649
Desktop Support Manager
Dedicated DS Manager $ 77,889
Manager oversees other areas as well as DS $ 79,503
Director of Desktop Support $ 104,410
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Committed to Developing Best Practices
Initial focus defined by the Desktop Support Advisory Board:
• Process• Technologies• Metrics
Additional topics will be defined andaddressed as the community matures.
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Desktop Support Key Processes
1. Incident Management– Warranty and
non-warranty repairs
2. Request Management– On-boarding Processes – Off-boarding Processes
3. Escalation Management
4. Problem Management5. Change Management6. Service Level
Management
7. Security Management8. Knowledge Management9. Configuration
Management10.Asset Management
– Software Licensing– Procurement
11.Release Management– Large scale deployment
projects
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Desktop Support Key Technologies
1. Incident Management System 83.4%2. Remote Control/Shadow Tools 81.0%3. Knowledge Management System 52.0%4. Alerts/Monitoring Tools 45.9%5. Systems Management Tools 43.5%6. Asset Management System 39.7%7. Imaging System 36.1%8. Application Packaging Software 35.4%9. Customer Satisfaction Surveys 34.7%10. Collaboration Tools 22.5%11. Application License Management 17.3%
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Desktop Support Key Metrics
1. Cost per Incident/Service Request2. Escalation Rate from Level 1 (percentage)
3. Escalated Level 1 Resolvable (percentage)
4. Incident to Service Request (ratio)
5. Resolved by Desktop Support (percentage)
6. Mean Time to Response7. Longest Time in Queue8. Average Time per Incident/Service Request9. FTE per Devices Supported (ratio)
10. Incidents/Service Requests meeting SLA (percentage)
11. Customer Satisfaction12. Technician Satisfaction
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HDI, the Desktop Support Professional Community
• Research• Online Resources
– e-Newsletters, Publications, Industry Reports, Whitepapers, Webinars, Case Studies
• HDI Local Chapters (U.S.)• Webinars• Forums• Conferences• Public, On-site, and Online Training• Professional Certifications
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HDI Standards and Certifications
Sponsored the HDI InternationalCertification Standards Committee
• HDI Desktop Support Technician (2007)• HDI Desktop Support Manager (2010)
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Top Trends Impacting Desktop Support
• Increase in Apple Platform Support
• Mobile Device Support
• Bring Your Own Device (BYOD)
• Virtualization (Desktop & Application)
• Increase Remote User Support (telecommuting, small offices)
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Call to Action
• Stay Current with the Best Practices.• Network with your Peers.• Learn from Others & Share your Experiences.• Continue your Professional Development.• Get Certified and Get Recognized.• Join HDI and the Desktop Support community.• Join HDI Desktop Support Professionals on
LinkedIn• Read the HDI Desktop Support Practices and
Salary Report
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State of Desktop Support
• Best Practices are Emerging.• Professional Certifications are Available.• Professional Development Needs are being
Defined.• Research is Ongoing.• Community is Evolving.
• People are Connecting.
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