How to Choose a Service Provider that Handles Incident and Service Requests Effectively

Understanding Incident and Service Requests and How To Know MSP Manages Them Properly

Introduction

You’ll know all too well just how important it is to have reliable and secure IT systems that support your operations and goals. You also know how frustrating and costly it can be when something goes wrong with your IT systems or when you need something new or different to meet your changing needs. That’s why you need a service provider that can handle your IT problems and requests effectively and efficiently and deliver the best service possible.

But how do you know if a service provider has the capability and the process to handle your IT problems and requests? How can you tell if they can prioritise your needs, communicate clearly, and minimise the risks and disruptions of the changes you request? I would like to share with you some insights and tips on how to choose a service provider that handles incident and service requests effectively, based on our experience and best practices at The HBP Group, a leading Managed Service Provider (MSP) in the UK.

What are incident and service requests and why do they matter?

Before we dive into the details, let me explain what incident and service requests are and why they matter for your IT service helpdesk experience. An incident is something that is broken and needs fixing. For example, if your laptop is not working, your email is not sending, or your software is crashing, these are incidents that need to be resolved as soon as possible. An incident can have a high impact on your productivity and satisfaction, so they should be prioritised according to their urgency and severity.

A service request is something new or different that you want. For example, if you need a new keyboard, a new mailbox, a password reset, or an email signature change, these are service requests that need to be fulfilled. A service request can have a low to medium impact on your productivity, depending on how important it is for you. They should be scheduled according to your preference and availability.

Incident and service requests matter because they are the main ways that you interact with your service provider and receive the IT services that you need. They also matter because they help your service provider identify the root causes of your IT issues and plan for improvements. By using a structured process for logging, tracking, and resolving incidents and service requests, your service provider can analyse the patterns and trends of your IT problems and identify the areas that need improvement. This can lead to better service quality, reliability, and security in the long run.

What is a change request and why does it matter?

A change request is a process that your service provider follows to highlight the risks of doing a service request or resolving an incident when it involves changing something that could affect more than one person or the entire business. For example, if you want to change the template of the email signature for the entire business, or if you need to update the finance software to run the payroll, these are changes that need to be reviewed and approved before your service provider proceeds.

A change request matters because it can have a high impact on your productivity, as well as on the security and stability of your IT systems. A change request helps your service provider communicate clearly and transparently with you about the risks and benefits of the changes you request, and the steps they will take to minimise the disruption and risk of the IT services. A change request also gives you more control and visibility over the changes that are made to your IT environment, as you can review and approve them before they are executed.

How to choose a service provider that handles incident and service requests effectively?

Now that you know what incident and service requests are and why they matter, how can you choose a service provider that handles them effectively? Here are some questions that you can ask your potential or current service provider to assess their capability and process for handling incident and service requests:

• How do you log, track, and resolve incidents and service requests? Do you use a ticketing system, a portal, or a phone call?
• How do you prioritise incidents and service requests? Do you use a priority matrix, a service level agreement or customer feedback?
• How do you communicate with me about the status and progress of my incidents and service requests? Do you use email, phone, or text messages?
• How do you automate common tasks and reduce the resolution time and effort of incidents and service requests? Do you use predefined templates, workflows, and rules?
• How do you assess, approve, and implement changes that affect my IT systems? Do you use a change management process, a change advisory board, or a change calendar?
• How do you measure and improve the quality and satisfaction of your incident and service request service? Do you use metrics, reports, or surveys?

By asking these questions, you can get a better understanding of how your service provider handles incident and service requests, and how they can benefit you as a customer. You can also compare different service providers and choose the one that best suits your needs and expectations.

Conclusion

At The HBP Group, we are always looking for ways to improve our service delivery and customer satisfaction. That’s why we have used incident and service requests in our IT Service Helpdesk, a process that allows us to handle our customer’s IT problems and requests effectively and efficiently and provide our customer with the best service possible. We also use change requests to ensure that the changes we make to your IT systems are safe, secure, and beneficial for your business.

If you are looking for a service provider that can handle your incident and service requests effectively, or if you want to learn more about our process and best practices, please contact us today. We would love to hear from you and help you with your IT needs.