Think Tank

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:

• Make the help desk a one-stop shop for PC fixes, so calling it isn't viewed as a waste of time.






• Negotiate service-level agreements to monitor the performance of the help desk.






• Standardize PC hardware and software so the help desk can effectively come up with standard fixes.

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).

On one level, this book is a disappointment. The authors posit 10 critical ways for the CIO to become a strategic business player instead of being relegated to the sidelines as a "chief technology mechanic." But the 10 points include virtual no-brainers such as, "Lead, don't just manage," "Weave business and IT strategy together," and "Develop and nurture a high-performing team." Ack! We've read this a zillion times.

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 credibility—not 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.