Chapter 8:Teams and Team Players in a Service Desk SettingA Guide to Customer Service Skills for the Service Desk ProfessionalThird Edition

ObjectivesIn this chapter students will learn:The characteristics of a successful teamThe stages of growth that teams go throughHow successful teams manage the inevitable and normal conflict in a team settingHow to understand your role in the service desk and in your companys support organizationHow to contribute to your teams goalsThe skills needed to have positive working relationships with your teammatesA Guide to Customer Service Skills for the Service Desk Professional, 3e*

Teams and Team Players in a Service Desk SettingIn a technical service desk, no single person can know everything about all the products supported and provide all the support customers needTeam - A group of people organized to work together toward the achievement of a goalTeam player - A person who contributes to the teams success by cooperating freely and communicating openly with his or her teammatesA Guide to Customer Service Skills for the Service Desk Professional, 3e*

Working as a TeamTechnical support lends itself to a team setting for the following reasons:The sheer number of available productsThe integration of products and systemsThe constant and pervasive rate of technical changeThe need for business knowledgeThe increasing complexity of the business worldThe need to use resources efficiently and effectivelyA Guide to Customer Service Skills for the Service Desk Professional, 3e*

Characteristics of a Successful TeamA clear sense of purposeShared leadershipDiversityOpenness and trustPositive relationships with other support groupsA Guide to Customer Service Skills for the Service Desk Professional, 3e*

Characteristics of a Successful Team (continued)A clear sense of purpose:The mission and goals of the team must be clearly defined and accepted by all of the team members Mission - A written statement of the customers the service desk serves, the types of services it provides, and how it delivers those servicesService desk goals - Measurable objectives that support the service desks missionIndividual performance goals - Measurable objectives for analysts who support the service desks mission

A Guide to Customer Service Skills for the Service Desk Professional, 3e*

Characteristics of a Successful Team (continued)Shared leadership:An effective leader enables a team to achieve its full potential by: Removing obstacles Sharing leadership responsibilities Ineffective team leaders take advantage of their authority by telling the team what to do and how to do it, without seeking inputShared leadership is a more effective approach and ensures Each team member feels responsible for meeting the teams goalsEach team members strengths are used to the fullest when neededThe team stays focused, even in the team leaders absenceThe most effective leaders (whether the formal team leader or not) make suggestions, remain open to ideas, and encourage others to do the sameA Guide to Customer Service Skills for the Service Desk Professional, 3e*

Characteristics of a Successful Team (continued)Diversity:Successful teams are made up of people who have unique skills and exhibit varying approaches to teamwork Each player must at times be a leader, and at other times follow the leaderTeam players must be willing to work together to achieve the teams mission and goals Todays teams must address age diversitySeniors, Baby Boomers, Gen X, and Gen Y have different views about work ethic, respect for authority, management style, dress code, work schedules, teamwork, and technologyA key to success is to value the contribution of each generationTeam-oriented companies consider a prospective employees Personality Willingness to work in a team setting and toward team goalsBusiness and technical skillsAbility to fit into the companys corporate culture and into the culture of the hiring teamA Guide to Customer Service Skills for the Service Desk Professional, 3e*

Characteristics of a Successful Team (continued)Openness and trust:Communication within a team setting is just as important as communicating with customersTeam members must be willing to:Share their knowledgeGive and receive constructive feedbackFreely express their feelingsTalk, but also listen Team members must be able to:Rely on each other to get the job done State their weaknesses and look to teammates for strength A Guide to Customer Service Skills for the Service Desk Professional, 3e*

Characteristics of a Successful Team (continued)Positive relationships with other support groups:Team members are accountable to:Other members of the teamThe greater team that constitutes the service value chain within their companyLevel two support groups, the training group, the Sales and Marketing department, external service providers The service desk must rely on these groups to provide knowledge, tools, and credibilityWithout support, the service desks potential may not be realized and its contribution recognized A Guide to Customer Service Skills for the Service Desk Professional, 3e*

