A case study of service desk's performance measurement system

Purpose – Performance of service desk is critical to an organization. The purpose of this paper is to examine the performance measurement system of a technical assistance center at one of the largest semi‐conductor manufacturers in the world. The study examines top performance issues faced by the service desk and provides recommendations to address these issues. Design/methodology/approach – A case study approach has been adopted. An analysis is first carried out as to how the performance system has been developed in the organization. A number of employees associated with the service desk have been interviewed, to take into account the employees' views on the performance measurement and the appraisal and reward system of service desk agents. In addition, secondary data as available in public domain have been used. Data from the customer satisfaction survey were analyzed to determine performance issues faced by the service desk and to ascertain the root cause of the performance gap. Findings – The top performance issues faced by the service desk of the case organization are in areas of poor communication, high time consumption in service delivery, poor trouble shooting, poor knowledge of the agents, and confusing phone menu. The top four areas that need focus and improvement are Resolution Rate (RR), Customer Satisfaction (CSAT), Total Utilization, and Tickets per Agent per Week (TAW). In addition, there are mismatches between the employees and the management of the service desk regarding the rewards and recognition system. Practical implications – Both customer satisfaction and employee satisfaction are vital for the survival of an organization. Performance measures as suggested are effective tools to plan initiatives for improvement. Social implications – Satisfaction of employees is closely linked with a performance measurement system which determines appraisal and incentives. A wrong or inappropriate measurement system can bring down motivation levels, creating low productivity, low earnings, low customer satisfaction, and social tensions. There are larger social implications: ineffective performance measures will bring down employment levels because of attrition. Originality/value – Performance measurement in service is comparatively new. The study described in the paper should prove to be a valuable addition and the paper offers methods to improve performance and action plans to close performance gaps, to enhance customers' experience in a service organizational setting.