
![]() |

Subscribe to
Computerworld December 6, 2004 (Computerworld) --
The Hidden Costs of Help Desk Avoidance
Employees spend an average of 30 minutes per week either trying to fix their own PC problems or working on a co-worker's PC problems, according to research by Compass America Inc., a Chicago-based IT benchmarking firm.
This self-sufficiency and helpfulness may seem like a good thing, but from the company's point of view, it's not very cost-effective, says Scott Feuless, a senior consultant in Compass' Houston office. For starters, it may be a sign that end users have little confidence that the IT help desk can really help or that users don't know that the help desk could solve their problem. Plus, that 30 minutes of lost work productivity is hurting the company and could be reduced to an average of 10 minutes with a top-notch help desk, Feuless says.
Companies take a 3% productivity hit from users futzing with their PCs, and that could be cut to 1% with a first-class help desk, Feuless says, citing Compass' database of more than 7,000 benchmark studies.
So how can companies get a 2% productivity boost? Feuless recommends the following steps:
Best Bits
THE BOOK: The New CIO Leader: Setting the Agenda and Delivering Results, by Marianne Broadbent and Ellen S. Kitzis (Harvard Business School Press, 2004).

Fortunately, sprinkled in various nooks and crannies of the book are some useful insights and techniques for becoming a trusted member of the executive elite. For example, the authors mention the role of credibilitynot just delivering IT projects on time and on budget, but "delivering results that your enterprise leadership really cares about." Frankly, they say, it's the only success metric that matters. Plus, the authors provide advice on when and how to get involved in company politics.
If you're new to the CIO game or struggling to crack the inner circle, this book might be for you.
Things to Ponder
|
|
Print this Story |
|
Send Us Feedback |
|
E-mail this Story |
|
Digg this Story |
|
Slashdot this Story |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| All Zones Application Performance Zone Business Continuity Zone The File Data Management Zone Security Management Zone ITIL Best Practices Zone The SAS Zone Business Intelligence and Analytics Zone Windows Protection Zone Identity & Security Management Zone |
|
|
| ||||||||
| ||||||||
| ||||||||
|


|
Ultraportables: Here to stay? Anonymous writes: The important change with the new subnotebooks is the price point ... [read the story | have your say] Hot topics now: |
Intercept Spam & Viruses With MessageLabs MessageLabs is offering a complimentary 30 day trial of its managed Anti-virus and Anti-spam security solutions. MessageLabs guarantees complete protection against all know and unknown email threats. By providing 24 hour support, your business can increase productivity and decrease risk. Register for a complimentary trial and receive a free datasheet.Download this white paper now!
|

|
Do you love where you work?
Tell us about it! Nominate an organization today for Computerworld's 2009 Best Places to Work in IT list.
Nominate a company here.
See the 2008 Best Places to Work in IT report
|

| SQL Anywhere Developer Edition Download SQL Anywhere is the industry-leading mobile and embedded database. Designed for database-powered applications that operate in frontline environments without onsite IT support, SQL Anywhere offers enterprise-caliber features in a database that is easily embedded and widely deployed in server, desktop, remote office and mobile applications. Download the free SQL Anywhere Developer Edition
|