Building a Solid TeamTo perform at maximum efficiency and effectiveness, each team member, including the leader, must embrace the characteristics of a successful team Becoming a team takes:TimeAn open, pleasant working environmentA willingness to work through the stages of growth that all groups experience on their way to becoming a team A Guide to Customer Service Skills for the Service Desk Professional, 3e*

Building a Solid Team (continued)A Guide to Customer Service Skills for the Service Desk Professional, 3e*

Building a Solid Team (continued)Forming:Team members are selected and the process of becoming a team begins The teams mission and goals are defined along with team members roles and responsibilities Team members often experience a range of emotions The team leader is actively involved and provides the direction and resources the team needs to progress A Guide to Customer Service Skills for the Service Desk Professional, 3e*

Building a Solid Team (continued)Storming:The team begins to face the reality of turning its mission and goals into executable action plansThe polite faade begins to fade and team members are more willing to disagree The team leader coaches and counsels the team and repeatedly reminds the team to stay focused on its goals A Guide to Customer Service Skills for the Service Desk Professional, 3e*

Building a Solid Team (continued)Norming:Team members begin to take ownership for the teams performance and to have confidence in the teams abilitiesThey feel a sense of camaraderie and begin to exhibit team spiritTeam members accept and welcome feedback rather than view it as criticismThe team leader steps away from the team and gets involved only when the team asks for support A Guide to Customer Service Skills for the Service Desk Professional, 3e*

Building a Solid Team (continued)Performing:The team is achieving its goals and the teams members are participating fully in team activitiesA spirit of cooperation and collaboration prevailsTeam members trust each other and their leaderThey feel a sense of pride and satisfactionThe team has become a close-knit communityThe team leader serves as head cheerleader and encourages the team to avoid complacency and continuously improve A Guide to Customer Service Skills for the Service Desk Professional, 3e*

Building a Solid Team (continued)Some teams never make it to the performing stageFor example, they avoid conflict during the storming stage and never develop the ability to deal with negative issues or achieve a consensus Consensus - An opinion or position reached by all of a teams members or by a majority of its membersConflict is inevitable in a team settingSuccessful teams learn to work through it in a fair and constructive manner A Guide to Customer Service Skills for the Service Desk Professional, 3e*

Managing Conflict in a Team SettingConflict is a normal part of human interaction When approached positively, it can actually produce very creative and innovative results In a team setting, conflict usually results from team members varying perceptions and expectationsConflict can also arise simply as a result of the stress that is inherent in a service desk settingA Guide to Customer Service Skills for the Service Desk Professional, 3e*

Managing Conflict in a Team Setting (continued)An issue is typically at the heart of a conflictThe best way to handle conflict is for team members to focus on the issue not the personalities of teammatesTeam members must also be honest about their feelings, while striving to understand the feelings of their teammates Engaging in conflict is not a pleasant experienceIt is better to resolve the issue than avoid it and allow it to turn into something even biggerA Guide to Customer Service Skills for the Service Desk Professional, 3e*

Managing Conflict in a Team Setting (continued)When faced with a conflict, remember that:The person on the other side has a point of view that is legitimate and reasonableListen actively and strive to understand The other person may be just as uncomfortable talking about the conflictFind an agreeable way to resolve the situationKeep to the issues of a discussionAvoid making comments that attack your teammates personal character or question his or her motives A Guide to Customer Service Skills for the Service Desk Professional, 3e*

Managing Conflict in a Team Setting (continued)Saying the same thing over and over will not resolve the conflictWhen necessary, state your point of view in a different way, or try presenting your point of view from the other persons perspective Little can be gained by discussing or debating the pastTry to determine what can be done now and in the future to eliminate the source of conflict The other person may be willing to accept a solution if you can make it sufficiently attractiveTry to identify a middle ground you both find acceptableA Guide to Customer Service Skills for the Service Desk Professional, 3e*

