Service Desk Manager

Course Outline

Being an effective service desk manager requires a broad range of talents, from people-oriented abilities and an awareness of marketing to financial acumen and presentation skills. This course provides a thorough understanding of, and a qualification in, the twelve core areas of service desk management.

This interactive five-day course, that from the beginning involves students via discussions, debates, exercises and presentations, leads to the Service Desk and Support Manager qualification. It reviews the student’s understanding of the service desk and support environment and its pivotal role within the organization, while promoting a greater understanding of the current market place and the responsibilities of a service desk manager.

The course reviews current working practices, identifies ways to assess and improve service offerings in line with best practices, and the importance and benefits of having good processes and procedures in place. Additionally, students review the skills, attributes and knowledge their staff require to meet the demands of today’s service desk environment.

Students examine ways to motivate staff, identify ways to actively build better relationships with their customers and peers; including methods to develop their team as well as individuals within the team; along with approaches for the recruitment and retention of staff.

Students complete the course having developed plans to improve and enhance the service desk function, their own skills and those of their team.

Who is it for?

The SDM qualification course is for existing and aspiring service desk managers and supervisors who wish to develop their understanding of service desk management practices and build a set of management skills. Suitable for those with at least three years of experience in a service desk environment. Examples of professional job titles include.

• Team Leader
• Supervisor
• Service Desk Manager
• Support Manager
• Service Delivery Manager
• Customer Service Manager

Individuals interested in achieving an SDI qualification will come from all industry sectors across a range of large, medium, and small sized service desks. They will have a desire to be recognized for demonstrating an understanding of the important topics listed in these standards in order to pursue employment and advancement opportunities in the support industry.

Course Objectives

This course is design to offer service desk managers a globally recognized qualification which adheres to international standards. It provides a greater understanding of the crucial role of the service desk manager and how to run an effective support operation, ensuring that they work to consistent standards recognized by the industry. It also reviews the six key concepts covered in the standards; the strategic role of the service desk, management competencies, business integration, operational management, tools and technologies, human resource and team development, on which are based the skills, competencies and knowledge that a service desk manager requires in order to effectively deliver professional and effective support.

The objectives of the course are to provide service desk managers with:

• A thorough grounding in the skills required to lead, motivate and manage a service desk team
• A complete service desk management tool kit covering strategy, leadership, employee development, relationship building, service improvement, ITSM processes, performance measurement, finance and tools and technologies.
• An internationally recognized SDM qualification

It is based upon the standards and objectives for SDI’s service desk manager qualification and ensures that students are provided with the knowledge, information and tools to take the SDM exam.