Managing Conflict in a Team Setting (continued)It is okay to change your mindShould you discover that you were misinformed or simply wrong, graciously acknowledge your teammates point of viewWhen appropriate, apologize for causing or prolonging the conflict There are times when it is appropriate to delay discussing a difficult situationChoose a time when both you and the person can calmly discuss the issue and seek a resolutionA Guide to Customer Service Skills for the Service Desk Professional, 3e*

Being a Team PlayerBeing a team player requiresPersonal commitment A willingness to put the needs of the team ahead of your personal goalsTeam players:Contribute by cooperating freely and communicating openly with teammatesDo not have to abandon personal goalsA Guide to Customer Service Skills for the Service Desk Professional, 3e*

Being a Team Player (continued)The most successful team players seek out a team setting that enables them to work toward their personal goals while contributing to the teams goalsThe greatest job satisfaction comes when:Skills are fully utilizedYour personal working style is acknowledge and accommodated A successful team is made up of a mix of people who contribute a variety of skills and personal working stylesA Guide to Customer Service Skills for the Service Desk Professional, 3e*

Understanding Your Role in the Service DeskFor a team to succeed, all team members must understand that they have a unique role to playThe role a person plays is a sum of his or her skills, knowledge, experience, and personal style A Guide to Customer Service Skills for the Service Desk Professional, 3e*

Understanding Your Role in the Service Desk (continued)Team player styles:Challenger - Serves as the devils advocate. Questions goals, methods, and proceduresCollaborator - Goal-oriented. Willing to do what is needed to get the job doneCommunicator - A good listener. Encourages others to participate in team discussionsContributor - Task-oriented. Does everything possible to provide the team with the skills, knowledge, and information it needsA Guide to Customer Service Skills for the Service Desk Professional, 3e*

Understanding Your Role in the Service Desk (continued)Each shines brightest at different times:Forming stage - Challenger pushes team to set high standards. May question validity of goalsStorming stage - Communicator facilitates discussion. Encourages conflict resolutionNorming stage - Contributor helps team stay organized. Does the research the team needsPerforming stage - Collaborator encourages team to stay focused or revisit goals when needed in an effort to continuously improveA Guide to Customer Service Skills for the Service Desk Professional, 3e*

Understanding Your Role in the Service Desk (continued)Each style can become ineffective if a team player:Overemphasizes his or her contributionFails to acknowledge the contributions of others Team players must be sensitive to the needs of the team and the needs of their teammates Most people have one style that predominatesPeople are capable of exhibiting all of these styles People may exhibit different styles in different situationsYour challenge as a team player is to determine your personal style and use the strengths of that style to contribute to your team

A Guide to Customer Service Skills for the Service Desk Professional, 3e*

Understanding Your Role in the Service Desk (continued)Emotional intelligence a form of intelligence relating to the emotional side of lifeIncludes the ability to:Recognize and manage ones emotions and the emotions of othersMotivate oneself and restrain impulsesEffectively handle interpersonal relationshipsPositive interpersonal relationships begin with self-awarenessEmotionally intelligent team players: Understand that negative behavior impacts othersAre able to control their emotions, show empathy for the feelings of others, and promote cooperation and collaborationA Guide to Customer Service Skills for the Service Desk Professional, 3e*

Understanding Your Role in the Service Desk (continued)Team players who embrace the diversity that a team setting offers are invariably happier and more successfulThe most successful team players value the opportunity to work with others who are equally uniqueThese feelings of mutual appreciation and respect extend beyond the service desk to the entire support organization A Guide to Customer Service Skills for the Service Desk Professional, 3e*

Understanding an Analysts Role in the Companys Support OrganizationThe service desk, as a team, has a role to playThe service desks mission and goals define that roleThe role of most service desks is to serve on the front-line between a company or department and its customersCustomers form opinions of the entire company or department based on their interactions with the service deskThe service desks performance also influences how efficiently and effectively other support resources are usedEach member of the service desk team must embrace the service desks mission and achieve his or her individual performance goals for the team to achieve its goals

A Guide to Customer Service Skills for the Service Desk Professional, 3e*

Contributing to Team GoalsTeam members unique skills and personal style are only of value if they enable the team to achieve its goals Sample service desk goals include:Achieve an average 4 out of 5 rating on the annual overall satisfaction surveyProvide each analyst 8 hours of training each monthResolve 80% of reported problems at level oneReduce contact to the service desk by 5% within 6 monthsReduce support costs by 5% by year endMaintain a cost per contact at or below the industry averageTeam performance is only as good as the performance of analysts on the teamA Guide to Customer Service Skills for the Service Desk Professional, 3e*

Contributing to Team Goals (continued)Analysts must achieve their individual performance goals for the team to achieve its goalsData are needed to measure and manage both team and individual performanceAnalysts create the needed data by using toolsWithout data, management will measure performance based on what they perceive an analyst has accomplishedBy capturing data and learning to use data to create information, analysts can:Maximize their contribution to service desk goals Communicate that contribution to management A Guide to Customer Service Skills for the Service Desk Professional, 3e*

Contributing to Team Goals (continued)Service desk tools that may be used to create individual performance metrics include:Automatic call distributor (ACD)E-mail response management systemIncident tracking and problem management system A Guide to Customer Service Skills for the Service Desk Professional, 3e*

Contributing to Team Goals (continued)Metrics captured with an ACD include:Availability The length of time signed on to the ACD compared to the length of time scheduledAverage call duration The average length of time required to handle a callTime idle The average length of time an analyst was idle during a given period of timeWrap-up time The average length of time an analyst was in wrap-up mode during a given period of timeA Guide to Customer Service Skills for the Service Desk Professional, 3e*

Contributing to Team Goals (continued)Metrics captured with an e-mail response management system include :Average handle time - The average length of time required to handle an e-mail Average number of exchanges - The average number of e-mail exchanges required to resolve an incident A Guide to Customer Service Skills for the Service Desk Professional, 3e*

Contributing to Team Goals (continued)Metrics captured with an incident tracking and problem management system include:Reopen % - Incidents an analysts opens back up compared to the number closed Resolution % - Incidents an analyst resolves compared to the total number handled Application of training investments - A comparison of an analysts resolution % and reopen % before and after attending trainingA Guide to Customer Service Skills for the Service Desk Professional, 3e*

Contributing to Team Goals (continued)Other tools used to capture individual performance metrics include:Customer satisfaction surveysMonitoringMetrics are an excellent way for management and staff to know whether they are achieving goalsYou can suggest additional metrics and supply other information that further demonstrates your contribution to the teams goals A Guide to Customer Service Skills for the Service Desk Professional, 3e*

Communicating Effectively in a Team SettingThe way people communicate in a team setting influences their relationships with their teammates and the effectiveness of the entire teamTeam players: Originate and propose new ideas and actively encourage others to contribute their ideasArticulate the teams goals and help clarify the teams goals as neededRegard conflict as a normal part of team growth and strive to resolve it in a positive wayA Guide to Customer Service Skills for the Service Desk Professional, 3e*

Communicating Effectively in a Team Setting (continued)Team players: Actively encourage teammates to participate in team activities and assert the right of each and every teammate to be heardExpress their feelings about issues in a positive way and seek to understand how teammates feel Assume responsibility for guiding the team when their expertise or team player style is neededEncourage team growth by describing the benefits to be gained by making a changeA Guide to Customer Service Skills for the Service Desk Professional, 3e*

Communicating Effectively in a Team Setting (continued)Feedback - Communication from one team member to another about how the members behavior is meeting the expectations of the teamFeedback is appropriate when:A person does something wellA persons behavior does not appear to be aligned with the teams mission or goalsA conflict needs to be resolvedA Guide to Customer Service Skills for the Service Desk Professional, 3e*

Communicating Effectively in a Team Setting (continued)To be effective, feedback must be:Delivered in a considerate, humane, and helping fashionSpecific and provide the recipient with a clear understanding of how his or her behavior affects the team It is the responsibility of the person providing feedback to ensure the recipient received the correct messageIt is the recipients responsibility to receive the feedback in the spirit with which it was delivered A Guide to Customer Service Skills for the Service Desk Professional, 3e*

Communicating Effectively in a Team Setting (continued)Even positive feedback can be received negatively By listening actively to your coworkers you can get a feel for their feedback preference Everyone must participate in the feedback process:Employees must provide feedback to other employeesEmployees must provide feedback to supervisors and team leadersSupervisors and team leaders must provide feedback to employeesSupervisors and team leaders must provide feedback to other supervisors and team leadersA Guide to Customer Service Skills for the Service Desk Professional, 3e*

Communicating Effectively in a Team Setting (continued)Communication in a team setting can occur formally or informally Teams that communicate effectively strive to use the most appropriate method of communication for each situation Effective communication enables teamworkIneffective communication can cripple a team and damage the relationships that exist between team members beyond repairIt is the responsibility of each and every member of the service desk team to do all he or she can to enhance communication A Guide to Customer Service Skills for the Service Desk Professional, 3e*

What to Do When You Are New to a TeamYou have to earn your place in a new teamWorking hardShow a willingness to work with othersTo get settled into a new team:Meet and get to know your teammatesTry to gain an understanding of the big pictureLearn the lingoDetermine exactly what is expected of youVolunteerKnow not only what you are supposed to do, but what your teammates roles and responsibilities are as wellAsk questionsLearn how your contribution fits into the bigger pictureA Guide to Customer Service Skills for the Service Desk Professional, 3e*

Developing Positive Working Relationships With TeammatesTo build the respect and trust that is needed in a team setting:Get to know your teammatesExtend common courtesies to your coworkersListen with interest to your teammatesInquire about and acknowledge their feelingsShare your feelings openly and honestlyBe willing to learn and teachRecognize your teammates achievementsAsk for help when you really need itA Guide to Customer Service Skills for the Service Desk Professional, 3e*

Developing Positive Working Relationships With Teammates (continued)If you want to work on a successful team:You cannot be an inactive or ordinary team playerYou cannot leave it up to the team leader or to the other members of the teamEach and every member of a team has to contributeKnow your role and know your strengthsGet clear on what is expected of you and do your best to give the team what it needsThere is no I in team! A Guide to Customer Service Skills for the Service Desk Professional, 3e*

Chapter SummaryTechnical support lends itself to a team setting because no one person can know everything or provide all of the support customers needSuccessful teams share:A clear sense of purposeDiversityOpenness and trustPositive relationships with other support groupsBeing a team player requires personal commitment and a willingness to put the teams needs ahead of your ownA Guide to Customer Service Skills for the Service Desk Professional, 3e*

Chapter Summary (continued)The service desks mission and goals determine the role the service desk plays within the support organizationEach member of the service desk team must embrace its mission and achieve his or her individual performance goals for the team to achieve its goals The ways people communicate in a team setting influence their relationships with their teammates and the effectiveness of the entire team Team members must freely share information, thoughts, and opinions and encourage their coworkers to share as well To you want to work on a successful team you have to contributeThere is no I in team!A Guide to Customer Service Skills for the Service Desk Professional, 3e*

Challenge #1Determine what each of the three items listed below have in common. Customers Working outYour boss

Common denominator: ______________

Check your answer with the instructor to receive Challenge # 2.A Guide to Customer Service Skills for the Service Desk Professional, 3e*

Challenge #21.PICTURE

2.PEAK PEAK

3.2 cents 3 cents 4 cents 5 cents

4.KOOL

5.accountdrawn

6. lornlornlornlorn

7. ban ana

8.aghiddenendaSolve each of the following brain teasers by determining the phrase depicted, then see the instructor for Challenge #3.A Guide to Customer Service Skills for the Service Desk Professional, 3e*

Challenge #3Unscramble the four words listed below.

Determine the word that does NOT belong. SIMSON ALASBBELLIFCNOCT RDYTVIEIS

Answer: ______________

Be the first team to provide the correct answers to the instructor and receive the bonus points. A Guide to Customer Service Skills for the Service Desk Professional, 3e*

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